Page 81 of I Ran Away to Evil 3
Everything I’d accomplished since entering this world. There was still more—I knew there was. The story wasn’t over until the dragon Feliwyn awoke. She was supposed to be the actual final boss, and she was still fast asleep. But aside from Sumbria being an absolute mess, everyone else was sorted … and I didn’t need to stay and fix Sumbria. All of the people I’d cared about finding happiness were right here. Happy.
“Madame Potts?”
I turned to see two young women, relatives of Grand Duchess Calisto by the looks of them, standing a polite distance away.
“We just wanted to say it’s an honor to meet you.” The one on the left wore a red silhouette dress commonly found in the Empire of Sands. It started with an embroidered circular collar around the throat and left the shoulders bare. The front panel was just wide enough to cover the collarbone, wrap over the breasts, and meet the back panel under the arms. Silver vines were embroidered on the dress to look like pinstripes, giving it a slimming look on the statuesque human. She had thick, sun-kissed brown hair that fell to her elbows.
“I’m Gail, and this is Tabitha.”
The one on the right waved, shyly. She wore a blue silhouette dress with similar silver embroidery, and a silver scarf belt around her hips. Her hair was black and decorated with silver rings.
“It’s nice to meet you both.” I returned their eager smiles. “How are you enjoying the festival?”
“It’s brilliant,” Tabitha answered.
Gail nodded enthusiastically. “This is our second ball. Aunt Calisto made us wait until our debutante before we were allowed to attend.”
“Even though Cousin Julia was going as early as age ten,” Tabitha added.
“And I’ve heard His Grace started at six!” Gail played with a lock of hair separated by silver rings. It was a beautiful hairstyle that I decided I might try next time I went somewhere fancy.
Of course, if I went north immediately after this, I might be gone by the fall or winter celebrations.
“I’m just imagining Duke Julian running around as a young boy.” I laughed. “I feel like he was more well behaved than his sister.”
“You’re right about that.” Tabitha leaned in. “But then Julian left when Uncle Lysander died.”
“He was a great man,” I told them, knowing the backstory. Lysander had fought in the civil war and fallen in the final battle—but not before he’d cut a canyon down the center of Sumbria in a wizard’s duel with the Sage of Aegis.
“Ladies”—I pushed off from the wall and waved toward a pair of empty seats nearby—“would you like to sit?”
They shared an excited look between them and joined me. Henrietta saw me come in and nodded from across the room, staying where she was. Keith was in an animated conversation with Witch Agatha and it didn’t look like they were going to be finished anytime soon.
That left me plenty of time to get to talk with Gail and Tabitha. The two were a fountain of knowledge about Duke Julian’s childhood … and I was planning on coaxing outeveryfamily story I could.
CHAPTER 46
Have You Come to Kill Me So Soon?
Julian
Julian had a problem.
He couldn’t stop thinking about the bridge troll.
It was long after she’d left, and he hadworkto do.
He wanted to blame the fact that Gerda was Madame Potts … but he’d already had this same problem multiple times before that discovery. She just got under his skin. The way she was always one step ahead kept him on his toes, but more so the way she came at things intrigued him.
He wished she were here now because he wanted to hear her thoughts on the interrogation.
“This isn’t going to hold me for long.” Guild Mistress Alice indicated the prison around her. “So you might as well ask your questions now—I’ll even answer them.”
“Why?” Julian dragged his mind back to the matter at hand. Namely, questioning the celestial who’d been making a mess of Valaria.
Alice was sitting on a wooden chair, a table between them. Her manacled wrists were resting on it, and she would intermittently cast a look at the magical wall as if she knewexactlywhat it was. Visha stood in the corner, on guard.
Their Royal Highness was lounging in a room beyond, watching everything with magic. Witch Agatha had joined the fox, as had Master Thomas of Servalt and the recently arrived Wizard Lorthar. The wizard of Hemlock Hill had been summoned as soon as they’d taken Alice into custody, as he had the highest-level interrogation spells on the continent. Julian wondered if Lorthar heard the news about Madame Potts since he’d rushed over so quickly.
