Page 100 of I Ran Away to Evil 3
“For the toast,” the knight said, presenting a variety of drinks. She was one of his mother’s personal knights, a level fifty-three paladin with poison detection. She recognized Julian right away, her eyes glancing at his partner with interest.
“Thank you, Sir Rumel.” He took a red cherry cider, and Gerda chose a dry pear. “Keep up the good work.”
“Have a good evening, Your Grace. Miss.” Sir Rumel bowed her head then left to offer drinks to the rest of the guests. The duchess wasn’t leaving anything to chance.
Gerda immediately tapped the glass with a fingernail, noting the distinct crystal chime. Her dance card was hanging off her wrist by a black braided thread, and it swayed delicately.
“May I?” Julian motioned to the card. When she lifted it, he used a bit of mana to activate it and write out his name on the first line. Then, in a moment of possessiveness utterly unlike him … he added his name to the last spot as well.
“I’m not the best dancer,” she warned, unbothered by his claiming multiple spots.
“Between your Dexterity and my expertise, I’m sure it’ll be fine,” he said, but she had turned away to scan the crowd.
The room was filling up fast. She was distracted, and after the second pass, he realized she was looking for someone in particular.
“If you’re looking for our young lady in pink, she’s standing beside Tully over there.” Julian tilted his own glass toward the far side of the hall. Miss Penny Bracken was wearing a different outfit than the one she’d worn at tea … and this one managed to lookeven morepink than the last.
The dress was an interesting design that reminded Julian of a pincushion.
“No … I’m looking for someone else. Ah, there’s Erik.”
It was the giant whom she’d been laughing with before the tea party. He stood next to a table that was elbow high for his companions but hip high for Erik. The giant had on red tights, a long loose black tunic with a jeweled belt cinched at the waist, and a golden chain around his neck.
Julian let Gerda drag him over to the young group despite wanting more time with her alone.
“Erik! Shiro!” The troll smiled a greeting. “Have you seen Lady Amy? She disappeared after the tea party. We were supposed to talk, but all I got was this note.”
A green leaf appeared in Gerda’s hand, unfurling to show shining golden scrawl clearly visible to all.
I’m sorry, something came up. I’ll see you at the ball.
The pair exchanged looks and stepped away from their friends: another fox, a human, and a catkin. The others tried not to appear like they were listening in and failed.
“No, we parted ways in the main hall,” Erik replied.
Gerda sighed. “I have a bad feeling about this.”
Julian didn’t need to hear more. Tapping his foot twice, he drew Shadow John’s attention as he leaned down and spoke into Gerda’s ear, even knowing everyone could hear him. “I’ll quietly send out a search. Just in case.”
She gave him a short nod, accepting the help. “Thank you.”
Julian’s shadow flickered. John got his message and was off.
“Don’t you already know the future?” Erik tapped the table beside his drink. “Or is that rude to ask?”
“That’s a bit much Erik,” Shiro chided softly.
Gerda flinched. “It’s … complicated.”
CHAPTER 57
No Poison
Gerda
“I already checked on tonight … but that doesn’t account for something I did in the meantime unknowingly changing things,” I offered the simplest response.
I didn’t want to explain that my powers were at the whims of Fate. I’d woken up with the sun to check [Oracle] and seen options from Julia about tonight, and then two others: Pirate Abra, the Bringer of Chaos, and Rebecca Smith, the Herald of Void.
