Page 151 of I Ran Away to Evil 3
“I do.”
“Then I’ll leave it to you.” Keith shot his wife a wide, vicious grin. The Dark Lord handed over the paperwork to a surprised Henrietta, instructing, “Now that Her Eminence is back, she can find you the queen’s sealandthe Master Crystal. Let me know if you need any help hiring the personnel—”
“You just don’t want to ask her yourself!” Henrietta chided but took the paperwork and dropped a kiss on his cheek.
His smile got wider. “Me?”
Henrietta also smiled. “You’re lucky I love you.”
“I am.”
Ever since I’d taken over the drawbridge at the Northern Fortress, I’d also had to pay for it.
Every day, I handed Julian a purse of coin for the cost of the scout team that came and left from the fort. And every day, he passed it right back. By the end of August, I was used to the comings and goings of his people, and I immediately noticed when there was a change to the schedule.
“Wait,” I called out, stopping in my tracks. Technically, stopping in Julian’s tracks, since he was in the front, and we were marching single file through the snow.
The lands north of the mountain ridge were harsher than the Ice Fields near the border. Cutting winds blew up snow sideways into sweeping storms that came out of nowhere and lasted for hours. The sun was lower in the sky, its warm beams fighting the icy chill and losing. Even on the hottest days, I had to wear a thick cloak to block the cold wind.
Everyone halted, looking back at me.
“Someone is approaching the Northern Fortress,” I told them. “Someone powerful.”
Julian looked at Visha, who shook her head. “I didn’t get word of a visitor.”
Julian frowned and grumbled a bit. “It’s probably my invitation to next month’s ball.”
The autumn equinox was in late September, when Grand Duchess Calisto would be hosting her Fall Ball.
I’d already acquired my invite.
“This isn’t the best place for a bridge,” Tully piped up. “Should we dig a trench?”
Jeffry pulled out his sword as Visha summoned her blades. At this point, we were all deft hands at preparing a makeshift bridge for me. It only took three minutes to cut a long hole in the snowy field and lay down a bridge.
I portaled us back to the Northern Fortress and immediately had to dodge a blast of Void energy. It hit Tully in the arm, and the human grunted from the damage. Julian lifted a [Barrier] between us and the attacker.
It was Alice.
“I found you!” she exclaimed, her face a mix of exhilaration and bloodthirst.
“I see that.”
I was actually surprised that my [Oracle] ability hadn’t shown me that she’d found me, but I’d had no Alice prophecies since the last time we’d faced each other.
“Guild Mistress Alice,” Julian cut in, stepping forward and resting one hand on my shoulder. The other hand lifted his Valarian Royal Shield. “On behalf of the Continental Council, you are hereby under arrest for the unlawful assassination of citizens under level sixty, three counts of unregistered international espionage, and the harassment of one bridge troll. Come quietly.”
Alice stared at Julian and then at me. “Youdidn’t …”
“I did.” I shrugged. Why hide it. Behind us, Visha was giving Tully a health potion, John had vanished, and Pram stood ready to attack.
“Don’t you feel guilty for ruining his chance at Happily Ever After?” she asked. “Or is that why you’re helping—because he would’ve already found his dungeon if you hadn’t interfered?”
“What’s it to you? Shouldn’t you be organizing a coup somewhere?” I said before activating, “[Force].”
Since she was standing on the edge of my drawbridge, I could force her off. The blast sent Alice flying, but she landed on her feet.
Julian released my shoulder and said, “John.”
