Page 88 of I Ran Away to Evil 3
“In this case, I think Alice assumed the prophecy is about: ‘So seek first those of second death.’ Combining it with the previous lines, Alice is focusing on those who have died and come back when they were not fated to, like myself, and anyone who was fated to die but was saved, like Their Royal Highness Rowen of Peldeep.”
Wizard Lorthar nodded to say the troll was speaking the truth.
“But”—Gerda shook her head—“those like Rowen are notona second death. They’re still on their first life. Andeven if they had died, they would be on their second chance atlife, notdeath.”
Her logic was sound, and her points succinct … so Julian didn’t know why there was a growing feeling of unease in the pit of his stomach.
Witch Agatha interrupted his thoughts to ask, “So why isn’t it a warning that those ‘of second death’ aren’t causing the problems, those whohavelived twice andwouldhave died a ‘second death’?”
“BecauseFateis looming,” Gerda replied, as if it were obvious. “That’s the point.”
Master Thomas scoffed. “What’sthe point?”
“The prophecy was for the champion of Fate, by Fate,” Gerda said, stressing her words. “Which is why we have nothing to fear. Since Fate herself is the answer.”
Julian did not see how there was nothing to fear when they were discussing the unraveling of time itself, and so said, “I don’t follow—”
“No one does!” Master Thomas cut him off. “The troll is speaking in circles. Is this really theexpertyou praised, Duke Julian?”
“Ithoughtit was obvious.” Gerda shrugged. Her voice turned too kind as she offered, “Butof courseI could dumb it down for you, Master Thomas.”
Witch Agatha made a choking noise that Julian was all too familiar with. It probably wasn’t the best insult because even though shehadaimed it at the mage, everyone in the room was an unintended target, Julian included.
“If you please, Miss Gerda.” Wizard Lorthar appeared unaffected by the insult, saying simply, “I would like to hear more.”
Fate is talking to herself and asking why she should fight change. Why should she weave the same story when things have already snagged or changed?” Gerda explained her reasoning. “Fate isn’t threatening to unravel the weave—If Fate is sending this riddle to her Chosen, then she’s telling Alice to help settle the new storylines and tie up any loose ends.”
She drew breath and continued. “We can even combine the two riddles and see the same answers: Shadow stresses walkingforward, and Fate is talking about the coming autumn leaves. She wants things sorted and the new storylines stable before the end of summer,notreverted back to the way they were.”
“An interesting take.” Wizard Lorthar leaned forward in his chair and scrutinized the bridge troll. “Notone that Mistress Alice would agree with.”
“How do we know you aren’t trying to convince us to ignore Fate’s warning because the other way to interpret the prophecy points at Madame Potts as a thorn in Fate’s side?” Master Thomas spoke mockingly. “The ire of a goddess can destroy worlds, and you want us to do nothing?”
“It is true that I’mobviouslyone of the people Fate is talking about in her message.” Gerda shrugged nonchalantly. “Since I’m one of the people changing her story. But if you listen to the riddle, it should be clear: Fate is askingherselfabout time. She talks about mortals, but from a place where she is interacting with them as a deity.”
“And if you’re wrong and Fate really does unravel the weave?” Thomas challenged.
Julian tried to keep the sarcasm from his voice as he replied, “I shouldthinkthat the other gods would’ve said something by now, if that were the case.”
The more he thought about it, the more he sided with Gerda’s interpretation over Alice’s. And Julian had to admit hetrustedthe troll far more than the guild mistress.
“Why don’t we just ask them?” Witch Agatha suggested. “Wehavetwo other chosen in the palace. Queen Henrietta is the Heroine of Justice, is she not? And your own sister is the Paladin of Light.”
The door into Alice’s prison opened, and Their Royal Highness stormed out in a fit of red-and-white smoke. The fox slammed the door behind themselves.
“That celestial,” they growled, running a hand through their long hair before eyeing the room. Rowen walked over to Julian and put a hand on his shoulder. “I think you should keep her locked up until the Winter Feast. For extra precaution.”
“That is for the council to decide,” Master Thomas reminded. Julian felt the urge to agree with Rowen if for no other reason than he would be upsetting the mage.
“We can discuss that in the future,” Julian answered politically instead. “In the meantime, Gerda has kindly let us know that the message from Fate probably isn’t as foreboding as we’d first assumed.”
“Technically,” Wizard Lorthar countered, “we haven’t heard her thoughts on the other parts of the riddle. She’s said nothing about where everything ends in Void.”
“And to be fair,” Witch Agatha added unhelpfully, “Shadow onlyimpliedthat He wouldn’t end the world … The god said nothing about Void choosing to do so.”
“Ithink we shouldn’t even belisteningto Madame Potts,” Master Thomas griped, looking down at Gerda with contempt. “Since she is not an impartial party and already admitted that she is part of the problem.”
Gerda shook her head. “I never said there was a problem; just the opposite.”
