Page 22 of I Ran Away to Evil #3
When You Fell for Duke Julian
Gerda
The mayhem had died down by the time I made my way to the Hall of Inventions.
“Please stay seated until you’re cleared to leave,” a guardswoman shouted over the croaking.
“[Cure].” Countess Julia, the Paladin of Light, was systematically picking up frogs and then bopping them on the nose. She stopped to take a mana potion every other frog.
Her build was for battle, not healing.
Necromancer Chloe was handing out antidotes and checking the condition of the cured. She was the perfect example of a calm, composed, and professional paramedic. She only came up to my chin, but she was a force to be reckoned with.
“Gerda!” Henrietta waved from across the street.
Bronwynn was sitting on a statue of a dragon at the base of the stairwell into the Hall of Inventions, and Rufus was counselling the newly cured.
Duke Julian, who was speaking with his shadowy assistant, stopped to shoot me a look .
It was a very intense look. Absolute Fan Service.
“Excuse me, miss,” an elven guard stepped forward to waylay me. “But we have closed down the street and no one is allowed entry.”
“I am with Her Majesty.” I waved back at Henrietta.
“Then you may wait over here until the area is cleared,” the guard instructed, pointing to the café. Lady Amy was already sitting at a table so I joined her. She was all too happy to tell me everything I’d missed.
This was another great thing about not being in charge: If something happened, I didn’t have to clean up the mess.
It took an hour before everything was finished.
“Any news on why the Blackfog spies turned people into a bunch of frogs?” I asked Henrietta when our party reunited. Even as I spoke, my Perception let me know that people were coming up behind me.
Chloe’s voice answered. “To ruin my wedding?”
“It’ll be fine, love,” Countess Julia tried to cheer up her angry fiancée. I stepped back to welcome them into the conversation.
“We were supposed to be reviewing the cheese plates! And our final dress fitting starts in thirty minutes.” Chloe huffed. “Anyway, Rufus, I need you for the fitting.”
“You do not.” Rufus reached out and took Bronwynn’s hand.
“Bring your wife, I don’t care, but you will come try on the suit we’ve prepared.” Chloe pointed at Rufus. “And then we have the rehearsal dinner.”
“No use fighting it.” Countess Julia chuckled as she turned to Lady Amy. “There is a missive from your father back at the palace.”
The woman deflated. “Then I’ll return with you.”
Rufus sighed dramatically. “Fine.”
“I guess we’ll see you later.” Bronwynn waved goodbye. Chloe and Julia also grabbed Julian and dragged him away, but not before he shot me another look . I resisted the urge to wave at him, settling for a winning smile.
Even his suspicious frown looked hot.
I turned to Henrietta and asked, “Do we still have time to tour the Hall of Inventions”—the Dark Lady’s stomach chose that moment to let out an impressive rumble—“or do you want to grab lunch?”
Henrietta took my arm, careful not to break it. “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse—and I’m allergic to horses!”
“Let’s go to Megan’s Tea House. I’m in the mood for something sweet.”
Henrietta nodded. “And you can tell me when you fell for Duke Julian.”
I didn’t trip. I didn’t flinch. In fact, I was incredibly proud that I simply raised an eyebrow at my friend and asked, “What makes you think I like His Grace?”
“You can’t see yourself.” Henrietta smiled. “But the way your eyes follow him … you look like you want to eat the man.”
“I don’t eat elf,” I deadpanned while the heroine laughed out loud.
“You can’t fool me,” she teased. “You can’t keep your eyes off him, and you keep sending him this playful smile like you have a secret that you’re not going to share with him.”
I attempted to refute her claims. “He’s the person in charge—of course I’m going to check back and see what he’s doing. Besides, I’ll have you know I’m naturally this secretive, and we all know it.”
“You are a curmudgeon who delights in trolling people,” Henrietta countered. “Pun intended. But it’s not the same. Do you have a secret on the duke?”
“Ha-ha, make fun of the bridge troll,” I mocked offense. “How would I know any of his secrets? I live in the Dark Enchanted Forest, and he lives in the Northern Ice Fields.”
“That’s not a no.” Henrietta smiled slyly.
We arrived at the teahouse, and I opened the door for us.
“It’s an implied no.”
Megan’s Tea House was large enough for twelve small tables and a single seat at the shop window. Climbing vines hung from the walls, and plants were happily living their best life in every corner of the establishment. Since it was past the lunch rush, there were only two others in the eatery.
A faun greeted us with a warm smile from behind her counter. “Welcome to Megan’s.” Her voice was kind and welcoming. “Please place your order with me, and I’ll be happy to bring it to your table.”