Page 41 of I Ran Away to Evil #3
The Elusive, Beautiful, Charming, and Brilliant Madame Potts
Julian
Julian turned and faced the troll, who stared wide-eyed at Guild Mistress Alice.
“Wait, really?!” Queen Henrietta’s frown turned into a wide smile as she immediately accepted the word as fact and literally clapped with joy. “ You’re Madame Potts? ”
Julian considered the revelation. It would certainly explain how she’d known where his locket was, and how she’d caught an arrow midflight. And how she’d known about the kazil poison frogs in advance.
And how she’d helped them capture Alice.
The bridge troll tried to wave off the accusation. “Me?”
“ Yes, you! ” Guild Mistress Alice shot back. “It’s so obvious now. You mentioned me in a Cast after I destroyed your bridge escaping the Emerald Palace. All this time, I thought you lived in the part I burned down!”
Their Royal Highness whispered softly to Julian’s mother, “After you are done with Alice, it’s my turn.”
Calisto nodded her agreement.
Alice continued. “It explains how you found my traps. And why some random bridge troll found Julia before everyone else!”
“ You saved Julia?” Julian asked, interrupting.
“Ah. Well …” Gerda shot Julian a look he couldn’t read before addressing the room. “That is pretty incriminating evidence … but so what?”
“Wait!” Sir Tully exclaimed at the same time. “ You won the trap prize? Not fair if Madame Potts was competing!”
“Even if it were true”—the troll looked down on Alice—“Madame Potts has saved every person in this hall, except you .”
“Or me,” Julian added.
“ Technically ,” she stressed the word, “you might have eaten that poison lunch if I weren’t there.”
He didn’t point out they were supposed to be talking about a time when Madame Potts had saved him.
“My point ”—Gerda was already turning back to Alice—“is whether I’m the elusive, beautiful, charming, and brilliant Madame Potts or just some random bridge troll , it doesn’t matter, does it? I still beat you .”
“You cheated!” Alice yelled. “I wouldn’t even have to be here if I weren’t cleaning up your mess! You say you saved people, but you’ve ruined everything! Look at what you did to the Heroine of Justice!”
Gerda shot back. “Fate is not predetermined—Madame Potts proved that . And Henrietta has every right to be with whomever she wants.”
“The Dark Lord is not one of her fated mates!” Alice declared.
“Don’t listen.” King Keith reached out and covered his wife’s ears, knowing it wouldn’t do much.
“It’s alright.” Queen Henrietta reached up with one hand and placed it on his. She looked up at him with a reassuring gaze. “I’m very happy with my choice.”
“ You married a demon! ” Alice spat. “He’s a monster! With horns!”
“A demi,” Keith corrected. “I’m not even half demon. And you’re one to talk, celestial .”
“I like your horn,” Henrietta said, then blushed.
“And I’m lucky you do,” Keith replied, also blushing.
“See? Everyone’s getting their Happily Ever After.” Gerda smirked. “Besides, Fate’s plan was dreadful . Is her storyline even worth fighting for?”
“ You dare! ” Alice fought Visha’s hold, trying to physically attack the troll but unable to do so with her lowered stats.
“ If I have to live in this world, then I have to dare ,” said Gerda, her voice darker and resolute.
Julian felt the weight of her words hit him.
“You lost because you thought it was okay to force people down a path not of their choosing. But people always have a choice, even when it seems hopeless.” Gerda lifted her manacles.
“Even trapped, I could try to run or fight, or walk out of here with my head held high. That is how the world works. Fate and Luck walk hand in hand, and nothing is certain .”
Alice narrowed her eyes at the bridge troll. “Is that who put you up to this? Luck is the only one who has as much control over the story as my goddess. Are you her champion?”
“Why can’t I be working with Fate?” Gerda countered. “Perhaps she’s grown tired of her own plot?”
“Ridiculous!” Alice snarled. “Utterly ridiculous!”
“Is it, though?” Sir Tully added from the side.
“Shh.” Visha elbowed the paladin.
“I think I’ve heard enough,” Grand Duchess Calisto stated. “Visha, you may take Guild Mistress Alice to the Elkhorn Hall.”
His mother was sending Alice to her personal dungeon.
“I hope you enjoy your Happily Ever After ,” the Keeper of Fate told them as she was escorted out, “because Fate isn’t going to just sit back and watch.”
And with that threat, she left the hall.
Gerda looked up at Julian, lifting her manacles. “Do I have to go to the dungeon too?”
“No need for that, Miss Gerda … Or should I say, Madame Potts ?” Julian pulled out the key to her manacles. But she surprised him.
“You have no real proof that I’m Madame Potts.” She lifted her hands away from Julian and chastised him. “Don’t unlock my manacles based on what that psychopathic murderer said! You should unlock these because you think that I’m innocent and you were wrong to ever doubt me.”
Julian couldn’t hide the amusement on his face as he reached out and easily caught the troll’s bound hands. He dragged them back to unlock the binds, feeling the slight tremor in her fingers.
“Thank you for saving my sister,” he said sincerely. “And I’m sorry for doubting you.”
“I’m not,” Tully told Pram. “She’s right; we should detain anyone suspicious.” Pram just shrugged as Julian offhandedly planned further punishment for Tully when they returned north.
Gerda rubbed her wrists, glaring up at Julian. “Only Alice thinks I saved Julia—I’m just your average, overpowered bridge troll.”
She didn’t sound convincing, and Julian opened his mouth to tease her.
“I have proof.” Except his mother cut in, matter of fact.
At the troll’s raised eyebrows, his mother gave her a gentle, pitying stare. “You honestly thought I didn’t have enchanted golems spying on every part of my castle during the festival?”
“Ah,” Gerda accepted readily, looking sheepish. “Sensible of you.”
“Especially when somebody foretold trouble?” Calisto teased.
Gerda looked around at everyone who was left and sighed. “All right, I give up. Let me explain—”
“Before you do,” King Keith cut her off, pointedly looking around the room. “I say we move this elsewhere; maybe over lunch?”