Page 58 of I Ran Away to Evil #3

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.

I’d forgone the pirate battle and checked in on Rebecca. It was rare for Rebecca to appear in my visions, since she wasn’t a very active chosen, but she was following a distress signal from her sister and got caught battling a stoneskin wombat on her way out of the Dark Enchanted Forest.

The vision with Julia had only shown the Paladin of Light pulling Chloe out of the way when the lady in pink lit Tully on fire.

“I shouldn’t worry, since Slake said he would keep an eye on Amy while she was here …” I sighed. The grimalcat was also nowhere to be seen.

Just then, I was distracted by a blinking notification.

[Passive Perk: Sense Fate has activated. Duke Julian von Slyke will be shot through the heart on the eve.]

[You have crossed paths with a fate that can be changed. Area of effect radius: Level 65 x Perception 43 x Foretelling 4 = 11,180 sq/ft. Fate herself will guide you.]

[“A battle rages within, but slips the weak hand to the bow. Love strives, but a heart shaken is a heart still determined to quest. Her breath a choice has delayed the point but soft spoken are empty words against action at best.”]

“Gerda?” The gentle breath on my ear sent a shiver down my spine and pulled me from the perk. Julian was close enough that if it were anyone else, I might have panicked. His silver eyes were so striking, but this was not the time to be distracted from my distraction.

“A new prophecy,” I said, waving at the notification only I could see. “You’re going to be shot.”

“When?” Julian pulled me closer and stepped away from the table. Suddenly, we were engulfed in a clear magical shield. People looked our way, but only in passing interest; backstabbing or hidden attacks were a staple of any good ball.

I shook my head. “I didn’t get a vision of your imminent death, only a passive perk telling me someone is going to shoot you in the heart tonight.”

Erik’s friends were whispering among themselves.

“Amazing.”

“Did we just get to see a prophecy firsthand?”

“Melvin is going to be so jealous that he missed this year.”

“ He decided his research was more important than his debut.” The catkin who said this smirked.

The shield disappeared, and Julian let go of my arm. He took a step back. “Then, it would be better if we parted ways here.”

“No need. I won’t let you die,” I said, matter of fact.

“Death is only a slight inconvenience.” Julian glanced near the front of the hall, where his mother stood. “Though I would hate to ruin my sister’s reception. Julia would never let me live it down if Chloe had to revive me tonight.”

“True,” I agreed.

“If you get the chance, would you revive me instead?” Julian asked.

“Of course.”

“Shouldn’t we, I don’t know, inform the guards?” Shiro cut into our back-and-forth, concerned.

“The sooner the better,” Erik agreed, picking up his drink and downing the entire glass. “I’ll get to it.”

“Wait.” I stopped him, closing my eyes and going through my visions. I didn’t see Julian in his sister’s vision. Which meant that he wasn’t on that side of the ballroom during the errant fireball.

He was standing on this side of the hall.

When I opened my eyes, everyone was staring at me—including a few masked individuals from outside the group.

“You should probably raise that shield again …” I told Julian.

“I’ll do more than that.” Putting his glass down on the table, he reached out to poke my forehead.

My mouth opened a bit in shock, snapping shut before I asked, “What did you do?”

“[Guard],” he explained, opening and downing a mana potion at the same time. “A simple defense spell.”

I knew what [Guard] was. I also knew he didn’t need to poke me to activate it.

“Am I or am I not going for help,” Erik asked.

“No time,” I replied, sounding like I’d foreseen it but in actuality I’d just watched Grand Duchess Calisto let go of Rowen’s arm and raise her glass.

“Greetings and a warm welcome, everyone.” Calisto’s voice echoed across the room, amplified by magic so that all could hear her at conversational volume. The room quieted, and everyone turned to face the duchess with their glasses ready.

Erik cursed under his breath, ducking his glass below the table and refilling it with something from a flask pulled out of nowhere. Julian picked his up from the table again, making sure to tap the side with the index finger holding the glass.

No poison.

I tinked my own glass, just in case.

And just in case was right. The note was distinctly different from what I had heard earlier.

“It is with great pride that I invite you all to toast the brides, Countesses Julia and Chloe von Slyke.”

The pair stepped forward, hand in hand. Both wore purple, Chloe in a smart five-piece suit with heeled knee-high boots over black pants and a long black linen tunic that fell to the thigh over a purple silk tunic embroidered in silver crescent moons.

A black-and-silver corset was laced on top, and draped over one shoulder, a black mantle trimmed in purple.

Julia wore a long purple gown that showed off the taller paladin’s curves.

Everyone raised their glass and took a sip. I simply pretended to drink mine.

Only one person collapsed, a rabbit beastfolk wearing Peldeep-style robes. His friends cursed, and there was a minute lost while they argued over which antidote would work on the unfortunate fellow. They guessed right, and the beastman survived. He nodded apology to the room.

Calisto continued, used to these kinds of interruptions.

“Julia, you are my pride and joy. I am so pleased that you have found your other half, the woman who completes you. Let her be a companion and guide, a word of wisdom, and a lifelong friend.” The duchess placed a hand on her daughter’s shoulders, smiling with love.

She turned to her new daughter-in-law. “And Chloe. You are my own from this day forward. I am so thankful that you are my daughter’s wife, and know that we will always be here for you. We are your family.”

“Thank you, Mother.” Julia squeezed Chloe’s hand, who was just standing there, stiff. The necromancer’s face was hidden by a mask, but a slight glint betrayed tears on the small woman’s face.

“I love you both, so much,” Chloe whispered, even my perception only barely picking it up.

Julia smiled warmly at her love and lifted Chloe’s hand to her lips. “May I have this dance, wife?”

Chloe’s lips pulled into a flirtatious smile through the tears. “Darling, that’s my line.”

The crowd parted to the sides of the hall as the couple walked to the center of the dance floor. A soft note carried before the musicians played a slow song while the two began the first dance.

Julian leaned down. “Really … thank you.”

“I only introduced them,” I said, knowing exactly what he was thanking me for. “The rest was all them.”

“You introduced them?”

“You didn’t hear that.”

Julian was about to say something when a figure rose from his shadow.