CHAPTER 113 I’m Going to Have to Eat Her

CHAPTER 113

I’m Going to Have to Eat Her

Rufus

I resisted kissing Bronwynn again long enough to hear her answer as she inspected the ring with a mix of joy and shock.

The ring was one of a pair I’d bought from the Pixie Prim in Gren’s Keep. It was enchanted to fit, rounded on the edges, and flatter than some of the more popular styles. I chose it so it wouldn’t impede Bronwynn playing her instrument, and because it reminded me of our colors; her red-tipped hair and my golden coat.

She dragged her eyes away and beamed at me, opening her mouth to answer, “Meow.”

“Momo. Slake.” Bronwynn released her breath, and her lips quirked into a sad half smile as I whipped my head around to look in the elderberry tree above us.

Two grimalcats lounged on a branch, a familiar black one with green eyes and horns and bat wings lying down and relaxing, and a brown one with golden eyes and horns and fluffy owl wings licking its paw.

“Not funny, Slake,” I said, my voice slipping into a growl. I probably shouldn’t have growled at a grimalcat, but I didn’t care. I might’ve still been just a little bit bitter about him interrupting me back in Peldeep and dragging me off before Bronwynn and I could clear the air.

“You know”—Bronwynn reached out and put a hand on my cheek, guiding me to look at her instead—“I really like it when you do that. You should growl more.” Then she kissed me one more time. It was short and sweet. Too short. She smiled. “Of course I’ll marry you.”

“Really?” I didn’t know why I felt the need to question her at that moment. Probably the panic .

“What can I say?” Bronwynn poked me in the chest. “With beastmen, when you know you know.”

After saying that, she looked up into the tree. “Momo, thank you for coming. We have a lot to talk about.”

“We do,” Momo replied, his voice softer and higher pitched than Slake’s. He was so much fluffier than Slake, too, with a big poof of fur on his chest and wide eyes that made him look like he was permanently startled or confused. He took a step on the branch and slipped, but righted himself and tapped the branch twice as if saying he’d meant to do that.

I managed to keep a straight and respectable face.

Momo’s poofy tail flicked twice and then he jumped down, landing in a patch of grass. Slake yawned and closed his eyes, choosing to remain in the tree.

“I’m sorry to say,” I told Slake, “that you missed all the fun last night.”

The grimalcat opened one eye. “If you think we were going to take one step into a magical rainstorm crafted by storm giants, then Intelligence must be your dump stat.”

“It was truly dreadful. I could never,” Momo agreed as he bound around to the front of the bench, sitting and staring at us with his very wide eyes.

“Good to know.” I grimaced. “In case I ever need to escape a grimalcat.”

Slake snorted. “There is no escape. We can smell your intent.”

“It would make for a good hunt,” Momo added. “Now, let me get a good look at you.”

I held Bronwynn’s hand while she exchanged a very long stare with the fluffy grimalcat, his eyes glowing a steady gold.

“Hmm … yes. I see,” Momo said. Whatever magic he was doing had Bronwynn held fast.

What did I know about grimalcats? They saved children, dealt in lives, were incredibly powerful and fickle and rare.

And there were two right in front of me.

Momo sneezed and froze, his gaze going distant. We waited patiently.

Finally, the grimalcat sneezed a second time and was back. “You are living my life very well, but I don’t like this part here. No, no at all. What a mess.”

Bronwynn’s face fell; she looked incredibly guilty. I regretted not going and lifting Donna here bodily. Where was the murder horse when you needed her?

“I’m sorry,” my bard said.

“Mm.” Momo blinked slowly, the light of his powers dimming. “I guess that is the way of things.”

“What does that mean?” I asked.

“Momo,” Slake called down from the tree, momentarily startling the brown grimalcat. Momo shivered in puffy consternation and gave Slake the side-eye .

“I know, I know. But I can’t. Even for you, old friend,” Momo argued. “There’s no help for it; I’m going to have to eat her.”

I stood up so fast it startled the cat. Momo’s claws popped out, his hair rose, and he flinched. Bronwynn’s hand on my arm held me back from doing something I might regret.

“You can’t eat her,” I spoke up, putting my own arm out to block my bard. Slake leapt down from the branch, walking over to the brown grimalcat, who looked like he was still a bit frazzled at my outburst. Momo glared at me with his wide eyes, and for some reason, my [Keen Senses] was warning me that I was in more trouble than when I’d watched Lithnilheim rampage across the city.

Slake circled Momo, and after a full turn around, sat beside him, facing the couple.

“Actually, technically, he can,” Slake said.

Momo nodded, settling himself and looking around. His eyes caught on a white butterfly nearby but dragged themselves back to Bronwynn. “You have lived a wonderful life, have you not?”

“I have,” Bronwynn assured the grimalcat.

“And followed your dreams?”

“Yes, but—”

“And then you broke your promise.” Momo tilted his head to the side. “So I should eat you. You’ve got nothing left to lose.”

“Momo,” Slake spoke, fulfilling his promise to speak for us. “She did recently get engaged …”

“To a dog ,” Momo stressed, looking me over with disdain. “See, nothing left to lose.”

“Well, that was rude,” I stated.

Bronwynn sighed. “Rufus, I did break my promise.”

“No,” I stressed, “ Donna broke your promise. Can she even do that?”

“Minstrel Bronwynn feels responsible,” Slake explained. “Momo can feel it in her soul.”

“I could eat the horse?” Momo mused, but then shook his head. “No, that still wouldn’t change the way you feel.”

“Wait.” I realized something, lowering my arm. “Did you say the way she feels ?”

Slake and Momo exchanged looks. Slake was the one who finally spoke. “Yes. As long as she feels responsible for her bonded companion’s actions, her promise will be broken, and Momo’s soul construct will demand payment.”

“It is a shame; I really did like your music.” Momo’s tail twitched twice; the white butterfly was back and fluttering closer than ever. The grimalcat jumped up onto his hind legs and tried to grab it with his paw, batting a few times but not catching the butterfly. He landed on all fours and turned back to the bard. “Still, this is the end. ”

“Actually,” I informed everyone, “it’s not.”

[You have activated Mediator title ability. +2 Charisma. Targets equal to or higher will recognize the title.]

[You have attempted to activate the Perk: Calming Effect against Minstrel Bronwynn. It was uncontested. Calming Effect was successful.]

[You have attempted to activate the Perk: Inspire Honesty against Minstrel Bronwynn. It was uncontested. Inspire Honesty was successful.]

[Passive Perk: Empathy still in effect.]