Ranald tilted his head again and gave a small chuckle. “No, my woman, no longer officially. yet i've got noticeable you speeding approximately my fort the previous a number of hours. ” I gasped. “Your citadel? ” “Aye. ” I blinked at him. “Wait a minute,” I acknowledged, preserving up a hand to forestall him from commenting additional. I felt like I simply wanted a moment or to trap up. after which I had it. “You’re the fellow who concealed the gold! ” back, Ranald tipped his head again and gave a hearty snigger. “Well-done, miss,” he acknowledged officially with one other bow. I felt my insides move all hot and gooey, and that i can have spent the total remainder of the day sitting less than that beautiful tree and attempting to make that beautiful guy chuckle back. after which after all, i noticed i used to be chatting with a ghost. not anything kills the temper of a bit flirt-flirt like figuring out you’re speaking to a useless man. “I’m sorry if we trespassed in your property,” I informed him. He winked at me. “It’s now not the trespassing I brain rather a lot because the trying to find me gold. ” I gulped. “Yeah, good, you don’t need to fear approximately that anymore. not less than now not from us. That phantom’s guarding it very well. ” “Ah, sure, the phantom,” he stated, strolling over to sit subsequent to me lower than the tree. “About that ... ” “Yes? ” “I’d such as you to rid my citadel of the phantom. ” I stared at him incredulously. “And I’d prefer to see a pig fly, however it doesn’t seem like both folks gets our want every time quickly. ” back Ranald laughed merrily. “Ah, yet you’re a brash lass, now, aren’t you? ” “I have my moments. ” “How may I persuade you to tackle the phantom? ” My forehead furrowed, and that i squinted at Ranald. “Why is it so very important to cast off it? I suggest, isn’t it guarding your gold finally? ” “It’s scaring the others,” he stated to me. “All these very good souls who stayed in the back of to seem after my continue can rarely functionality with that dreadful creature lurking approximately. ” “But wasn’t it you who introduced it the following within the first position? ” Ranald seemed stunned. “Oh, why, no, lass! ” he stated. “It wasn’t me a’tall. ” “Who was once it, then? ” “I’ve no notion, yet which will locate your good friend, you want to take care of the phantom. ” I shook my head. “Wait ... what? ” “Your tall buddy with the humorous cap,” he defined. “You suggest Gopher? ” “Oh, I don’t comprehend his identify, my girl, yet i know that every one your efforts to get well him lie alongside the trail of having rid of that dreadful phantom. ” I felt alarm bells burst off in my head. “Do you recognize the place our pal is? ” I requested rigorously. “I do. ” “But you’re unlikely to inform me except I comply with assist you with the phantom, correct? ” “Correct. partially not less than; I shall inform you the place your good friend is that if you rid my citadel of the phantom. ” I sighed in exasperation. “Lord Dunnyvale, did you now not see how sincerely our asses obtained kicked by means of that factor? Do you now not notice how lethal it may be? one in all my acquaintances virtually died up there! Hell, I virtually died up there! ” yet Ranald was once unfazed. “Ah, yet you didn’t die, leave out! in reality, I watched you struggle again. nobody has ever been capable of carry their very own opposed to the phantom ...