Hunted Sorcery (Jon Oklar Book 2), B.T. Narro [digital book reader txt] 📗

happened during Luther’s arrest,” Gwen continued, not taking her gaze away from Leon.

I reintroduced myself to Quincy. He shook my hand with a concerned expression. I couldn’t pay attention to the other conversation going on as I told Quincy, “We’re not going to be taking any of your business. In fact, Leon has brought a gold coin from the king for you.”

His eyes lit up. “For what purpose exactly?”

“I will be healing, like last time, but probably for a longer period of time. We don’t want to charge any of the people who need assistance, so the gold coin is to pay you for the business you miss.”

“That is very generous of his majesty. Please thank him for me.”

I nodded as I returned my focus to Leon and Gwen. Aliana seemed even more perplexed by now as she stared at the two of them.

“So he’s hosting a celebration,” Leon was saying. “I’m not from around here, though. I was born in Tryn. I was wondering if you might show me around a bit? The king has asked me to pick up a few things, and I’m not exactly sure where I can get all of them.” Leon slapped my back. “Jon here can handle anyone who needs assistance. Healer, you are free to go as well. The king has given me a gold coin to give to you.”

“Yes, Jon explained it.”

“Did he? Good lad.” Leon pulled the gold coin out of his pocket and placed it in Quincy’s hand.

“I would be happy to show you around if I’ll still have time to speak with Aliana after,” Gwen told Leon.

“We won’t be long. You’ll have plenty of time to catch up afterward.”

“Are you sure?” Gwen asked.

“I guarantee it,” Leon said, then offered his arm.

“All right,” Gwen said as she happily slid her arm around the nook of Leon’s. “Do you mind if we speak a little later, Ali?”

Aliana was frozen with a gaping mouth. Eventually, she shook her head, and soon they were headed out.

I was a little surprised, not by Gwen’s obvious infatuation with my instructor but with her treatment toward her daughter.

“I’ll be back in a couple of hours,” Quincy said, fisting the gold coin as he left just as happily as Leon and Gwen had.

Aliana looked at me as if this was somehow my fault. I didn’t know what to say.

“What was that?” she asked.

“What do you mean, exactly?”

“I have never seen my mother act that way around anyone, and I have only told her terrible things about Leon. It doesn’t make any sense. Were they like that when you came here with Leon last time?”

“Uh.”

“Tell me the truth, Jon. Were they like that or not?” She sounded angrier.

“They were like that,” I told her deadpan.

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

“I thought about it, to be honest, but I wasn’t sure it would make a difference. I had a feeling you wouldn’t approve, so I tried to talk Leon out of…um…it.” I didn’t know how to phrase “it,” whatever “it” was. That required thinking more about it, which I didn’t want to do.

“Did they spend any time alone last—?” She stopped as someone entered.

It was just a small boy, seven or eight years old. He glanced around quickly as he coughed violently, covering his mouth a little too late. He shot a nervous look at Aliana, then at me for just a moment before he ran out.

“Wait!” Aliana said as she ran after him.

He turned, a scared expression on his face, but as he looked her over he seemed to relax somewhat.

She crouched in front of him. “Did you come because you need help?”

He nodded, then sucked in a large breath and turned away from her and coughed again. It sounded pretty bad, the boy doubling over as if he might retch. Aliana put her hand on his back and showed me a look of pain.

“It hurts a lot,” the child said with tears burgeoning.

I motioned for her to bring the boy back inside.

“I want you to meet Jon,” she told the boy in a sweet tone. “He’s going to make you feel better. I promise.”

“Is it going to hurt?” the boy asked in a small voice.

“No,” she answered quickly, but then she saw me shaking my head at her.

It was going to hurt. All healing hurt.

Aliana gritted her teeth as she realized her mistake. I wasn’t sure how to correct it, but she crouched in front of the boy again as she seemed to be searching for the right words.

“Where is your mother?” she asked.

“Working,” he said, then held up a few pennies. “This is all we have. Is it enough?”

She closed his hand over the coins. “It’s not going to cost anything.”

“Really?”

“Really,” Aliana confirmed.

He pocketed them with a show of relief.

I crouched in front of the boy. “My name is Jon, like Aliana said. I’m the one who’s going to heal you.”

“Can she do it?” he asked as he pointed.

“I know she’s a lot prettier than I am, but unfortunately only I can heal you. I promise I’m going to get rid of that cough, though. You won’t feel bad anymore.”

“All right,” he said shyly.

Aliana smiled at me as she stood up and put her hand on the boy’s shoulder. She offered her other hand in front of him. “Do you want to hold my hand? It might feel a little strange while he’s healing you, but it will be over very quickly.”

He squeezed her hand.

I placed one palm on the boy’s back and the other on his chest as I closed my eyes and let my mana flow through him.

I found his sickness, a severe infestation of something in his lungs.

I would have to warn the boy so he wouldn’t try to run while I was healing him. I knelt down in front of him again.

“It turns out that you are quite sick, but I will get rid of it completely. It’s not going to feel good as I’m getting rid of it, but I