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

“No, there are many sorcerers like us who will be performing services for the people of Lycast. Everyone will be taxed if it is required, and it will only be required if an army marches into our territory with intent to destroy.”

“I paid my fair share of taxes already for the year. I’m not going to pay anymore. I don’t even see what my money is needed for with the dark mages still running around doing whatever they want. I’ll bet my coin goes toward your nice clothing.”

I didn’t think my shirt and pants were that nice. They just weren’t tattered like much of my old clothing was.

I was starting to see why a public trial for Cason was necessary, even if it was risky.

“The leader of the dark mages has been captured. The rest of them have fled. Your coin has gone toward protecting this kingdom in more ways than one.”

“I don’t like your attitude. I’ll gladly take my business elsewhere, where they don’t threaten me with taxes.”

“I think there’s been a misunderstanding,” I started to say.

“Jon, let her go,” Aliana told me as she walked over. “She’s obviously not going to listen to you.”

The woman lifted her nose as she turned on her heels to leave.

“Wait,” I said, thinking I could fix this. “I think if I explained everything more clearly, you might see that there’s no reason to turn down free healing.”

“You were quite clear,” she said with a biting tone. “I’m not giving anything to this king unless he comes and asks for it himself.”

That wasn’t going to work out well for this woman.

“We—”

Aliana put her hand on my shoulder as I started to object. “Just let her go,” she said.

It was difficult, but I gave up trying to stop the woman.

“Some people are too stupid for their own good,” Aliana explained. “I’ve seen it all the time. They come in and argue about what they think is wrong with them even when shown evidence against their belief. Others refuse to keep taking any medicine we give them because it hasn’t worked yet. Some go so far as to demand a refund. My mother and I have had to get the guards involved a number of times because these people think they know better.”

“I’m surprised they don’t want to listen to someone who clearly knows more than they do.”

“You shouldn’t be so surprised.” Aliana sat on one of the chairs. “Remember how I told you that someone set fire to our home and place of business during the night?”

“Of course. I’m not going to forget that ever. You told me that you strongly believe it was one of the men who tried and failed to court your mother.”

“Yeah, there was one man in particular who I didn’t mention before. I’m almost sure it was him. He made up symptoms of pain. He wanted my mother to rub ointment on him. It took a few argumentative visits before she banned him from our business and said she would fetch the guards if she saw him again. It was that night that our house caught fire. My point is that some people live in their own world, Jon. I’m guessing it’s different where you come from, but here, they can be dangerous. I’m not saying that woman is going to burn down our place of business, but it’s best not to try to change their mind or they’ll just bring you down to their level with their inane arguments.”

“It is different where I come from,” I realized. “Someone like that in Bhode would be outcast. We didn’t have city guards, so we relied on each other. People spoke to my father if they needed someone to step in during a quarrel. They knew he used to be a guard in Tryn.”

“I’m sorry he’s not still around,” Aliana said. “He sounds like a much better man than my father.”

“And I’m sorry about your father’s behavior.”

I hinted that I was curious about the conversation between her and Luther, but she didn’t speak of it as she looked away from me.

“Are you all right to handle whoever comes in? I’m going to set my mind on fixing up the back room before my mother comes back. I want to finish it before we might argue.”

“Sure, I’ll be fine.”

“Just remember that you can’t heal everyone, and I mean that in more ways than one.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

A couple others came in, one with a scratch that seemed to be getting infected, and someone else with a literal pain in their neck. It was easy to heal their issues, but the man with the pain in his neck wanted to know what was causing it. Apparently, it had come and gone for several years now.

Aliana spoke with him as I treated someone else who was in a considerable amount of pain from a dislocated finger. I finished with that man before Aliana helped the other come to the conclusion that it was the way he was sleeping. She gave him some advice, recommending he sleep so that his neck was close to straight. It seemed obvious to me, but the man was thankful for the advice, probably because it was free.

We made sure to mention that we were the king’s sorcerers to each of these people, and we did get around to discussing the upcoming tax. Fortunately, these three were much more receptive to it than the others. All of them had a story to share of someone they knew who’d encountered a dark mage.

Aliana was in the back room with the curtain closed when a friend of mine came in.

“Jon!” Greda said with an excited clasp of her hands. “I was hoping I might find you here again one day.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

I thought our embrace would be quick, but she clung to me quite tightly.

“It’s so good to see you!” she said.

“It’s good to see you, too. I hope your mother is doing well.”

“She is.