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

told Remi to inscribe. Remi figured it was just so the witch would know who to curse, or it might’ve had something to do with the curse. She didn’t know.

Within the pouch was a gold coin—the price they’d agreed upon months ago—and a single hair. She had taken it from Josef’s arm with her left hand when she had struck him in the face with her right fist. She would’ve had to wrestle the man like a wildcat and come out with one of his hairs if she hadn’t been so lucky the first time. She was just about sure he hadn’t noticed her taking it. No one else seemed to, either.

It wasn’t enough that Josef had been banned from the capital. She had to make sure he didn’t ever force himself on another girl as he had on Remi one night, long after she had discontinued service for him.

Yes, she had traded her body one time for his instruction on how to turn her mana into fire, but that did not give him the right to break into her room at an inn long after, drunk and abusive, muffling her screams with his hand as he threatened her with a knife.

She knew she could have reported him for the emotional and physical pain he’d inflicted on her, but she wasn’t sure it would do any good. Besides, she wanted her own revenge. And she didn’t want him to know she was planning anything, which he probably would figure out if she got the guards involved.

It was soon after that terrible night that she had started looking for a way to curse him. Now more than ever, it had to be done. Otherwise, he might soon be too far away for it to work.

There would be even fewer authorities to watch over Josef as he roamed the small towns of Lycast. He could run rampant if he wasn’t stopped, but this curse should cease function to a specific part of his body that would keep every girl in Lycast safe from him violating them.

She just had to push the pouch into the small slot in the woman’s door, and now Remi was done.

She returned to the castle very quickly, greatly fearful someone might’ve seen her leave and assumed she had gone out to meet with Valinox or some other dark mage who plotted against the king.

She had been honest in Curdith Forest, when Kataleya had made everyone speak about their past. She had absolutely no reason to work against the king. Training in the castle was a dream come true.

She figured if she was caught she would be able to explain herself. It would probably mean turning in the witch, which she would hate to do, but like she had said in the forest, she would do anything to remain at the castle.

The witch was a good woman. She did not curse for a living. She did it to make a better world. Remi figured there were others who had found a way to use dteria for a good purpose. Not everyone skillful in the dark magical art should be imprisoned. The king himself had used a curse just the other night. However, if Remi was to speak her mind, it would only lead to suspicion. She was used to keeping her dark thoughts to herself anyway, as prevalent as they were.

Remi climbed back up the wall and continued pulling herself up the dangling rope all the way to the roof of the apartments. She didn’t bother checking to see if she was seen. She would know soon enough as she pulled the rope up, her heart racing.

Soon she’d gathered it all and hid it behind the chimney in the spot no one could see as she caught her breath. There she waited.

After some time, she started to relax. I think I’m just about to get away with this.

Now she just had to climb down to her window and get back into her room, and no one would ever know.

She halted. She thought she saw something, a blur as if someone had a spell of invisibility on them. They seemed to be walking across the roof, shifting heat waves in the silhouette of a man, their back to Remi.

Valinox?

He stopped at the edge, where the windows of everyone’s rooms were just below him. She thought about hiding behind the chimney, but she feared that moving might make a sound and alert him of her presence.

The nearly invisible silhouette floated off, then disappeared below the roof of the apartments. She didn’t know what he planned to do, but she had to assume this was Valinox returning for some nefarious purpose. He couldn’t kill anyone. Souriff had confirmed this to Jon. So what was he doing here during the night? Something to do with the traitor, she assumed.

Remi tiptoed back to the chimney where she hid and waited. She thought about shouting, but then she would have to explain why she was on the roof.

You are not going to let him get away just because you are afraid of punishment. You will shout when it’s time and deal with the repercussions.

If she made a sound too early, however, she would never find out who he was working with.

It didn’t take long for him to return to the roof. Remi didn’t risk taking a look as she had returned to hide behind the chimney and merely listened to his footsteps. Then she heard a soft thud and felt the air move.

She took a look. He wasn’t there any longer. He had probably flown off.

She tiptoed back across the roof of the apartments, fearful one of the other sorcerers—the traitor—might be awake and hear her footsteps on the roof. She positioned herself over the ledge and dropped slowly until her feet reached her windowsill. There were guards around the battlements, but most of them had their attention turned outward.

She looked around for any sign of contact he’d made. That’s when she noticed something on