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

A few of us shared a much-needed laugh. Actually, just Eden and I laughed. Michael’s was more of an irritated chuckle.

“I really am innocent,” he said seriously. “But I’m not exactly sure how to prove it.”

“I didn’t mean we should take it upon ourselves to prove it,” I specified. “I thought we could just look at facts. I would say there’s no chance I’m the traitor because I was targeted by Cason early on, and I’ve had my life in jeopardy a few times now because of our enemies.”

“I’m sure we all agree it’s not you, Jon,” Michael said, as if this was plainly obvious.

I gave anyone a chance to object, and I was glad no one did.

“I would add that Reuben is also not the traitor,” I said, “because he fought the dark mages with me in the castle and nearly died from the wound one gave him.”

“Of course I’m not the traitor.”

“But the woman cut him on his leg,” Kataleya said. “He could’ve been working with them, and she cut him and fled thinking he wouldn’t bleed out. It could’ve been an accident that she cut him so deeply.”

“She threw me against a wall with dteria and slashed my leg aggressively as she ran away!” Reuben said. “And I would’ve killed her if she hadn’t.”

“Did you see the woman cut him?” I asked Kataleya.

“I didn’t see,” Kataleya said. “I arrived too late.”

“And why were you so late?” Reuben accused.

“Because you and Jon told me to stay behind,” she argued.

“Then why didn’t you stay back?” he asked. “You came late when you knew it was almost over, because you didn’t want us to know you were a traitor.”

“I came late because I was afraid!” she yelled. “I’m ashamed to admit it. It took me some time to gather my courage, all right?”

“I think you’re a liar.”

“You’re the liar if there is one!”

“Hold on,” I said. “This isn’t helping.”

“It is,” Kataleya said. “I’m trying to tell you that we can’t guarantee Reuben is innocent.”

“She has a point,” Michael agreed.

“Let’s move on, then,” I said.

“Wait, I am innocent—”

“Then think of a way to prove it, Reuben, as we continue,” I interrupted. “I think we can all agree that Charlie is innocent, not just because of who he is, but because he called us back with the callring when the castle came under attack. I also saw him intervene in Grufaeragar’s murder by melting the head of an ax.”

Everyone nodded. Charlie smiled.

Unfortunately, that’s all I had. I couldn’t even think of a reason to prove that Michael was innocent. I looked at him, hoping he would come up with something.

“I fought against the dark mages in the forest,” he said. “I didn’t have to do that. It would’ve been much easier to stay behind. I ran all the way there from the castle with Aliana and Remi. I would say that makes us three innocent.”

“Unless,” Kataleya said, “one of you is the traitor and you went only to observe, maybe even help defeat us. However, you saw that we were winning and realized it was better to conceal your identity, so you fought with us.”

Michael stared at her for a moment, then clicked his tongue. “Damn Kat, I hadn’t even thought of that.”

“It takes a traitor to think like one.” Reuben spoke snidely.

Kataleya rolled her eyes. “I’m just being thorough. What else? Anyone?”

“Doesn’t one of us have to have a connection to your father or this Luther Prigg for any of this to make sense?” Eden asked.

“Yes,” I said.

“That should rule out me. I’m just the daughter of a barber. How am I going to have any connection with nobility?”

It made me realize I knew very little about Eden. She always seemed to put care into her thick dark hair, wearing it in a somewhat unique style where most of it was combed to fall down over the front of one shoulder. I supposed it made sense that her father was a barber, but I didn’t agree that that one fact made her innocent.

“How did you come to be at the castle?” I asked.

“Through Greda, actually.”

That’s right, Eden did mention they were friends.

“The girl from the magic shop?” Michael asked.

“Yeah, ‘the girl from the magic shop,’ ” she mocked. “But she’s not just that to me. We’ve been friends a long time.”

“How did you befriend her?” Michael asked.

Eden seemed a little surprised by his follow-up question as she glanced around as if expecting someone to interrupt. “I’m really on trial here? Me?”

“Almost everyone is,” I reminded her. “Charlie and I would be as well if there wasn’t proof in our favor.”

“So what…you want my life story?”

“There’s a difference between a few words and your life story,” Kataleya muttered with a slight roll of her eyes.

“You already know everything about me,” Eden told her.

“Yes, but the boys don’t.”

“Ugh. Fine. Pay attention because I don’t want to repeat any of this. My father was a barber, but he wasn’t a very good one. It didn’t take me long to take over his business because he was out drinking and gambling most of the time, though that didn’t stop him from showing up and demanding money that I’d earned. Eventually, he had to leave the city because, you know, poor choices. I don’t know what exactly. I stopped caring about him long ago. My mother was a servant for another household, a good mother. Busy. I spent most of my time working as a barber even though I was young because we needed the money, though I only cut hair, no surgical work. My barbershop was near Enchanted Devices. I don’t know when I started talking with Greda, but it’s been years. She introduced me to magic, enchanting specifically, and I realized I had a knack for it. One day Barrett just showed up at my barbershop and told me about the opportunity. He’d gone to see Greda first, but she actually has a life, unlike I did. I then told my mother to sell