Hunted Sorcery (Jon Oklar Book 2) by B.T. Narro (best book series to read txt) 📗

there was always a single tub with hot water when I entered the boys’ bathing quarters. One of these castle workers had even gotten the blood off my other set of clothes and sewed them up after I had left them outside my room.

With so many stitches, however, they weren’t really worth wearing. I’d thrown them in the chest where I stored my swords, where they would remain a constant reminder of the fight I’d almost lost.

The princess seemed to be waiting for me when I finished my bath. She sat on a bench in the hall, a sad look as she glanced over at me. There was a single guard standing nearby.

I sat down beside her. “Are you all right?” I asked.

“Can we speak in private? I know it’s late, but—”

“Of course.”

“Thank you.” She stood from the bench. I followed her through the hall and out into the courtyard. The wind was cold, but she was bundled up in her heavy cloak, and I was warm from my recent bath. The guard waited behind in the apartments.

“I wish there was somewhere inside we could talk quietly,” she said with a bit of a shiver. “But I know how it would look if I entered your room.”

She didn’t seem like her usual self. “What happened when Pearson entered the keep?”

“That’s what I wanted to speak to you about. I was with my father and mother in the most secure room in the castle. There were two thick boards of wood barring the door, a mess of guards outside.” She paused. “It didn’t matter. He broke the doors, shattered them with the strength of a battering ram. Then he came in and picked me up with one arm as if I weighed nothing and held a knife to my neck. He threatened to kill me unless my father told him where our treasury was kept and provided the key.” She shivered more and had a fearful expression as if she felt like she was in immediate danger again.

I wanted to put my arm around her as a friend, but I was too concerned about the implication.

She went on. “He shouldn’t have been as strong as he was. It doesn’t make any sense.” She leaned somewhat against me. “You’re very strong also, but could you hold me up with one arm?”

I shook my head. “No.”

“Pearson did so easily. And did you see his sorcery? I’ve never heard of spells that powerful. He threw our guards away from him with ease. I heard two falling from the third floor. I wanted to see, but my mother made sure I didn’t. Now I’m glad. Do you know if either of them lived?”

“One did. What has your father told you about all of this?”

“Nothing. He never tells me anything except that everything will be fine. I don’t care anymore. I don’t need him to tell me anything. I need him to listen.” I was surprised when she buried her face in my chest and started to cry. “I don’t know why he’s not listening.”

I couldn’t help it. I put my arms around her and held her close.

“Listen to what?” I asked.

I wasn’t sure if her answer was to my question or one I hadn’t asked. “That was most of my family’s coin and jewels. I don’t care if they can never buy anything for me again. I just don’t want to see my father hanged.” She wept hard onto my chest.

“Hey,” I told her softly. “I’m going to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

She composed herself a bit and stepped away from me, a serious look on her young face. “He can’t pay the troops he needs to fight against Rohaer. I’ve heard him speak about our enemies many times. There are so many more of them than us. They have a real army, Jon. The only army my father had were the citizens who joined the rebellion and the mercenaries he paid to fight against the late king. He spent so much coin to ensure Oquin Calloum and his followers were dead. I was so proud of my father. He didn’t even want to do all of that, but he knew the spread of dteria had to stop. Oquin was responsible for much of it.”

“I know.” I had heard much of this from Calvin.

I still couldn’t believe he was dead. I had just been talking to him the other day.

“I don’t think you know all of it, though,” Callie continued. “My father had saved some coin to fight Cason, the other dark mages, and eventually Rohaer, just in case the people of Rohaer didn’t rebel against their king. Now the worst has happened. Rohaer’s people haven’t rebelled, and the coin my father saved has been stolen.”

I had to ask something. “Didn’t Oquin have coin and jewels that went to your father upon his coronation?”

“Not much. Oquin spent everything he had building up an army because he knew a rebellion was coming. My father didn’t want to make the same mistake by spending everything on his army, but now he’s made the biggest error of all. I know this is not the right thing to say, but perhaps as his daughter I am the only one who can say it. He’s put too much trust in you and the other sorcerers. He thought the eight of you and a few measly hired swords would be enough to deal with all the corruption in Lycast.”

It was one thing to hear Calvin speak about this but another to hear the king’s own daughter speak against his choices. It seemed that Nykal Lennox had had a shaky grasp on Lycast from the beginning, and now it was slipping away.

“But he still won’t listen,” Callie said. “He needs to now more than ever. I don’t know what he’s supposed to do about all of this, but accepting the truth is the first thing, don’t you think?”

“Accepting the truth about what? What won’t he listen to?”

She inhaled slowly, then glanced at