Southwest Truths (Semiautomatic Sorceress Book 3) by Kal Aaron (the red fox clan .txt) 📗

For that matter, the more she thought about it, there was no reason not to integrate the Illuminated Society with the rest of humanity. The EAA, contracts, and temporary limits had been a necessary stopgap in a world that was getting used to the idea of Sorcerers and Sorceresses walking among them, but ultimately, separation bred mistrust.

The current mess proved the Society couldn’t keep a clean house, even with Torches and Eclipses. More people watching meant fewer shadows to hide in.

Lyssa thought back to what Tristan had told her and how it reminded her of the one important fact people always mentioned but could never explain: the growth in the number of Illuminated being born to Society families in recent decades. Everything from the ancient cycles of sorcery to the moon landing had been cited as reasons, but no one knew the truth. How could people who had spent over ten thousand years studying sorcery not understand something so fundamental?

She knew why they didn’t talk about it more. The Elders didn’t like admitting they didn’t know something. Like everything inconvenient, they brushed it away and pretended it didn’t matter.

Tradition and political jockeying had always weakened the Society. They could learn a lot from the Shadows and how they approached their knowledge-sharing. It wasn’t always perfect, but every country in the world now had access to the same basic technology. Different Sorcerers couldn’t share techniques successfully, but knowledge was different.

Lyssa sighed. “Now I think of it, I should have stopped by and chatted with Tricia and Fred before sending them away. I might end up dead.”

“Are you forgetting the main purpose of your current trip is to lure out potential assassins?” Jofi asked. “It’d be unwise to visit your foster parents until you can assure their safety. Should you die, at least you know they are safe.”

“That’s comforting, in a depressing sort of way.” Lyssa chuckled. “What do you think about all this? You’ve not said much one way or another. I know you’ve been trying to keep quiet during the big conversations, but you’ve been more quiet than usual.”

Between Tristan and Aisha, she couldn’t help but worry that Jofi suspected the truth. There wasn’t much she could do now except hope the seal lasted long enough for her to take out any rogues.

Death haunted all Torches. The idea of meeting her end didn’t scare Lyssa. She just couldn’t stand the idea of dying without taking her killer with her.

“You’ve brought all the necessary ammo, including your showstoppers,” Jofi replied. “I’m confident you’ll do what is necessary given that, though I do believe Elder Samuel’s conclusions were correct.”

“Which conclusions?” Lyssa asked.

“This is an extreme risk to your life based on the testimony of a dangerous man whose goals overlap but don’t mirror yours.”

“We’re close to breaking through to the truth.” Lyssa shrugged. “Quitting now wouldn’t make me any safer, and I’d spend the rest of my life wondering if I could have found my brother.”

“Lyssa, are you attempting to hide something from me?” Jofi asked.

Her breath caught, and her heart rate kicked up. That’d come out of nowhere.

“Why do you say that?” Lyssa asked, injected amusement into her voice to try to throw him off-track.

“It’s been obvious in recent conversations that you’re attempting not to speak plainly,” Jofi replied. “I didn’t understand why, but when I considered the conversations, it became obvious I was the common factor in all of them. The most likely explanation is there is something specific you’re trying to keep from me.”

“You’re my partner.” Lyssa smiled. “I’m not keeping anything important from you.”

“Your view of importance might not be the same as mine. I also don’t fully understand your relationship with Lee and how that relates to the most recent incidents.”

“He’s just somebody Samuel had watching me back in the day,” Lyssa offered, the lie twisting her stomach. “Before I got you. After twelve years of being a Torch, you pile up all sorts of enemies and contacts. Some of them will inevitably come back to haunt you. Occupational hazard.”

“I don’t recall you mentioning emptiness spirits in my presence before, but you had extensive knowledge of them,” Jofi said. “I find that curious, given you don’t have extensive knowledge of other spirits.”

Lyssa shrugged. “I already explained that in front of Tristan. Remember? I read a lot about them back in the day. It doesn’t matter. I don’t think it’s an emptiness spirit we’ll be facing when we get to Last Remnant.”

At least, she hoped not. Her little darkness trick might have worked against weaker spirits, but Jofi would swallow her whole if she tried it on his unsealed form.

“What if nothing happens and you find your brother’s regalia?” Jofi asked. “It’s not impossible that he’s dead.”

“I know,” Lyssa snapped. “I’ve already accepted that and admitted it to several people, but that doesn’t change what I have to do. If the regalia’s there, I’ll shake the entire island until I find out the truth. Nobody has a decent explanation for why it took so long other than, ‘Sometimes these things happen.’ I can’t find a single Sorcerer who’s ever heard of it taking that long for a regalia to return to the Vault of Dreams outside of weird rumors about stuff from thousands of years ago.”

“Then you acknowledge that it’s theoretically possible,” Jofi replied.

“It’s theoretically possible that I’m the rightful Queen of France, but that doesn’t make it true.” Lyssa stepped away from the rail. “At this point, I don’t know what to think, but my instincts tell me going to Last Remnant will help. Or at least that it’ll end this.”

“Tristan St. James is using you. He admitted as much. I don’t trust him.”

“Sure, and I’m using him, too. We don’t have to trust him. We just have to know he won’t try to kill me the first chance he gets.” Lyssa smiled. “For now, let’s just enjoy the trip. I don’t think we’ll get this much quiet for a while.”

Lyssa jogged up the stairs