Hunted Sorcery (Jon Oklar Book 2) B.T. Narro (book reader for pc .TXT) 📖

“Jon.” She put down her book and walked over, her flowing dress billowing behind her.

“I’m sorry to disturb you,” I said, mostly for the sake of the tutor, as I knew Callie wanted as much disruption as possible. “I was wondering—”

“Let’s talk out here.” She started to lead me out of the room.

“Princess,” the tutor scolded.

“I’ve just reread the same line five times. I need a break!”

She didn’t wait for the tutor to reply. I stopped and lowered my head in a quick bow to the tutor—she did not look pleased—before following Callie out.

“I just wanted to ask you something quick,” I said as she took me down the stairs. “Where are we going?”

“I want to be outside with the other sorcerers. I always look down at the courtyard and wish I could be there. I believe I’m going to start taking my recesses there, if you would talk with me when I do?”

I had to be careful in every interaction with the princess, keeping in mind how it might look to others. I supposed a conversation here and there could lead to some teasing, but I’d dealt with plenty of teasing already.

“Sure I would.”

“Good.”

She hummed to herself, seemingly comfortable in the silence, which in turn made me comfortable.

We arrived in the courtyard. She looked like she’d been stuck inside for days straight, the way she breathed in the air deeply.

“Stay close to the keep,” she said. “I don’t want my father seeing that I’m out here.”

“Won’t he find out from your tutor anyway?”

“Yes, and he can lecture me then. If he sees me now, he will force me to return. What did you want to speak about? Or did you just come to see me?”

“I need your help.”

She lost her smile. “I hope it’s not something like before.”

She was referring to how I’d asked her to help me deceive her father into sending an army into Curdith Forest.

“No, never anything like that again. I’m just looking for an item in the castle that I can use for practice. It needs to be something that can stand on its own, and it should be about the width of a person. Height shouldn’t matter as long as it’s not very heavy. It’s likely to get damaged, though. That’s why I need your help finding something.”

“What kind of practice would you use it for?”

“I’m working on grabbing my enemies.”

“You mean our enemies. They want to kill my father, Jon.”

“Yes, our enemies.”

She hummed in thought. Checking around, I didn’t catch any of my peers staring. A few glanced over curiously, but there didn’t seem to be judgment in their gaze. Perhaps everyone finally knew that Callie and I were friends, nothing more.

“Oh, I know,” she said. “What about an old chair?”

I could wrap the dvinia around the backrest. “That would work.”

“Good, I know of one. I’ll have it brought to you as soon as possible. I’ll fetch a servant now as I’m sure you’re eager to get back to training.”

“You know me so well.”

She curtsied. I bowed.

Then she let out a sigh as we said a quick goodbye, and soon she was headed back into the keep.

It was in the quiet moments like these that my mind often went back to the fight with Henrik. I didn’t like thinking about any of it, but I had made mistakes. It was important to figure out what they were so as not to repeat them.

It was difficult, unfortunately, to think about much else besides the feeling of his dagger in my shoulder or how the crossbow bolt had shattered the bones in my hand. I almost didn’t realize I had sat on the well near Kataleya, until she was walking over to me.

“Did something happen?” she asked.

“No, just waiting for a chair to practice on.”

It didn’t seem that she believed me as she stood in front of me with a concerned look. “Has anyone told you that your face always conveys what you’re thinking?”

“I have not heard that, but it would make a lot of sense. I can’t often hide anything.”

“I don’t mean to intrude on your thoughts. Instead let me thank you for standing up for me when Eden and Aliana were cursed. I wish I could reciprocate, but I’m not sure what I could do. It seems that trouble keeps falling on you while none of us are there to help. I wish I could’ve been there one of those times.”

“The difficult situations I’ve found myself in are my fault,” I admitted. “I could’ve handled the close call at The Pearl much better.”

Kataleya nodded. “I had a feeling that was on your mind.” She sat down beside me. “I assume The Pearl is one of those things you’d rather not speak about?”

“It is.”

“Then we can not speak together if you would like?”

“I would.”

She sat down close, our arms grazing. I found myself pleasantly distracted by her proximity, thinking about how it might feel to put my arm around her.

I didn’t quite understand these sudden urges. Were they only because she was beautiful and showing interest, and I was that easy? Perhaps. My relationship with Joanne had developed only because of how forward she’d been with me, but I never had much of an urge to put my arm around her. We did not spend any time cuddling together.

I knew one thing. I certainly wasn’t thinking about The Pearl anymore as my mind drifted to other more pleasant things.

“Can I ask you something?” I said.

“Always.”

“Is it my imagination or are you, uh, interested in me in some other way?” I didn’t know how else to figure out what was going on.

She smirked as she looked down. “Aren’t you bold today.”

“Oh, I—”

“No, I was sure you’d noticed by now. I just didn’t think you would mention it. Just trying to distract yourself right now, I assume?” she asked lightheartedly, giving me an easy out.

I took it. “Uh yes, that’s it.”

“Well, there are some things we shouldn’t discuss, and this is