The Witch: Book Two of The Sorceress Saga Taliesin Govannon (best free ereader .txt) 📖

sitting in the main area of our suite, a fire burning in the marble-topped fireplace.

                “So is this Jexo guy just another international arms dealer?” I asked, taking a hit off of a joint provided by our host.

                “That’s only one small part of his business.” Trevor said, sipping a German beer. “He also deals in stolen art, stolen mystical artifacts, and My Little Pony collectibles.”

                Jack stopped hitting his joint and looked at Trevor. “Ex-squeeze me?” he said.

                “He has a grand-daughter who was really into My Little Pony once upon a time.” Trevor replied. “He started buying ponies for her, and noticed how insane the prices for some of that stuff is. Brought him in three hundred million last year.”

                “Seriously?” I asked, flabbergasted.

                “Seriously.” Trevor confirmed. “Besides, I think he’s gotten into it all himself a bit.” he added with a wink.

                “That explains the sweats.” Katsu said, sitting next to Jack. She stretched in the purple My Little Pony outfit that she’d been brought earlier.

                “Unexpected pop culture affiliations aside,” Gaia said next, “we’re going to have to find out who’s sending all of these attack beasts Annabelle’s way.”

                “Maybe our host will have some information.” I offered hopefully.

                “If anyone’s going to know, it’s Jex.” Trevor said. “Maybe he’s found something out in the past couple of weeks.”

                I can only hope so.

Chapter Thirteen

                From the Diaries of Angelique Dupre

                07/23/1589

                Roanoke Colony

                Educating young Sarah in the ways of the world has been difficult, to say the least. This damned cult that her family is mixed up in believes in sheltering their people to an absurd degree… even the armed men are often woefully naive!

                For example, her reaction to chattel slavery… she knows that it exists, and that there are wealthy families back in Britain who have such unfortunate souls in their possession, but she refuses to see the abject horror of it all. She has been told that Africans are ‘Godless heathens’ who deserve bondage, and that enslavement and adoption of their owner’s religion may save their souls, so she sees it as a positive thing. She feels that it was ‘ordained by God’.

                She outright refuses to acknowledge that plenty of non-African people, and even white Christians, are enslaved every year. She simply can’t fathom how a ‘kind and loving (so long as you don’t disobey him, which hardly strikes ME as ‘kind’ OR ‘loving’!) God would allow such things to happen.

                Once we leave this wild place, she is in for a harsh surprise if she doesn’t open her cult religion-addled mind!

                                                                                                *                *                *

                Damn, this is tasty!

                I took another bite of grilled swordfish and it almost melted like the butter it was cooked in. Everything was cooked to perfection… the asparagus roasted in the oven with sea salt and garlic, roasted red-skinned potatoes cooked with olive oil and fresh rosemary, and fresh garden salad with maple vinaigrette were being devoured freely by all at the main table. Several other dishes I hadn’t tried yet were also sitting nearby, and everyone’s individual entrees were going over as well with everyone as my fish was for me.

                Best of all, the ‘special occasion’ status of the meal meant that everyone, including Jexo’s entire crew, got to eat just as well as those of us seated at the main table did. That had put us in the ‘okay’ column of most of Jexo’s folks, and everyone was in high spirits.

                “Have you tried the creamed spinach?” Katsu asked, dishing some onto her plate.

                “Oh, I wanted to smoke a cigarette after I tasted it, it was so satisfying!” Evelyn moaned.

                “I don’t really do spinach.” Jack said, making a face.

                “Oh, come on.” Katsu said, smiling. “Won’t you try a little bit… for me?” She lifted a fork-full of the green dish and waved it in front of his mouth.

                "Okay, I guess." Jack said with a sheepish grin and opened his mouth as Katsu fed him his bite.

                “Unless you want to see my creamed spinach come back up,” Trevor groaned, “you two might want to dial back the adorkable a little bit.”

                “I think it’s cute.” I said.  “Besides, I also can’t wait to tell Raina just how lovey-dovey our dear Jack has been on this trip.”

                “And do you know what?” Jack said, smiling. “I’m so in love with this Botan babe, even the specter of Olympic-level teasing from Raina can’t spoil my mood!”

                “I think that’s sweet.” Evelyn said.

                “Even if we need an insulin shot with dessert?” Trevor quipped as he devoured his steak.

                Jexo walked over to the table and sat next to me, having seated me on his right-hand side at the big table.

                “Sorry for the interruption.” he said as he dug into his food. “I just got word back that the hellephants have disappeared. Too bad, too… their tusks fetch a high price.”

                “If you like your ivory well done.” Trevor said.

                “Do you have any word on who sent them?” I asked our host.

                “No, and that troubles me most of all.” Jexo said, sitting down his fork. “I’m getting shut out on this, even by clients who would be very embarrassed if it was known what they’d bought off me in the past.”

                “Even Kyle?” Trevor asked, shocked.

                “Even him.” Jexo replied, shaking his head.

                “Blimey, and I was with you when you got him that Rosicrucian dildo.” Trevor added, returning to his meal.

                “I also have clients pulling out of deals to sell me their stuff.” Jexo continued. “Some of these deals were two years in the making, too. It’s like people are afraid to part with mystical objects.”

                “The presence of wild magick makes everything murky.” Gaia said.

                Jexo shrugged.  “Magick is magick to me.” he said.  “Doesn’t matter where it comes from.”

                “We would appreciate it if you didn’t interfere with the cameras we’ve installed.” Katsu said. “We won’t