Read Online The Sorcerer Heir (Heir Chronicles) by Cinda Williams Chima - Free Book Online
Authors: Cinda Williams Chima
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this happen?”
“Outside McCauley’s house in Trinity. I believe at least three people are dead. There may be more.” Jonah quickly explained what happened.
“It sounds to me like somebody framed you,” Kenzie murmured.
Jonah hesitated. “I had a—a confrontation with Rowan DeVries earlier tonight. Out on the grounds. So there’s a chance he’s involved somehow, though it’s hard to imagine he would murder his own kind in order to get back at me.”
“Don’t wizards do that a lot?” Kenzie said. “Murder each other, I mean?”
Just then, Kenzie’s cell phone rang. The Kinlock brothers looked at each other. Kenzie said, “Harry, answer the phone. Use speakerphone.”
Gabriel’s voice came through the speaker, husky and strained. “Kenzie? Is that you?”
“Hi, Gabriel,” Kenzie said, still watching Jonah. “ ’Sup?”
“Tell me—have you seen Jonah tonight?”
“Sure,” Kenzie said. “He’s right here. Want to speak with him?”
Dead silence. Then Gabriel sucked in a quick breath and said, “Yes. Put him on.”
“Hey, Gabriel,” Jonah said in a thready, weak voice. “Did Natalie call you?”
“Natalie? Why would she call me?” Gabriel snapped.
“I think I caught some kind of virus,” Jonah said. “I couldn’t stay for the second set at McCauley’s. How’d it go?”
“You lef t ?” Gabriel’s voice cracked.
“Well,” Jonah said, “I didn’t want to puke all over the equipment. I already slimed my clothes. I had to pitch them.”
Another long silence from Gabriel.
“He looks awful ,” Kenzie put in. “I can vouch for that.”
“How long have you been there?” Gabriel said finally. “When did you leave Trinity?”
“I left right after the first set,” Jonah said, figuring it was best to stick as close to the truth as he could. “Emma and I...we had kind of a fight. And then I was feeling so crappy, I ditched. I’m sorry to let you down. I know the concert was important.” Jonah could hear voices in the background, the crackle of a police radio. “What’s all the noise?” he asked. “Are you in the club?”
“I’m in Trinity,” Gabriel said. “Three people have been murdered. Guests at the party.”
“Murdered?” Jonah said, pushing horror and astonishment. The horrified part was totally real. “In Trinity? Who? Not—not anyone I know. Not Nat or—or—”
“No,” Gabriel said impatiently. “Not Alison or Natalie or Rudy. Three teens, two of them wizards. Rowan DeVries was badly wounded. He may not make it.”
“Rowan DeVries!” Jonah had no need to act surprised—he was stunned. “ DeVries was one of the victims?”
“Apparently so.”
“That’s convenient,” Jonah said, mind racing. “That totally takes him off the list of suspects.” And puts me on it.
“Do you think he stabbed himsel f ?” Gabriel growled. “If so, he did a remarkably good job.”
“They were stabbed?” Jonah asked.
“Same as in the other killings. Stabbed and slashed to death, nightshade scattered at the site. I haven’t even told you the worst part. One of the victims was Madison Moss’s younger sister.”
“Grace?” Jonah said, his heart sinking. “That young girl? Somebody murdered her ?”
Gabriel sighed heavily. “I cannot tell you what a disaster this is. Whatever happens, it’s going to cause a world of trouble for us.”
And for me in particular, Jonah thought. It was as if he could feel the jaws of a trap closing around him. “Is there anything I can do? Should I come?” Jonah asked.
“I thought you were sick,” Gabriel said.
“I am. But, if you need me, I’ll be there.”
“No,” Gabriel said. “Stay right where you are—at Kenzie’s. We’ll come to you.” He paused, lowered his voice. “Is there anything you want to tell me in confidence? Anything I should know before we get there?”
“No,” Jonah said, faking confusion. “I mean, if you have any specific questions, I’ll be glad to answer them.
“Outside McCauley’s house in Trinity. I believe at least three people are dead. There may be more.” Jonah quickly explained what happened.
“It sounds to me like somebody framed you,” Kenzie murmured.
Jonah hesitated. “I had a—a confrontation with Rowan DeVries earlier tonight. Out on the grounds. So there’s a chance he’s involved somehow, though it’s hard to imagine he would murder his own kind in order to get back at me.”
“Don’t wizards do that a lot?” Kenzie said. “Murder each other, I mean?”
Just then, Kenzie’s cell phone rang. The Kinlock brothers looked at each other. Kenzie said, “Harry, answer the phone. Use speakerphone.”
Gabriel’s voice came through the speaker, husky and strained. “Kenzie? Is that you?”
“Hi, Gabriel,” Kenzie said, still watching Jonah. “ ’Sup?”
“Tell me—have you seen Jonah tonight?”
“Sure,” Kenzie said. “He’s right here. Want to speak with him?”
Dead silence. Then Gabriel sucked in a quick breath and said, “Yes. Put him on.”
“Hey, Gabriel,” Jonah said in a thready, weak voice. “Did Natalie call you?”
“Natalie? Why would she call me?” Gabriel snapped.
“I think I caught some kind of virus,” Jonah said. “I couldn’t stay for the second set at McCauley’s. How’d it go?”
“You lef t ?” Gabriel’s voice cracked.
“Well,” Jonah said, “I didn’t want to puke all over the equipment. I already slimed my clothes. I had to pitch them.”
Another long silence from Gabriel.
“He looks awful ,” Kenzie put in. “I can vouch for that.”
“How long have you been there?” Gabriel said finally. “When did you leave Trinity?”
“I left right after the first set,” Jonah said, figuring it was best to stick as close to the truth as he could. “Emma and I...we had kind of a fight. And then I was feeling so crappy, I ditched. I’m sorry to let you down. I know the concert was important.” Jonah could hear voices in the background, the crackle of a police radio. “What’s all the noise?” he asked. “Are you in the club?”
“I’m in Trinity,” Gabriel said. “Three people have been murdered. Guests at the party.”
“Murdered?” Jonah said, pushing horror and astonishment. The horrified part was totally real. “In Trinity? Who? Not—not anyone I know. Not Nat or—or—”
“No,” Gabriel said impatiently. “Not Alison or Natalie or Rudy. Three teens, two of them wizards. Rowan DeVries was badly wounded. He may not make it.”
“Rowan DeVries!” Jonah had no need to act surprised—he was stunned. “ DeVries was one of the victims?”
“Apparently so.”
“That’s convenient,” Jonah said, mind racing. “That totally takes him off the list of suspects.” And puts me on it.
“Do you think he stabbed himsel f ?” Gabriel growled. “If so, he did a remarkably good job.”
“They were stabbed?” Jonah asked.
“Same as in the other killings. Stabbed and slashed to death, nightshade scattered at the site. I haven’t even told you the worst part. One of the victims was Madison Moss’s younger sister.”
“Grace?” Jonah said, his heart sinking. “That young girl? Somebody murdered her ?”
Gabriel sighed heavily. “I cannot tell you what a disaster this is. Whatever happens, it’s going to cause a world of trouble for us.”
And for me in particular, Jonah thought. It was as if he could feel the jaws of a trap closing around him. “Is there anything I can do? Should I come?” Jonah asked.
“I thought you were sick,” Gabriel said.
“I am. But, if you need me, I’ll be there.”
“No,” Gabriel said. “Stay right where you are—at Kenzie’s. We’ll come to you.” He paused, lowered his voice. “Is there anything you want to tell me in confidence? Anything I should know before we get there?”
“No,” Jonah said, faking confusion. “I mean, if you have any specific questions, I’ll be glad to answer them.
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