Read Online Veilspeaker (Pharim War Book 2) by Gama Ray Martinez - Free Book Online Page B

accused of a high crime by
a noble of this court before witnesses.” He let the last word hang for a second
as he glared at Jez, and Jez wondered if he should’ve addressed this quietly.
“I cannot ignore that. Baron, this is a serious accusation. What proof do you
offer?”
    Jez hesitated. “I smelled it, Your Majesty.”
    Some of the gather nobles snickered, but the king
raised a hand, silencing them. “You smelled it?”
    “When I saw Sileon and the dead guard. I smelled
sulfur in the air. It happens sometimes when I run into demon magic.”
    Varin sneered. “You expect us to believe you can smell
demons?”
    “It’s not an unheard of ability,” Villia said. “I’m
told the baron has a natural skill at binding. That would lend itself to such
an ability. I would think you’d know that. Dusan had unusual abilities of his
own, the two of you were friends once.”
    “Ridiculous.” Varin waved at the bound Osmund. “He’s
just trying to throw suspicion off of that thing.”
    “Mage Villia is a higher authority than you in this
matter, Varin. If she says such an ability can exist, I have no reason to
doubt.” Haziel returned his gaze to Jez. “I still haven’t heard any reason to
accuse Lord Varin.”
    “Like I said, Sharim and I saw the summoning circle in
his quarters. It was hidden, but Sharim was able to take down the illusion
hiding it for a few seconds. I recognized the symbols. Something like that is
only used to summon powerful demons.”
    “When Villia sent you to deliver a message,” Varin
said in a flat tone.
    Jez met Varin’s stare without flinching. It was the
king who eventually spoke, and Jez realized the entire room was staring at the
two of them.
    “I was not aware you had advanced so far in your
studies,” Haziel said.
    Jez looked away for a second. “I haven’t. Not exactly,
Your Majesty.”
    “Explain.”
    Jez looked around at the gathered nobles. He was about
to ask the king to speak in private, but the look on Haziel’s face told him the
king had little patience left. He tried to swallow the lump in his throat, but
it did no good.
    “It had the same symbols Dusan used in his lair in
Kunashi.”
    “I knew you had seen it,” Varin cried out. He turned
to the king. “Your Majesty, I know you think Dusan did terrible things, but he
was also a genius in multiple schools of magic. Even the Academy masters had
never seen his equal. I’ve been trying to reconstruct his research. If this
child has information...”
    “Dusan got his knowledge from demons.” Jez’s voice was
practically a shout.
    “You don’t know that,” Varin said. “You weren’t with
him long enough for him to reveal his secrets to you.”
    “He didn’t need to reveal anything to me,” Jez said. “If
you’d seen what he did—”
    “Enough.” The king’s voice cut through the
conversation. “Varin, I know Dusan was your ally, but what he did bordered on
treason. I will not permit you to do the same. That being said, Jezreel, the
knowledge Dusan had is not for you to hide or dispense.”
    “Actually, it is, Your Majesty,” Villia said. “What
any mage learns in his own research is his alone, and with respect, matters of
magic are under the domain of the masters of the Carceri Academy, not yours.”
    “But it wasn’t his research,” Varin said. “It was
Dusan’s.”
    “It was research he should’ve never done,” Jez said.
“It’s research you shouldn’t be doing.”
    “I will research whatever I choose.” Varin banged his
fist on the table.
    “He makes a good point,” the king said. “If Dusan’s
knowledge is for Jez to keep, then any research Varin does is his alone.”
    “That’s technically correct, Your Majesty,” Villia
said, “but as you pointed out, what Dusan did was very nearly treason. If Varin
is duplicating his efforts, he must be stopped.”
    The king pursed his lips but nodded. “But is he doing
it?”
    “I’m not,” Varin said.
    “I saw it,” Jez replied