Page 55 of The Tribes of Magic (Paragons #3)

A SURPRISE WITNESS

A s planned, I went to the South Woods around four in the afternoon to meet Conner and Kato.

“Is it done?” Conner popped up right in front of me.

I squeaked in alarm, then drew in a few, long breaths to calm my nerves. “I really wish you wouldn’t do that.”

“As you wish.” He bowed to me. His smile was even parts contrite and amused, as I’d come to expect from him.

Kato arrived a few minutes later.

“I spoke to each of my friends,” I said.

“Separately and alone?” Kato asked.

“Of course. I’ve covered my bases.” I looked at Conner. “You’re keeping the spellbook somewhere safe?”

He nodded. “Safe and far from here.”

“Good. And you two set up spy cameras at the five locations we chose?”

“We have.”

“They’re well-hidden? We wouldn’t want anyone to find them.”

“Relax, Seven. They’re so well-hidden that even I’ll be lucky to find them again.”

Conner cracked a smile. “Not that that’s saying much. Kato has a knack for losing things. He must have lost his shoes a hundred times in our first year at the Castle.”

Kato folded his arms across his chest. “I didn’t lose my shoes, Conner. You hid them.”

“Oh, right. I’m even better at hiding things than Kato is at losing them.” Conner’s eyes danced with delight.

Kato clenched his jaw so hard that I heard it crack.

“Maybe you should have let me hide all of the spy cameras, Red.”

Kato snorted. “Yeah, right.”

I drummed my fingers against my arms. “I hope this works.”

“It will work. It’s a solid plan,” Kato told me. “Much better than Conner’s truth serum.”

“And Kato’s Prince Charming act,” Conner said silkily.

“I just hope it works.” I drew in a deep, steadying breath. “Let’s take a peek at our five locations.”

Kato pulled a slim tablet out of his backpack. He switched on the screen. Five video feeds appeared.

The first showed us the inside of the enormous barn just outside the Nymphs’ castle. Spotted cows with big bells around their necks stood in their stalls, munching on hay. They looked like they didn’t have a care in the world.

The second video feed was an overhead view from the north end of the forest. In the background, a waterfall plunged down a dark rock face.

A sports field dominated the frame in the third video feed. That’s where I’d trained with Jareth yesterday.

The fourth camera had an inside view of the boathouse at the Park.

And the final feed featured a pond. White cockatoos filled one side of the frame, and the water was peppered with debris and frogs.

“I told each of my friends about the Paragons’ spellbook—and where I’d be reading it today,” I said.

“Dante thinks I’ll be reading in the barn.

Ansel thinks I’m headed for the sports field.

Dutch believes I’m reading beside the waterfall.

I told Bronte I’d be at the boathouse and Nevada that I’m going to the pond.

If the General’s soldiers show up at one of those five locations, we’ll know who the spy is. ”

We brushed fallen leaves and branches off an old wooden bench, then sat down to wait.

“Anyone up for a game of cards?” Conner asked.

I shook my head. I was too nervous to play games. In the next few minutes, I’d learn which of my friends was a traitor to humanity.

“You need a distraction to keep your mind off all the gloom and doom,” Kato said.

“I’d rather just sit here and wait for it to be over.” I gripped the bench in anticipation. “Who do you think it is? Who is spying on me?”

“I can answer that question.”

I looked up. It was Rhett Wilson coming down the wood chip trail. He stopped in front of Kato. He didn’t see Conner. Our rebellious friend had turned himself invisible.

Rhett bowed his head. “Sir Kato, I’m here to report a crime.”

Kato considered him closely. “You know who’s been spying on Savannah, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“For the General?”

“Yes.”

“Who is it?” I asked.

Rhett finally looked at me, and there was a little too much satisfaction in his voice when he spoke. “Bronte Vance. It’s Bronte Vance. She’s the General’s spy.”

“And we’re just supposed to believe?—”

“I have proof.”

Kato set his hand on mine, gently holding me back. Then he looked at Rhett. “Continue.”

“On Sunday, Bronte Vance was kicked out of the Program for wandering out of bounds.”

“ That is your proof?” I laughed. “I already cleared Bronte of all wrongdoing in the incident, and she was reinstated.”

“Because you found proof she was innocent?”

“That’s right.” I jumped to my feet. I did not like his tone. I never liked his tone.

“I hate to break it to you, Winters, but you didn’t prove anything. And I didn’t plant false evidence. I discovered real video evidence that Bronte had wandered out of bounds.”

“Why would Bronte do that? She’s morbidly allergic to breaking the rules.”

“It’s not breaking the rules if she went out of bounds to meet with the General to tell him everything you were up to.”

I frowned.

And Rhett nodded. I did not like his smile.

“The General was busy in meetings that day the whole thing went down, if you’ll remember, so the evidence was sent to Senator Gaines, who was filling in for him.

The Senator signed the order to kick Bronte out of the Apprentice Program.

You made a big fuss about the whole thing, so word eventually got back to the General that you were trying to prove Bronte’s innocence.

Cunning man that he is, the General let you prove it.

He knew you’d go to the Black Obelisk, so he had the Watchers make it appear as if the security camera footage I’d found wasn’t genuine, thereby clearing Bronte’s name and allowing her to continue in her role as his spy.

So there you have it, Savannah Winters. The whole, raw story. Are you happy now?”

Rhett’s smile told me he knew I wasn’t.

“If the General wanted me to prove Bronte’s innocence, why did he reward you for exposing her? Why didn’t he punish you?”

Rhett’s smile was sticky-sweet and doubly satisfied. “Oh, come now, Winters. You’re smarter than that. And the General is more cunning than that too. He had to reward me. It was the only way to buy my silence.”

“You’re not being very silent right now.”

Rhett laughed. “Because I don’t have to be anymore.

I’ve been watching you, Winters. I knew you were closing in on the truth.

Very soon, Sir Kato’s tablet will beep, confirming what I’ve told you: Bronte Vance is the spy.

You’ll have your evidence, and I’ll keep my points.

The General will never know I’ve broken my word.

Bronte Vance will be gone, and I will be King of the Scoreboard. ”

“Unless Kato tells the General that you broke your deal.”

“He wouldn’t do that. He’s too honorable.”

I looked at Kato. His face was as unreadable as it was when hidden under a helmet. Great. Rhett was right. Kato wouldn’t tattle. And I couldn’t. The General would never believe me. And he was about to be very angry with me for exposing his spy.

“You are not honorable,” I told Rhett.

“All right, fine. Believe that if it makes you feel better.”

“It’s the truth.”

“I came here, didn’t I? I didn’t have to tell you what I know. Vance is going down either way.”

“Then why did you tell me what you know? Just to rub it in?”

“I told you because you’re the sort of person who has to know things. And I told you because you shouldn’t feel bad about turning her in. Because it’s the right thing to do for you.”

I frowned. I didn’t know what to do with that information.

“Bronte Vance is not a helpless lamb. She’s also not a bad person.

She just wants to win, like me. That’s why she spied on you for the General.

That was her clearest path to the top. Bronte did what she had to do.

I did what I had to do. People do what they have to do.

You should learn from that, Winters, and start doing what you have to do, instead of running around helping everyone but yourself like you’re some sort of fairy godmother. ”

With that said, Rhett turned and walked away. I stood there, still, frowning, long after his footsteps had faded. Conner reappeared. I could feel the loaded stares being exchanged between him and Kato.

Finally, I found myself able to speak again. “Rhett is way smarter than I thought.”

“So you like him now?” Kato asked.

I laughed. “No. I still don’t like him at all. He’s a brute and a bully…”

“But he has a point?” Conner said.

“Rhett’s point is everyone’s only looking out for themselves, and you have to do what you have to do to get ahead. I refuse to embrace such a cynical outlook on life. Some people do good because they genuinely want to do good. Not everything boils down to personal gain—or at least it shouldn’t.”

“I don’t know, Red. Based on my experience, most people are inherently selfish.”

“But not Knights . Knights are better than that. Knights inspire others to be better than that.”

Conner smiled at Kato. “I love the way she thinks.”

“As do I.”

“Chivalry isn’t dead. It’s the new normal,” I told them.

“You guys have proven that again and again, with every right decision you’ve made.

Sure, you make mistakes. I make mistakes.

We all make mistakes. But even so, we strive to be better.

We want to do what’s right. Humanity can rise above our flawed nature. We can be better.”

The tablet in Kato’s hands beeped.

“Is that…”

“Yes, Seven. The General’s soldiers just appeared in one of the five video feeds.” Kato glanced at the screen, then met my eyes. “They are at the boathouse. Rhett was right. Bronte is the spy.”