Hunted Sorcery (Jon Oklar Book 2) by B.T. Narro (chapter books to read to 5 year olds .txt) 📕

to fetch Barrett. He should see this.”

“Can’t you fetch him yourself? I want to see what happens.”

“I can’t,” she said. “I’m not allowed to walk around right now without a chaperon.”

“Fine.”

Michael and I went back down the hall as Kataleya and Reuben went the other way.

Michael looked nervous. “Can we try Eden first? She seems less…uh…insane.”

“Good idea.”

I let Michael take the lead. He knocked on Eden’s door. There was no response. I didn’t hear anything from Aliana’s room, either.

Michael and I shared looks of worry. These curses were dangerous as far as I knew. Something could’ve happened to them.

Michael tried the handle. The door opened.

Eden lay on her bed, on her stomach in a twisted position that looked extremely uncomfortable.

“Eden?” Michael asked as he approached.

She didn’t respond.

He shook her shoulder and tried her name again.

She grumbled something unintelligible, but she didn’t wake.

Michael glanced over at me with an eyebrow lifted curiously. “This is definitely not right.”

I took my place next to Michael and put my hand on Eden’s back. I closed my eyes and let my mana search for something amiss within her body.

I was just starting to notice something when I was interrupted by Barrett.

“She can’t wake up?” asked the councilman as he entered the room with Kataleya and Reuben behind him.

“Doesn’t seem so.” Michael snapped his fingers twice near her ear. “Eden!”

She didn’t reply, but we could hear her breathing steadily as if she was deeply asleep.

“Are she and Aliana in danger?” Michael asked with growing concern.

Barrett put his hand on her back and tried to shake her awake. When he was done, he said, “No, this doesn’t seem like a dangerous curse.”

“But it is a curse?” Kataleya asked.

“Yes, I believe so. Jon, what were you about to do when we came in?”

“I’m sure I can cure it,” I informed him.

“I don’t believe that’s necessary,” Barrett said. “It’s probably gone now.”

“What?” I put my hand on Eden’s back. “Yes, it’s gone. I don’t feel anything anymore. How did you know?”

“Because I don’t think Eden would’ve been able to fall asleep if it was still active. Either it expired on its own because it was weak or the witch who set the curse drew it out.”

“The witch doesn’t have to be near the curse to remove it?” Reuben asked.

“Not in most cases. It is connected to their mana. But I believe this curse was just too weak to live for long.”

I wondered, “What about the one in Aliana?”

“I imagine it’s gone now, too.”

Eden awoke and sat up with a swaying head. “What? Why are all of you in my room?” She had one eye closed.

“Eden, what do you remember last?” Barrett asked.

She wore an awkward grin as she looked at Michael. “It’s no surprise to see you here with the others.” Eden winked, then wagged a finger at him. “I know how you feeeeeeel.”

Michael’s face fell as his cheeks turned red.

“Eden,” Barrett said. “Are you the traitor?”

“Psh, no, but I wouldn’t tell you if I were. If I was?” She started counting something on her fingers. “If I…I wouldn’t tell you…which is it?”

“Was,” Reuben answered. “What is wrong with you?”

“What is wrong with you!” Eden laughed.

“Stay here, Eden,” Barrett said as he gestured for us to follow him out.

“Aw, where are you all going?” she whined.

He led us into the hall and closed the door.

“Why does she seem drunk?” Michael asked.

“That’s just an effect of the curse leaving her body,” Barrett explained. “The curse was designed to poison her, lowering her inhibitions while causing extreme anger and aggression. The effect on her body will last a little while even though the curse is gone now. She might still show some anger as well. Everyone reacts differently.”

I asked, “Why didn’t the curse in the woman I cured give her a reaction like Eden’s?”

“If a curse doesn’t affect the victim’s emotions very much, it’s not going to affect their emotions after it leaves their body. Could that be the case?”

“Oh, yes.” Pamela’s curse made her weak, capable of passing out at any moment, but it never affected her emotions.

“Curses that cause anger or glee will make the victim especially groggy as well as lower their inhibitions, even when the curse ends,” Barrett said. “It’s best to let Aliana sleep after we check to make sure the curse is gone from her as well, but I will take this chance to question her.”

“She’s incapable of lying?” Reuben asked.

“Not incapable, no. The lack of inhibitions does make it more likely for someone to speak the truth, however.”

Michael asked, “Shouldn’t someone make sure Eden doesn’t do anything to harm herself accidentally?”

“Yes, watch over her as we check on Aliana.”

“Me?”

“Would you like Jon or Reuben to do it instead?”

I wanted to hear what Aliana might have to say without inhibitions. Even if she was cursed earlier when she announced I was stupid and only wanted to bed Kataleya, she could’ve meant what she said.

“No, I’ll go,” Michael said begrudgingly, then went back into Eden’s room. He left the door open.

“Come to flirt with me some more?” Eden asked with a giggle.

“Just try to go to sleep,” I heard Michael telling her sternly as the rest of us entered Aliana’s room.

Unlike Eden’s room, this place was a mess. There were many items on the floor, including a lamp which thankfully didn’t break. But like Eden, Aliana hadn’t made it under any covers before passing out on her bed practically facedown.

“Oy,” Aliana said with a long breath, gingerly sitting up as we approached. “Oh, Kat. I’m soooo sourry,” she said with a drunken slur.

Kataleya grew a huge smile. “Thank you.”

Aliana looked as if she wanted to get out of bed and hug Kataleya, her arms outstretched, but she had trouble finding balance when her feet touched the floor.

“Whoa. What’s wrong wid me?” She seemed to be in worse shape than Eden.

Kataleya caught her by her hands and steadied her. “You were cursed, and now you’re going to feel drunk for a little while. It’s best to sleep.”

Aliana