Page 141 of Last Gift: Supernatural Battle

“The same rules apply to everyone,” Frond retorted. Josie nodded emphatically by his side.

“I agree that most rules should apply to everyone. Yourself included.” Time to finish this thing. “I could stand here all day and repeat that I have not and will not use dark magic, but I see that you are past the point of considering other explanations for what you have witnessed.”

I ran my eyes over the coven. The things I wanted were so simple. I wanted harmony. I wanted us to survive.

Those things were so far away. The coven had to be convinced absolutely of my innocence in this regard.

I smiled at Frond. “I propose a truth serum.”

That stunned the cruel fucker. “A truth serum?”

“There’s no way to trick that. You believe that I’m practicing dark magic, and you’re understandably worried about how that would affect the coven. A truth serum is an easy means to put this issue to rest.” I paused. “Unless using the coven’s uncertainty serves you in some other way? Unless you wish them to continue believing I wield dark magic?”

I let the accusation hang in the air.

“Of course it doesn’t,” Bedwyr said in outrage.

Oh Bedwyr, you sweet summer child. Wild did this coven a solid the day he turned you to stone. Instead of voicing all my juicy thoughts aloud, I arched a brow at Frond.

“Of course not,” he replied, crossing his arms. “I act with the best interests of this coven in my heart and mind.”

Uh-huh. Weirdly, he likely believed that too. “Your recent actions give me some concern. I wish I could believe you.” I tilted my chin, addressing the coven. “In the last few weeks, I have witnessed Frond gathering magus to him in a tight-knit circle. We know such circles are a favorite method for practitioners of dark magic.”

Frond spluttered.

I spoke over him. “In a time of uncertainty and imminent attack, Frond has appeared to thrive and grow in strength. To me, he appears to delight in augmenting the division in our ranks despite the obvious dangers this holds for us. We just watched him openly coercing a younger coven member. To me, these are signs that Frond could be using dark magic himself.”

My reasons were tenuous. I didn’t even believe what I was saying. But I’d seen an opportunity, a trap. I’d just set the bait, and now it was time to lure him in.

Frond stepped forward. “That’s preposterous.”

“I am happy and willing to take truth serum to discern whether I am or have practiced dark magic,” I said to him. “Are you willing to take truth serum also?”

His face warred. I mean, no one wanted to take truth serum. It was a vulnerable feeling to know that you’d be spilling your guts to the world no matter how hard you tried to keep the truth inside.

Opal spoke, “Considering the matter of this trial is clear, enough truth serum would be given to each of you for one question only.”

I tilted my head. “You seem reluctant, Frond. What should the coven make of that? Shall we put this to a vote also?”

Frond’s gaze shifted, and I could feel him tallying up whether a vote would work against him or not. The verdict would be a close one.

A sneer left him. “I will take truth serum enough to prove my innocence, though the coven is aware of my innocence already and must surely recognize this for the ploy it is.”

How delightful that he’d phrased his answer in such a way.

I smiled, and Wild’s growling stopped. He’d glimpsed my plan in my mind or could at least feel my glee. “Bring forth the truth serum.”

36

The advisors had left the stage, all barring Wild—who refused to budge from behind my chair—and Barrow, who held two droppers.

The droppers contained a minuscule amount of truth serum that glowed a pure white. Serene had measured and remeasured and then triple-checked the dosage amount.

I would answer one question.

Frond would answer one question.

He sat on the chair next to me, and I’d been enjoying the smug smirks he was aiming at his groupies. And their return smug smirks. I’d been trying to appear worried the whole time, which may have fueled his smugness.

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