Page 59 of Sugar, Spice, and Magical Midlife

“Close enough.” The sorceress rolled her eyes. “Get him sworn in.”

The crotch-breath wizard hovered over Gus, his long beard falling across the top of Gus’s bald head. “State your name and species.”

The troll swatted the wizard’s hair out of his face. “Gus Apoupaios, pygmy troll.”

The old wizard waved his wand, andThe Eternal Lightappeared in his hand. “Do you solemnly swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth or risk a hex on your soul?”

Gus visibly swallowed, placing his hand upon the book as if it was a hot potato. “I swear.”

The old wizard waved his wand, and the book again disappeared. Then he backed up until he faded into the crush of striga.

The sorceress scowled down at Gus. “You had a witness and didn’t tell us?”

“She’s not credible.” He waved me off as if I was a vagrant begging for scraps. “She sells pastries tainted with magic.”

The little prick. “It’s a secret family recipe.”

Gus turned up his double chin. “Her pastries aren’t safe for consumption. It’s a matter of public safety.”

I shook my head, unable to contain my bitter laughter. So much for Gus swearing to tell the truth. Guess the hex on his soul was nothing more than an empty threat.

“He comes into my shop almost every day and demands free food, and if I don’t give it to him, he threatens to close downmy bakery. And then he did close it down,” I added, my words brimming with rage. “And threatened me with jail if I tried to help Ric.”

A wave of murmurs rose up from the crowd.

The sorceress gave the little troll a pointed look. “Is this true?”

Gus scratched the back of his head, averting his gaze. “Well, I...”

“What happened to the food that you took?” she interrupted.

He puffed out his barrel chest. “I inspected it for safety reasons.”

She arched a thick brow. “Every day?”

He turned his gaze to his scuffed shoes. “Not every day.”

“How many times a week?” she demanded.

He shrugged. “Around four or five.”

More murmurs rose up from the crowd. For the first time, I realized things were starting to look up for Ric and me. Perhaps public opinion would sway in our favor.

The sorceress folded her arms, impatiently tapping her foot. “How much of it have you been eating?”

“After I finished testing it, I usually ate it.” His beady gaze shot to me before he looked back down at his feet. “It would’ve been a shame to waste perfect pastries.”

“So now they’re perfect?” The sorceress let out a boisterous laugh. “I thought they weren’t safe for consumption.”

Ire squeezed my chest like a vise. “He’s full of troll dung.”

The sorceress cut me a dark look. “Miss Lovelle, you will not speak unless spoken to. Understood?”

I swallowed back my aggravation and nodded.

“Has he been taking sweet or savory pastries?” she asked me.

“Both.”

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