Page 141 of The Tribes of Magic
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.”
“Thatis 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 discoveredrealvideo 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.”
