Page 66 of The Hocus Pocus Handbook

Rosa practically snarls with impatience. “Uh, I don’t care. Does anyone else think this is a colossal waste of time?”

Taragon takes a gentle tone. “Not at all. We need to know how he ended up stranded and what things he’s seen while he’s been here. Information is valuable. We’ll be better prepared. And moreover, he’s a new member of our group. Just as you contribute as an irreplaceable team member, so will Govannon, once we work out his strengths.”

Now I see why Thea wanted Taragon along.

As Taragon speaks, the pixie’s bristling anger subsides. “Irreplaceable? Me?”

Thea jumps in then. “Certainly. You’ve scouted for us so many times and offered invaluable intel. We never would have made it out of that flower field without you.”

“That’s true,” Rosa says. “But…it’s nice to be acknowledged.”

“And that’s what we’re doing for Govannon,” Taragon concludes.

“Then I suppose hearing his story can’t do any harm,” the pixie allows.

“For what it’s worth, I agree,” Zeph adds.

They have been listening intently, eyes dancing between the speakers while volunteering nothing. I’ve noticed they behave this way a lot, favoring neutrality and observation, but my instincts tell me that they’re collecting data, storing it away and possibly making judgments that concern everyone. Everyone but Rosa, perhaps. I think she knows more than she’s letting on.

“It’s not a long tale,” Govannon says, after a long sip of tea. “I tinker. I invent things. Magic and metal, that’s my purview. Some light smithing, betimes. The climate in Summer wasn’t hospitable to some of my wilder notions, and I wanted to try my luck in Autumn. I used the mushroom circle that I’ve always favored for such travels, and it should have deposited me a reasonable distance from the village outside the palace.”

“It didn’t, obviously,” Thea says.

“Indeed not. I suppose I’d call it a freak happenstance, a rogue mana-storm, and suddenly, I’m here. Alone. Where I’ve been until that one”—he points at me—“found me.”

“I’m not sure how much we’ll need smithing or inventions,” Taragon muses.

Thea seems like she doesn’t want him to feel bad. “You never know.”

Nobody is looking at me at this moment. They’re not watching Zeph either. But I am. And I witness how their expression changes, the harmless facade shifting to reveal a sly calculation. I can’t hold my tongue any longer.

“I have critical information,” I say.

“About what?” Rosa asks.

“I’ve determined that my last portal spell didn’t fail on its own. Someone interfered with my magic and sabotaged my efforts to transport us safely.”

Thea’s eyes widen while Taragon merely looks puzzled. Neither of them reacts otherwise, and they don’t speak.

“Sabotage?” Govannon repeats.

Rosa remains silent as well. You knew, pixie. While you were shouting at Thea, you knew the truth.

“How can you be sure?” Thea finally asks.

“Because I followed the tracking spell back to the culprit.” I detonate those words among the group, and they all start talking at once.

Zeph finally responds: “You’re implying that the saboteur is among us. Are you expecting that party to admit their guilt?”

I accuse them directly at last. “If you choose not to, it changes nothing. The trail led me directly to you.”

Instead of appearing remorseful or even mildly alarmed, they grin, showing a few too many teeth. “Congratulations, hound! You finally figured it out. I’m surprised it wasn’t sooner. Didn’t things go wrong as soon as I showed up?” Zeph laughs, an edge to their voice.

“That’s true,” Thea says tightly.

Zeph continues, a trilling taunt in their tone. “Didn’t it seem like a coincidence? That I wanted to help you out of the goodness of my heart? I’m agog you allowed me to tag along, hound. Not surprised about Thea. She’s known to be a gullible soul.”

“Asshole,” Thea mutters.