Page 29 of The Princess of Portals

He pulled Kato into the hug. And Kato actually let him.

Then, when we all finally pulled away, Conner said, “Ok, now that that’s settled, tell me about this guy who attacked you.”

So I told them all about the Templar who’d attacked me. And the Masked Metamorph who’d attacked him. They were both very curious about the second guy.

“This mysterious cloaked man…he saved you?” Kato asked.

“That’s the thing. I don’t think he was there to save me. I think he was there to capture the Templar.”

That made them even more curious about the mysterious cloaked warrior.

“I need to capture the Templar. This is our chance, guys. The chance that we’ve been waiting for to rescue the kidnapped Apprentices and uncover the Government traitor who is collaborating with the Order of Kings.”

Whoever this traitor in the Government was, he’d sold the Apprentices to the Order for a few crates of supplies. I mean, what kind of degenerate person did that sort of thing? Just thinking about it made me want to punch something.

“If you’re looking for a traitor in the Government, I feel the need to point out that the General was just apprehended for questioning,” Conner said.

“Yeah, I saw that too,” I replied. “But, you know, I’ve had some time to think this over, and I really don’t think he’s the traitor. He’s so straight-laced.”

“The General didn’t get where he is today by playing nice, Red. And you have to admit that the timing is suspicious. This Templar showing up just when the General is brought in for questioning.”

He had a point.

“Ok, maybe it’s the General. Or maybe it’s someone else. But in either case, the best way to find out is to find the Templar and make him tell us everything he knows about the traitor and the missing Apprentices.” I slid Conner a hopeful smile. “Do you think you could brew up another truth serum?”

“I thought you didn’t believe in giving people truth serums?” The grin on Conner’s face was positively diabolical.

I took a page out of Kato’s book and countered it with a stony stare. “I don’t believe in giving my friends truth serums. Evil masterminds are fair game.”

“Oh, evil masterminds. Now I’m intrigued.”

“Intrigued enough to make it for me?”

“Well, the thing is, Red, truth serums are tricky to brew. Unfortunately, making them lies outside my vast magical knowledge.”

“Vast magical knowledge,” Kato repeated in disbelief.

Conner patted his best friend on the shoulder. “Yes, you’re right to be jealous, Kato.”

Kato didn’t look like he appreciated the comment.

“So if you can’t make truth serums,” I said, “how did you get your hands on the one you used on my friends?”

“Angel made it.”

“Any chance Angel could brew up another truth serum?”

“Sorry, Red. Angel’s on a Quest right now.”

Damn.

“I could ask Altair to make us a truth serum...”

Kato sensed my hesitation. “You don’t trust him?”

“It’s not about Altair,” I said. “Right now, I don’t trust people in general. Not with this. Bronte was a spy. Who knows how many more of them there are. And, besides, Altair seems like the kind of Knight who always follows procedure.”

“He is,” Kato confirmed.