A Tale of Magic... by Brandon Dorman Read Free Book Online Page B

Third, there aren’t four elements needed to charge a suspect with murder, there are only three —and you named them all! And fourth, Justices can’t appeal the ruling of another Justice, only a High Justice can overturn a—”
    “BRYSTAL LYNN EVERGREEN!”
    For the first time all morning, Justice Evergreen found a reason to look up from his paperwork. His face turned bright red, veins bulged out of his neck, and he roared so loudly all the dishes on the table rattled.
    “How dare you reprimand your brother! Who do you think you are?”
    It took Brystal a few seconds to find her voice. “B-b-but, Father, Brooks isn’t telling the truth!” she stuttered. “I—I—I just don’t want Barrie to fail his—”
    “I don’t care if Brooks said the sky was purple, it is not a young woman’s place to correct a man! If Barrie isn’t smart enough to know he’s being fooled, then he has no business being a Deputy Justice!”
    Tears came to Brystal’s eyes and she trembled in her seat. She looked to her brothers for support, but they were just as frightened as she was.
    “I’m—I’m sorry, Father—”
    “You have no right knowing any of the information you just recited! If I find out you’ve been reading again, so help me God, I will throw you out on the street!”
    Brystal turned to her mother, praying she wouldn’t mention the books she’d found in her bedroom earlier. Just like her sons, Mrs. Evergreen stayed silent and still, like a mouse in the presence of a hawk.
    “N-n-no, I haven’t been reading—”
    “Then where did you learn all that?”
    “I—I—I suppose I just picked it up from Barrie and Brooks. They’re always talking about laws and the courthouse at the table—”
    “Then perhaps you should eat outside until you learn to tune it out! No daughter of mine is going to defy the laws of this kingdom by being precocious !”
    The Justice continued to shout about his disappointment in and disgust for his daughter. Brystal wasn’t a stranger to her father’s temper—in fact, she rarely communicated with him unless he was screaming at her—but nothing was worse than being on the receiving end of his fury. With every heartbeat, Brystal sank a little more into her chair, and she counted down the seconds until it was over. Usually if he didn’t stop yelling by the count of fifty, her father’s wrath would escalate into something physical.
    “Is that the carriage I hear?” Mrs. Evergreen asked.
    The family went silent as they tried to hear whatever Mrs. Evergreen heard. A few moments later the faint sounds of bells and galloping filled the house as the carriage approached outside. Brystal wondered if her mother had actually heard it, or if her interruption was just lucky timing.
    “The three of you better hurry before it gets too late.”
    Justice Evergreen and his sons gathered their things and met the carriage outside. Barrie took his time as he shut the front door behind him so he could wave good-bye to his sister.
    “Thank you,” he mouthed to her.
    “Good luck today,” she mouthed back.
    Brystal stayed in her seat until she was certain her father and brothers were a good distance down the road. By the time she regained her senses, Mrs. Evergreen had already cleared the dining room table. Brystal went into the kitchen to see if her mother needed help with the dishes, but her mother wasn’t cleaning. Instead, Brystal found Mrs. Evergreen leaning on the sink, staring down at the dirty dishes with a heavy gaze, as if she were in a trance.
    “Thank you for not mentioning the books to Father,” Brystal said.
    “You shouldn’t have corrected your brother like that,” Mrs. Evergreen said quietly.
    “I know,” Brystal said.
    “I mean it, Brystal,” her mother said, and turned to her daughter with wide, fearful eyes. “Brooks is very well-liked in town. You don’t want to make him your enemy. If he starts saying bad things about you to his friends—”
    “Mother, I don’t care