“On magic plagues. Do you know of it?”
My chest tightened. “Not at all.”
“That doesn’t surprise me. He wouldn’t want to risk such confidential research.”
My fingers began to tremble. I clutched them together. “Then why are you no longer working as partners?”
He sat on a bench, only a few feet from Anna and I. I shifted closer to hear him better.
“When I revealed my findings to the prince, he realized I’d found incredible links. However, despite the imbalance, I still meant to continue our original plan and present our research together. I’d done the brunt of the work,” he said quietly. “But still intended to honor our agreement.” He cleared his throat, ducking his head as if shy. “I ended up creating the first cure with a thirty percent chance of full recovery. I’d done the experiment right here at the palace.”
“Wow,” Anna breathed.
“Thank you,” he murmured, looking away. “However, when I returned home to visit my family estate, my research was no longer in my pack. It was gone.”
I raised a brow. “But surely…”
“No one else knew of our studies. We’d kept them secret on purpose. He had motive, time, and resources. I’d been staying here,watched by his staff. It would have been incredibly easy. And the final nail in the coffin was that he refused to discuss what happened with me. He pretends that it washisresearch all this time, thatIam the one trying to steal credit for his treatise.”
“That’s awful,” Anna murmured.
I thought back to everything Thom had revealed so far about his research. How could Lee have known about the treatise topic? Or Thomas’s inefficient cure? He’d been reticent enough even sharing that information with me.
“Surely if you brought the matter before your master, before the King—”
He laughed bitterly. “Oh yes, I, a minor Lord’s son, am going to be believed over a prince. One that everyone is desperate to make Grand Mage one day.”
The world began to tilt. “When did this happen?” I asked.
“Just before the summer,” he said. “I suspect he picked me because my family is famous for its potionwork. He wanted access to my equipment, to my family’s library. He took me for a fool.”
I remained silent.
“I’d imagine Thomas is desperate to finish the research without my assistance. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s enlisted the help of close friends to assist him.” His gaze was heavy on me. I held my breath.
“I know nothing of the matter,” I lied. “Though I am very sorry you have been treated so poorly.” My skin felt clammy as I forced the words out.
“It’s no matter,” he professed. “Not anymore. I’ve spent the summer on a new treatise that will blow his out of the water.”
“Good,” I said, curiosity rising, knowing he wouldn’t tell me if I asked anyway.
A distant frog’s croak broke the silence that weighed on us.
Lee snickered. “Thom once told me he’d prefer to be a toad.”
“I beg your pardon?” It was something he’d once told me, too, in the privacy of our pond. A sentiment I’d found similarly strange.
“He said he’d prefer to be a toad rather than one of us. He’s always been odd.”
“I suppose.” But in my mind, odd didn’t cut it. He was a rude, demeaning know-it-all.
“It’s too bad he’s so close to the throne. He might be better off with a life spent in nature.”
“I don’t think we should discuss this anymore.” Anna’s voice cut through the tension in the air.
Lee shook his head out of a stupor. “Of course,” he said. “I apologize.” He blinked a few times, his eyes returning to that steady peace and familiarity from a mere few moments before. “The Great Mage will provide justice in due time, I trust,” he said.
“I hope he does for you, Lee. I can’t imagine how difficult his betrayal must have been,” I said, my chest turning.
