The Breaker (The Secret of Spellshadow Manor #2)(35)

Even Jari seemed impressed as they finished up, both drenched in sweat, Alex finally on the way to being evenly matched with his magical counterparts. They stepped forward and shook hands. Alex grinned as he wiped the sweat away with the back of his forearm.

“Good match,” said Jari, giving Alex a half-smile.

“Well played,” agreed Alex.

“You are getting much better!” Natalie chimed in from the side of the cellar, clapping gently.

Alex beamed as he picked up a towel from the cellar floor, wrapping it around his neck. He felt pleased with his progress.

“I’ve had a thought,” said Jari unexpectedly as he dabbed the last beads from his brow.

“About what?” Alex asked, taking a sip from a mug of cold tea he had smuggled from the mess hall.

“About the Head.” Jari slid down the wall of the cellar, landing in a heap on the floor as he sat against the earth, his legs extended.

“What about him?” Alex felt a sense of dread at what was to come from Jari’s mouth.

“I want to know if he’s still here or not,” Jari said simply.

“It will not bring Aamir back.” Natalie spoke softly, sitting down beside Jari on the floor.

Jari shook his head. “I want to find out if the Head is still within these walls, and, if he is, what he has done with Aamir. I need to know when Aamir is coming back,” he insisted, his voice tight. “I can’t rest until I know he’s okay,” he added quietly, looking far younger than his years as he dipped his head.

“You think they punished him?” Alex wondered aloud. The thought had been plaguing him too, each night as he lay in bed, struggling to drift off, wondering if Aamir’s mouthed words to them had caused him extra trouble.

“I don’t know. I just need to find out if the Head is still here,” Jari repeated. “I have my reasons.”

“Well,” began Alex, pausing uncomfortably as he recalled the last time they had been in the cellar. “I’m having doubts about the Head leaving. He hasn’t left before, as far as anyone can remember, has he? I think it’s a trick to keep us scared.” Alex shook his head. “I don’t think Aamir has gotten into as much trouble as we fear. Or that the Head knows as much as we think he might. We’re still here, aren’t we? If he knew, we’d be gone for sure—I definitely would be. I think he just knows Finder is gone, but doesn’t know why or how,” he added, with an anxious shrug.

“He would certainly have come for us, if he knew it all,” said Natalie. “If the Head truly is out there, though, then it is strange that he should go out of the manor with Aamir. If they have both gone, I wonder what it is they are up to. Surely, they would not both need to go if it was a matter of recruiting students?” she mused, her expression puzzled.

“Or maybe he’s showing him how?” suggested Alex, the thought a chilling one. He did not like to think of Aamir out there, doing the job of that tattered gray ghost, using hypnotic whispers to draw young men and women into the trap of the manor, sentencing them to a life of imprisonment. Aamir was no Malachi Grey.

“I just need to see that the Head is physically within this building. I have to see it for myself,” said Jari, with a determined grimace.

“Why do you have to actually see him?” Alex pressed, worried for his friend.

“It’s just something I have to do. It might be exactly what we are looking for,” muttered Jari, his voice barely audible.

Alex stared at Jari intently, wondering if the boy could be right. If the Head was gone, it very well could be their only chance at taking control. A prime opportunity, not to be missed.

“If I wanted to check, would you help?” asked Jari, sheepishly.

Alex glanced at Natalie, but her expression gave little away as she shrugged a response.

“It would depend on the plan,” Alex replied, understanding the subtle implication in Jari’s question. If Jari wanted to break into the Head’s quarters, he would need Alex. Maybe that had been the only reason Jari had agreed to come and spar, to get Alex back on his side.

“I’ll work on it,” promised Jari as they all stood to leave, the manor calling them back.



True to his word, Jari raced off to the library after classes were over for the day, leaving Alex to wander through the hallways by himself on his way back to the dormitory. Alex was glad Jari was speaking to him again, even if his reasons weren’t entirely honest; he had missed the quick humor and infectious laugh of his friend.

Stepping through the door of the dorm, Alex could sense something was amiss. He glanced around the room, walking cautiously over to his bed.

A figure slipped from the farthest shadows and sidled up to him. With a smirk etched across his black mouth, Elias perched on the bedpost, as solidly as a creature like him could, his shadow-draped body in constant fluid motion.

“Well, well, hasn’t it been a long time,” he said.

It felt bizarre to admit, but Alex had been worried for Elias; it had been weeks since he’d last seen him. With Malachi Grey gone, Elias was looking to be one of Alex’s only hopes for any grasp on his heritage or his anti-magic. It wasn’t as if the Head was going to tell him anything.

“Hello, Elias,” replied Alex, trying not to let on that he was pleased to see his shadow-guide.