The Breaker (The Secret of Spellshadow Manor #2)(52)

He heard the disappointed frustration of Elias’s voice once more, replaying in his mind, telling him to go and find the Head if he wanted answers. Even if the Head truly had gone, who knew what answers Alex could find left behind? The risk would definitely be worth the reward if he uncovered something about the Head or the history of the manor. Alex hoped he would uncover something within those secret tomes that would help him in his ongoing plot of escape or that might shed more light on who he was. If there were any Spellbreaker books in the manor at all, they would be in the Head’s office. The stolen books on the Havens might also be hidden there, locked away from prying eyes.

It was too tempting an offer to turn down, though Alex knew the stakes were high.

“Fine,” he muttered.

“You’ll really help?” asked Jari.

Alex nodded. “I could do with checking out his book selection,” he said with a half-hearted smile as Jari’s face visibly relaxed with relief.

“There’s something I might need too,” explained Jari, his tone secretive, though he didn’t elaborate as Alex waited patiently for him to say more.

“Like what?” Alex pressed, when Jari said nothing else on the subject.

Jari shook his head. “I’ll tell you if I manage to find it,” he said, the response frustrating Alex.

Trying not to let it get the better of him, Alex lay back on the pillows and took out the book on the Great Battles that he had stuffed down the back of his mattress. Absently, he began to read, going over the familiar names and skirmishes before he became aware of Jari’s eyes staring intently in his direction.

“What?” asked Alex, looking up from the page.

“Well, are we going or not?” said Jari sternly, a small black bag slung across his shoulder as he nodded toward the door.

“We’re going now?” replied Alex, shocked. He knew Jari had been planning something for a while, but he hadn’t expected to have such little notice where his part was concerned.

“Yeah,” said Jari simply.

Alex got up, putting the book back behind the mattress as he glanced down at himself. He wasn’t sure what else he could wear to make himself less conspicuous; most of his clothing was already black. His eyes lingered over the black scarf hanging from the back of the wardrobe door, but he remembered Natalie’s response the last time and thought better of it. Looking over, he saw that Jari had on much the same as him and figured he’d be okay.

“Are we getting Natalie?” Alex asked, as they stepped out into the hallway of the boys’ dormitories. It was dark, and he could hear the low chatter of other voices coming from behind the doors that lined the corridor.

Jari nodded. “I didn’t have chance to tell her it was tonight, but she should be good to go.”

Although it wasn’t yet nine o’clock and the curfew hadn’t come into action, the hallways were pretty much deserted as they took the familiar route toward the girls’ dormitories. As an extra precaution, they kept to the shadows, anxious not to set off any alarms or get in anybody’s way as they stealthily went to find Natalie. They were just turning a corner when they almost ran headfirst into the very person they wanted to see.

Alex stepped out of Natalie’s way just in time, but it didn’t stop her from shouldering into Jari as they collided. She looked up with an air of surprise, and Alex was alarmed to see the state she was in. Her face was deathly pale in the weak light cast from the torches. Beneath her eyes were deep, dark circles of fatigue, made all the more worrying by the drawn, sunken look of her features. Her shoulders were sagging, and she looked dead on her feet with exhaustion, her hair dull and bedraggled, but she managed to muster a feeble smile as she asked them what they were up to.

“We’re heading to the Head’s quarters tonight to see if he has truly gone,” explained Jari quickly, giving her the simple version. “We were just on our way to get you, to see if you were good to come with us?” he added, frowning at her.

“Sorry, guys… I am simply too tired to help you this time,” she said reluctantly, though her reasoning needed no explanation. Her exhaustion was clear for anyone to see, etched on her face and in her limp posture. “If you were to go tomorrow or another day, I could almost certainly help. I would very much like to help,” she whispered.

Alex glanced down at Jari, wondering if they could postpone their trip until Natalie felt more up to the task. He didn’t want to go without Natalie, but she was deathly pale, and a grip of worry for his exhausted friend twisted at his insides. He knew she was pushing herself too hard, and he was fearful she might break. Her pursuit of magical triumph seemed to be taking its toll, and Alex wasn’t sure what he could do to help. He had already tried to get her to stop, with little success.

“We could wait,” said Alex, flashing a reassuring smile at Natalie.

Jari shook his head. “No, it has to be tonight. I’m sorry, Natalie, but it is now or never,” he replied firmly. Natalie’s face fell.

“Why does it have to be tonight?” asked Alex, eyeing Jari suspiciously for any hint as to why. Jari was already twitchy, and this apparent delay only seemed to make him more agitated.

“It just does! We can’t wait any longer,” he snapped, giving no further explanation.

Alex knew time was against them. It had been a while since the noticeboards had appeared with the new rules and regulations written on them, and the likelihood of the Head returning, if he had gone away, was increasing with each day they didn’t investigate. Still, Alex knew it would be far more dangerous with just the two of them than it would be with three. Natalie was a strong, powerful Mage, and she had skills neither of them did that could be useful in the sort of high-pressure situation they were about to walk into. But Jari didn’t seem to care. His only concern seemed to be getting into the Head’s quarters that night, come hell or high water. Alex wasn’t even certain Jari was worried about getting out, as long as he got in.