The Breaker (The Secret of Spellshadow Manor #2)(73)

“That’s good to know,” said Alex, the smile reaching his eyes at last. It felt nice to be united again.

“You forgive us?” asked Natalie.

“There is nothing to forgive.” He would have hugged them both had they not been holding up the limp, angry figure of Aamir between them. Smiles spread across their faces as they continued on toward Alex’s destination. Once they saw where he was taking them, Alex knew, those smiles wouldn’t last for long. He only hoped they didn’t think him a monster.

Passing the familiar door to Renmark’s classroom, Alex could hear the gruff tones of the professor within, grumbling something incoherent, his voice rising threateningly as he spoke to himself. Alex stopped to listen, Natalie and Jari nearly running into him as they too halted.

“I’ve had enough of these blasted students and these God-forsaken walls!” Renmark shouted. There was a dull thud, as if something had hit one of the walls. “…taking it to the Head. I’m tired of teaching these imbeciles and their constant disrespect for authority! Punishments are what we need here. Yes, punishments…” He seemed to relish in the possibilities as he weighed the pros and cons of each kind of reprimand. Alex was certain he caught a mention of the word “Escher” somewhere in the tirade.

“The Head should have left me in charge, not some young, useless upstart!” Renmark cried out to his apparently imaginary audience. “Decades of my life I have dedicated to this place! For what? To be overlooked time and time again!”

Another thud rumbled through the wall. Alex took it as a sign to hurry onward. He beckoned for the others to quicken their pace as they rushed past the classroom doors, not wanting to disturb any of the inhabitants within.

Aamir still fought against his restraints, but he could make no sound louder than a muffled groan through his gag. The anti-magic within the ropes seemed to have sapped Aamir’s energy somewhat, leaving him more compliant as they hurried him through the hallways.

Reaching the familiar golden line, Alex paused.

“Stand back,” he told Natalie and Jari. He conjured the body of a sword above his hand, the spell weaving habitually through his fingers in icy streams. It was an easy spell for him now. The blade sharpened to a thin edge that glinted with menace as he poured anti-magic into the center of the weapon, solidifying it so he could pluck it from the air.

Alex brought the sword down hard on the golden line, which instantly shattered. Moments later, he sent a dense, powerful blockade charging down the hallway, wiping out any of the hidden magical defenses, his icy blast rushing into the darkness and disappearing from sight. It was almost second nature to him now, breaking into the Head’s quarters. He had definitely become something of a pro, anticipating the next issue before it arrived.

“You won’t like my suggestion,” muttered Alex, as he gestured for them to follow. He knew it was the only way to keep Aamir safe, from himself and from hurting others. Alex had seen the suspicion in the other students’ eyes as they observed Aamir, knowing their old classmate wasn’t behaving like himself. Despite their misgivings, Jari and Natalie seemed convinced the real Aamir was just beneath the surface somewhere, but Alex wasn’t sure how deep the real Aamir was buried.

Alex walked along the familiar hallways, coming to the fork in the path and heading straight on. He kept going until he reached the eerie wooden doorway to the chamber that reeked of fear and blood. Pushing the door open, he stepped in and waited for the others to follow. The wide-brimmed hat still lay on the table at the side of the room, but the ivy-covered door to the antechamber, which he was sure he had left open in his hurry to leave before, was shut. He leaned back against the tabletop, his hand resting close to the bladeless knife, as the other two entered, with Aamir held between them.

“What is this place?” asked Natalie, horror lacing her words, her eyes wide with shock and disgust.

The manacles dangled from the ceiling, the metallic tang of dried blood permeating the room.

“You can’t be serious,” hissed Jari.

“What other option do we have?” replied Alex, looking up at the manacles.

“You’re insane. We’re not leaving him here,” snapped Jari, shaking his head.

Alex sighed. “This place was designed to hold wizards,” he explained grimly, gesturing around the room at the tools and devices that looked intended for torture and confinement.

“What is this place?” repeated Natalie, her voice barely above a whisper.

“This is graduation,” Alex said, his voice thick with anger and sadness as he tapped the ledger that lay on top of the table behind him. “I don’t know why or how, but this is it. This is where the students come, on the same day each year, to be strung up, their essence removed. It’s a final test of some sort.” He swallowed hard. “So far, it seems no one has passed.”

His eyes hardened as the certainty cemented itself in his heart. He had guessed as much, but it seemed so obvious now. In the depths of his chest, his anger burned with a renewed fury. The blood on the floor was the blood of broken youth, used for some unknown, foul purpose.

“What?” gasped Natalie.

“I don’t know what the test entails or what it’s for, but there’s a reason it’s done, and this is the place where it happens,” Alex said, remembering bitterly the comment in the notebook, telling of the desperation of wizards.