The Chain (The Secret of Spellshadow Manor #3)(39)

Following the vapor across the courtyard and up into the school, Alex was forced to break into a tiptoed run as it darted with ease through the hallways and corridors, zipping this way and that, apparently knowing exactly where it wanted to go.

Although he was fearful of being caught, it was nice to be able to explore the school during the quietude of the night, when there was hardly anybody about. He was getting to see parts of the villa he had not yet encountered, though he quickly learned there were corridors upon corridors running beneath the beautiful veneer of the school—almost too many to put to memory. At night, though most of the hallways were deserted, some were patrolled by the odd guard, doing the rounds of their section of the school.

As he was about to move around the corner of one hallway, the dark, twisting mist of shadow flew at his face, pressing him back against the wall with icy tendrils that stole his breath away. It kept him pressed there, shrouded in shadow, until a beautiful guard with long auburn hair and bright green eyes passed by, oblivious to his presence in the corridor. It was a strange sort of magic—the kind within the wispy coils of the shadowy mist—making him feel cold and warm all at once, like being out in the snow too long. Each time it flung him against a wall, the bitter fronds took away his breath, winding him. It took some getting used to, but it kept him safe within the walls of the villa; not a soul saw him from within the camouflaged vapors of the shadow being.

Finally, after a seemingly endless array of hallways, it led him toward a large set of imposing, white double doors before disappearing behind them. It took some strength to push the doors open wide enough to get his body through, but eventually Alex stumbled in after the hazy entity.

He gaped when he saw the room beyond, though ‘room’ was something of an understatement. It was a library, far larger and far grander than any he had ever seen before, including the one at Spellshadow with its lofty towers. It was more beautiful, too, than a library had any right to be. The ceiling was painted in the most astonishing fresco, with billowing clouds and angelic cherubs flying on tiny wings, between the coiled, scaled bodies of dragons and the vibrant, exotic plumage of Thunderbirds. There were tasteful nudes, dancing in a circle, as golden magic spiraled upward from the center of their linked hands, and casually reclined figures watched from shimmering pools and flower-woven swings. Everything seemed peaceful and beautiful, and Alex couldn’t take his eyes off it. There was something surprising in every corner, and that was only the roof of the library.

The rest was just as exquisite, with carved statues of ancient gods and goddesses, elegantly shaped, placed among the luxurious seating and in the stacks themselves, protecting the front rows with their sculpted arms extended. The floor was white marble, flecked with gold. The walls were hung with fine masterpieces in vast golden picture frames almost as intricately carved as the statues.

Glancing around, Alex was certain he could hear the sound of running water, and sure enough, there were four water features—one in the center of each wall. Crystal liquid flowed from the screaming mouths of sculpted marble birds, down to a foundation of rocks, where it trickled over the jagged edges and surged toward the center of the room, then connected with the other canals before disappearing into the floor to start the whole process again.

As jaw-dropping as the library was, it was the books that drew Alex’s eye most keenly. He couldn’t help but grin as he saw the endless stacks, filled with row upon row of tomes. The stacks rose up in broad towers on every wall, with smaller bookshelves scattered throughout the grand hall, and he could already tell there were more books here than there had been back at the manor.

He didn’t have much more time to investigate, as the vaporous being seemed intent on taking him over to the farthest stack. Alex followed tentatively, climbing up a precarious set of ladders as the shadowy mist shot up toward the very top of the stack. Looking down, Alex felt queasy as the ground plummeted away beneath him, and he suddenly doubted the security of his footing on the slippery wooden rungs. It was a nervy climb, his palms sweaty as he reached the second highest landing of the far stack.

Here, the misty creature bobbed along, waiting for him. Alex trailed after the being, wondering why he had put his trust in a wispy bit of fog. Making a silent promise to be less impulsive in the future, he walked along the platform, not daring to glance over the balcony, until he reached a small clearing in the stacks, where a few comfortable-looking armchairs were scattered around a sleek reading table. Suddenly, the shadowy wisp disappeared in a puff of inky smoke, leaving Alex alone.

Anxiety rippled through Alex as he scanned the area, wondering why the creature had brought him here, only to evaporate. Perhaps it had simply wanted to show him the library, he thought, though he knew that was a little na?ve. When would he learn that magical things couldn’t always be trusted?

Alex waited for a while, expecting somebody to pounce at him from the shadows. When nobody did, he turned his mind to the exciting books all around him, reaching toward a few of the closest tomes and thumbing the spines with quiet admiration. As he read the titles of a few, he found himself squinting every so often into the darkness of the room to make sure there really was nobody watching him.

Panic shot through him once more as he realized there was something hiding in the darkness. It was in the corner of the reading cubby, appearing slowly. Alex peered closer, watching as a bundle of dark energy amassed—shapeless at first, but gaining definition as the moments passed. Alex stayed frozen to the spot, not sure whether to run and hide or stay and find out what it would become.