The Keep (The Secret of Spellshadow Manor #4)(104)

The boy has come far, he mused, dwelling upon all the delicious dark spells the young man had been learning, and the many joyous uses for such things. They could certainly be utilized in bringing down those Elias loathed. He imagined this must be what fatherhood felt like, just without all the gross parts, and the aftercare, and most of the other parts in between.

Still, he felt true fondness for the boy. He wasn’t so heartless as to believe he hadn’t inflicted pain upon Alex, thanks to his role in Alexei Webber’s death. He only hoped a second chance at forgiveness would come in time, when he was better able to meet the challenge, without letting his own personal pettiness get in the way… though he did so enjoy his petty side. It was one of his half-life’s greatest, and in some ways only, delights.

Enough of that, he scolded himself. No more stealing Alex’s friends, no more open dislike for his little girlfriend, no more slip-ups. It has to be sweetness and light from now on.

His hopes were too high now for any more blunders. The dream of getting his final revenge on the Head, forcing the skeletal cretin to give his life for the greater good, mirroring the way he had once tried to take Elias’s life, was slowly becoming reality.

Now, if Alex could just run the gauntlet of Falleaf House and retrieve that pesky book, they might stand a chance. Elias had rarely come across a safe he couldn’t crack, and the knowledge that he hadn’t been able to retrieve the ancient book vexed him. He was intrigued to see if his protégée could do what he could not.

It will be your moment, Webber, to show us all your worth. He grinned, teeth flashing, as he watched Alex. But will you fly or will you fall?