The Keep (The Secret of Spellshadow Manor #4)(12)

Coming into a space with a dozen or so tunnels stretching out from the central point, they passed another of the large, golden cylinders, clinging to the wall beside a wide, open window that looked out on the many stories below. Alex wanted to pause and take a closer look at the object, but the others had already powered on. He thought about following, but the cylinder called to him. Knowing he would catch up eventually, he placed his beetle beacon down beside the tunnel through which they had passed and walked over to the strange gold object.

The outer shell was embossed with swirling designs, which seemed out of place in the dank misery of the prison. He let his thumb trace over the shapes of flowers and vines. Something sparked against his skin, like an electric shock, and he jerked his hand back. He knew he really shouldn’t be going around and touching random things.

Listening closely, he could hear the sound of something whirring within. There were six small screws along the length of the golden exterior, making Alex think it might be made of clockwork. He was desperate to know its purpose. However, he stopped short of prying off the metal to see what lay hidden inside. If it was important, it would undoubtedly be booby trapped.

Perhaps Vincent or Agatha can shed some light on it. He turned back toward the hallways that led off from the inside courtyard, but as he looked at each one, he realized his beetle had gone—leaving him with no idea which one the others had disappeared down. They all looked so similar.

Cursing under his breath, he tried to wrack his brain, hoping it would remember which path his friends had taken. He thought the third hallway seemed the most familiar, so, deciding to chance it, he walked toward it.

As he stepped over the threshold, he saw something twinkling just ahead, tucked into the bottom of either wall. It looked familiar, somehow…

He realized too late that it reminded him of the mechanical triggers that had been used at Stillwater House. A great blast of raw magical energy came rushing out of the darkness toward him. It hit him like a blockade, knocking him off his feet and sending him hurtling backward, away from the third tunnel and through the wide, open window.

“ALEX!” he heard Ellabell’s scream as he went soaring over the ledge, catching a glimpse of her and the others appearing in the doorway of the sixth tunnel as he went over.

Six, not three. He cursed himself as solid ground disappeared.

Before he knew it, he was falling, unable to do anything to stop himself. He was aware of only three things: Ellabell’s terrified blue eyes looking down from above, the increasing speed of his descent, and the thought of the ground rising up to meet him. The latter contemplation caused his whole body to tense up, in preparation for the impact. As he rushed to meet his fate, he kept his gaze firmly on Ellabell, who grew smaller and smaller in the distance. He realized he wouldn’t mind if she was the last thing he saw on this earth, but he was too young to die. There were so many things he hadn’t done, and this was going to hurt so much.

He had almost forgotten about the moat, but the cold, icy impact of the water all around him reminded him of it immediately, as he hit the surface with crushing force. It pushed the air out of his lungs, and it felt more like he had slammed into concrete than liquid. He sank beneath the surface, feeling the water close over his face as he descended into the murk. Everything hurt, but the realization dawned on him that he was not, in fact, dead.

Feeling his muscles twinge, he kicked his legs and dragged his arms through the freezing water, pulling himself back up toward the beacon of light that signaled the moat’s surface. With a gasp and a splash, he emerged, grateful to be alive, with all of his limbs in apparent working order. He heaved in great gulps of air, and though the cold temperature of the water was biting, he had never been more grateful to feel such an intense chill.

With chattering teeth, he swam toward the muddy bank, climbing it awkwardly as his fingers clawed at the slick surface for purchase. He managed to haul himself onto the grassy lip of the bank, a short distance from where the bronze fog began. He didn’t dare to think what might happen if he crossed it, and, though he was curious about whether he could simply pass through it with his anti-magic, he didn’t feel like pushing his luck after what had just happened. Sitting on the edge of the bank, gathering his thoughts, his heart racing, he found himself staring out toward the moat.

It was the first time he had seen the moat close up, and the sight disturbed him. The water was a murky black, as far from natural-looking as it was possible to be, so thick and opaque it almost looked like oil. Not to mention the fact that it absolutely stank; he could smell it on his skin already, reeking of all things rotten and festering. The stench made him gag, but since he was drenched in the stuff, he wasn’t sure how he was going to evade the smell.

Looking back up toward the window he had fallen from, he saw that Agatha and Ellabell were still peering over.

“Are you okay?” Ellabell yelled, the words barely audible to Alex’s ears.

“I think so!” Alex shouted back.

“We’re trying to find a rope long enough—Vincent says we can’t conjure one in case it sets off the fog!” Ellabell replied. “Hold on, we’re ransacking rooms for bedsheets!”

“Quite right—if we set off the barrier, you’ll be stuck down there!” Agatha cackled. “Now, don’t get too close to the water. You don’t want to slip back in!” she added, while Ellabell disappeared from sight.