The Keep (The Secret of Spellshadow Manor #4)(17)

Alex wrenched his arm away. “It’s just the air,” he murmured. “I can’t breathe. I’m sorry… I’m so sorry. I’ll be back… I’m sorry.” He rushed from the room, hoping his friends wouldn’t hate him upon his return. He felt like a hypocrite now and loathed the fact that he was wasting valuable time, but he knew he couldn’t spend a moment longer in that room, feeling as he did.

As he ran toward an open space, desperate for fresh air upon his face, he knew the outburst had something to do with his torn soul, aggravated by the bristle of the barrier magic. It worried him, and he hoped fervently that he had not done himself irreversible damage.

Bursting through an unknown door, he found himself on a walkway between turrets. Instantly, the pressure of the barrier faded slightly and he moved toward the wall, clinging to it for purchase, thinking he might collapse. He gripped the edge of the slick stone until his head stopped spinning, ignoring the flakes of snow gathering beneath his palms. This time, his anti-magic didn’t even try to delve deeper into the barrier; it seemed his defenses had learned their lesson. No red fog came, no demons pounced, no spears hurtled toward his head. The only reaction was the flurries.

Everything seemed to be slipping away from him. No matter how hard he gripped the wall, he couldn’t fully regain his hold on reality. Squeezing his eyes shut, he wondered if he might be on the verge of a mental breakdown. Nothing felt right anymore—he didn’t recognize himself.





Chapter 7





After calming himself as best he could, Alex made his way toward the tower room to join the others, hoping to get back before Vincent came to collect them. He walked slowly, hoping he was going the right way as he passed identical hallway after identical hallway.

His heart missed a beat as he saw a door ahead of him, slightly ajar. The only people he knew with keys were the guards, and the only guards he knew were Lintz and Demeter, but he couldn’t see them anywhere nearby. Taking a deep breath, he skirted the open door, his back pressed to the opposite wall, hoping he could get past it without something emerging from within.

Alex froze at the sound of whispered words. It sounded like his name.

Barely breathing, he listened more closely, wondering if the voice would speak again.

“Alex,” it whispered, undeniable this time.

He followed the sound, pushing gently on the wooden door. It swung open with a rusty creak, leading into a dimly lit room strewn with dust-sheeted furniture. Alex stepped in cautiously, realizing afterward what an idiotic thing that was to do in a place like this—just because somewhere looked safe, that didn’t mean it was.

Fortunately for him, the figure that greeted him was a familiar one.

“Alex Webber, as I live and breathe.” The shadows glinted with the flash of a grin Alex knew would be sardonic.

Elias unfurled from the darkness at the far side of the room, emerging from beneath the pale glow of a torch like a performer sliding into the spotlight. All he needed was a top hat and cane, though Alex wasn’t sure a hat would stay on top of his insubstantial head.

Slipping through the air, the shadow-man rose up to his full, wispy height, draping himself casually against the wall, though it seemed as if he was once again having trouble with the shadowed fronds of his being. Alex wondered if the barrier magic was playing havoc with Elias, as Alypia’s version had done at Stillwater. This time, he didn’t seem to be having issues holding his actual self together, but his whole shape appeared to crackle, fizzing and snapping in places. Even Elias himself seemed startled by it, jolting in surprise every time his body sparked. He was clearer, at least, than he had been at Stillwater, and looked more like his old self.

“I should have known it would be you. Creepy noise, creepy place, creepy shadows—guaranteed to be you,” Alex groaned.

Elias cackled deep in the back of his black throat. “Very good, Webber—you’re learning. Still not smart enough to avoid following said creepy whisper into an unknown room in the depths of a prison full of criminals… but alas, we must walk before we can run,” he teased, his face contorting into what Alex thought was meant to be a frown of displeasure. “Ugh! I’m starting to sound like that halfwit Demeter. If I start spouting half-formed proverbs, feel free to send me back from whence I came—I implore you. I’d rather die a thousand deaths than use fortune cookies as my sole source of inspiration.”

Alex hated to admit it, but seeing Elias brought him a sense of relief and more than a hint of amusement. What he hated even more was that he knew Elias could tell.

“How can you be here?” Alex asked, trying to erase the smile from his face.

“I am an exceptional creature. I can go anywhere I please,” Elias purred, elegantly brushing misty fingers through starry tendrils, where hair might be found on a physical being.

Alex sighed. It seemed they were back to mystery, though he was used to it by now.

“I think you missed me,” Alex taunted.

“You amuse me,” Elias said simply, turning his wispy wrists as if flicking away a buzzing insect. “You pass the time between here and eternity. I suspect I’ll grow bored of you one of these days.” Before Alex could retort, the shadow continued. “Speaking of amusing things—bravo on the exquisite mess you made of Alypia.” Elias grinned, the expression as eerie and unnatural as ever upon his shifting, ever-moving face.