The Keep (The Secret of Spellshadow Manor #4)(90)

“You said you barely escaped—is it worse than here?” Alex pressed. The sharp stings of pain began to subside with each steady breath, easing slowly to a dull, manageable ache.

“I didn’t get to meet anyone in charge, or even see the buildings there, but the forests all around it are teeming with soldiers and magical traps. If it’s worse than here, I couldn’t tell you. I saw very little, but what I did see was enough to scare me off. Though I see it will not scare you off,” he added somberly.

“I need to fetch this book, Professor,” Alex said. “Will building a portal to Falleaf House be easier than making a portal home, or will it still take forever?”

“Goodness me, it’s far easier!” Lintz bellowed, twiddling his moustache. “It can certainly be achieved within a short timeframe. It requires far less essence—the essence from Stillwater should do it—and a lot less effort, not to mention the fact that there used to be a portal to Falleaf House already here. I came through it myself, though I disconnected it as soon as I did, considering the perils that lie in the woods beyond. I would never have thought to re-conjure it, but it should be simple enough to use the old network—it makes it a great deal easier when there’s already a known route that the portal magic can work across, you see. It’s why building portals to the outside world is so darned bothersome, because you’re working blind, so to speak, forging an entirely new pathway.”

This calmed Alex’s nerves slightly. He wouldn’t know the full extent of the dangers that lay at the unknown haven until he got there, so the only potential hurdles he could still think of rested in the hands of the havens they had already come through.

“And we can help too,” said Ellabell firmly, “seeing as we’ll be coming with you.”

Alex shook his head, leveling his gaze at each person in turn. “Now, more than ever, it’s going to be essential that we manage to take over Stillwater and Spellshadow,” he said, knowing it would mean his best chance at using mind control on Virgil, without the fear of persecution or attack. “I know it might seem like a step backward, but this will offer hope to so many more than just ourselves, and I promise we will still get home after we’ve done this. This is why you need to go, as planned, to Stillwater… I won’t ask anyone to come to Falleaf House with me, to risk their lives for a book.”

With Alypia trapped here at Kingstone, Alex knew most of the threat at Stillwater would be defused. The prison was no place for a longer stay—there were no physical resources here, no usable essence, and hardly any people they could rally to the cause. Stillwater had the resources, Spellshadow had the essence, and both had the people.

A momentary silence drifted across the room.

“Well, I think we should choose where we want to go,” insisted Ellabell.

Aamir nodded. “Indeed, Alex, as noble as your sentiments are, you will require assistance too.”

“Then let’s take a vote,” Alex said reluctantly, knowing how hard the decision was. It meant fracturing the group.

“I’ll be going to Stillwater, as planned, to assist in taking control of the havens,” Natalie spoke softly. “It will be sad to part from you… but I feel my presence will be needed most when the time comes to try to free Spellshadow. I am much stronger now than I was when we were students there, and I intend to be a formidable adversary. Not only that, but I will see my friend again, and get her to join us—how can we possibly fail?” She smiled, her dark eyes glittering with tears. “It is in my blood, after all—liberté, égalité, fraternité,” she added with a nervous laugh. Alex felt his gut wrench. He had known it would be hard, but not this hard.

Jari nodded. “I’m going to go to Stillwater with Natalie. I want all those French things too, for Spellshadow Manor,” he said firmly.

“It has nothing to do with Helena?” Natalie teased, clearly trying to bring a touch of levity to the meeting.

“I mean, obviously I’m going to jump at the chance to see my true love again—pick up where we left off, if you know what I mean?” He grinned, blowing air kisses. “But, mainly, it’s for Spellshadow, and those we left behind.” It wasn’t clear whether Jari was telling the truth, but the conviction in his words was unmistakable, making Alex think that, perhaps, that was indeed the main reason—it was just smothered in a goofy fa?ade.

Both Natalie and Jari had improved by leaps and bounds since they’d left Spellshadow Manor, and Alex was certain the task of taking control of the havens would be in capable hands. Still, the fact that he would be losing them both, however temporarily, wasn’t easy to take in. He would miss Natalie’s strong, steady presence, and it would be too quiet without Jari to lighten the mood.

Then there was Aamir. Alex was almost entirely convinced he would go too, being Jari’s best friend, which meant he would have to say goodbye to at least three of their tight-knit quintet. He waited patiently for the next person to speak, trying hard not to look at Ellabell, for fear of what decision he might see upon her face.

“I’m going with you, Alex, to Falleaf House,” said Aamir solemnly. A quiet gasp ran around the room, and Alex realized he wasn’t the only one who’d thought Aamir was going to choose differently. Jari gaped at his best friend in utter disbelief, rendered speechless. “It is by no means an easy decision, but I think you might need me more than Spellshadow and Stillwater do, for now. I am confident we will all return there, to join the fight, but I feel compelled to remain by your side in this.”