The Chain (The Secret of Spellshadow Manor #3)

“Tell me the truth, Aamir. You owe me that much,” pressed Alex, trying not to let frustration taint his words.

Aamir shook his head miserably. “The truth is, Alex… I don’t know. I don’t know if it came from me or if it came from the Head and I was merely his pawn—for what awful purpose, I cannot tell you. The lines were blurred back then; my mind was as much his as it was my own. It was like he was in there, moving things around without my say-so. I was a puppet, being forced to say and do things I would never have done, had I been in control of my own mind. But I was not in control, Alex. You have to believe me when I say that.” Aamir looked at Alex with wide-eyed desperation. “When the curse was broken, it jumbled everything—I couldn’t tell you which thoughts belonged to me and which to the Head. And though I know you don’t believe me, there are many memories that are shut off to me now… It’s like the curse being broken locked pieces of my mind away that were not intended for my own eyes. Everything was all mixed in together and so hazy I couldn’t think straight. I am still trying to fix it all back together. Do you understand?”

“So you don’t know anything. Is that what you’re saying?” asked Alex, somewhat dejected.

“The golden line on my wrist had such a strong hold over me—I can’t be sure if my offer was genuine or not, and for that I am eternally sorry,” murmured Aamir wretchedly. “But please believe that I would never have done anything to hurt you. I would like to hope it was the real me coming through, trying to set you free before anyone powerful found out what you are, but I can’t promise it was. The memory of it is like a fuzzy, warped picture in my mind, and though I wish I had a better answer for you—I am afraid I do not.”

Alex wanted to be angry with the older boy, but the note of genuine sorrow in Aamir’s voice forced Alex’s irritation to subside. Warmth and life were returning to Aamir, and Alex could see that it was true: Aamir was becoming more like his old self with each day. Perhaps one day, he would have a more complete answer to give Alex. For now, Alex guessed that was the best he was going to get.

“Thank you for being honest,” Alex said with a resigned nod, although another question rested on his tongue. “Aamir—have you been to Stillwater House before?”

Aamir was about to answer when another knock sounded at the door. Without waiting for a welcome, Natalie and Ellabell burst into the room, their faces cheerful. They seemed to have changed clothes and washed too, much to Alex’s envy.

“You’re here!” Natalie smiled. “We are just down the corridor.”

“So the Headmistress made you an offer too?” asked Ellabell.

“Yeah,” Alex replied, “we both received offers. Five years of study, followed by the usual gambit of the Ascension Ceremony and a fifty-fifty chance of surviving this place. What was yours?”

“I received the same offer, though Alypia said I might join the magical elite if I want to, should I survive my Ascension Ceremony,” said Natalie quietly.

“Would you want to?” asked Alex.

She shrugged. “I have five years to think about it.”

“Mine was the same as you two,” replied Ellabell quickly, seeming slightly flustered as it came to her turn. It made Alex curious, though he didn’t press her. They had all been under a lot of strain lately—perhaps it was simply that.

“This is all just a ruse, though, right?” ventured Alex, knowing he had no intention of staying at Stillwater House a moment longer than he had to. He didn’t trust Alypia’s word, but nor did she trust his. If the agreement was a pretense for something else, as it was with his promise, the real motive behind her offer was yet to appear to him. He could sense it had something to do with his being ‘special,’ like it always seemed to. When nobody appeared to be forthcoming with a response, Alex elaborated. “We’re still getting out of here, right?”

Silence and shifty stares followed.

“You’re joking,” he muttered in disbelief. “Well, my goal here is to find another portal, or make one if I have to, and get the hell out of this place. I want to get home—I thought that’s what we all wanted? Did I miss something? Did she offer you something else, that she didn’t offer me? Because otherwise this is ridiculous.”

Ellabell nodded. “Absolutely, we’re leaving. That’s the plan and we’re sticking to it. I know I’d like to see home again,” she agreed.

Aamir and Natalie didn’t seem entirely convinced. Alex caught a look passing between them, though they made noises of agreement toward their waiting friends.

“You shouldn’t even have to think about it, guys! Both of you have friends and family out there who are worried sick at home, thinking you’re dead or worse. I mean, Natalie—your family sent you off to a foreign country and you never came back! Aren’t you upset? Don’t you feel like you should get home to them, so they can stop worrying about the girl who just vanished off the face of the earth?” Alex struggled to keep himself from yelling. He wanted to shake them into seeing sense. “And though I barely know anything about your family, Aamir, I imagine they feel the same. I bet they’re home right now, wishing you would just walk back through the door. Is the power of magic really more important than them?”

The tirade seemed to cow them, forcing them to sheepishly come around to the idea Alex was talking about—as if his words and the memory of their families had removed them momentarily from a slight trance. Their state of mind worried Alex; he did not like to see that they were losing sight of what was important: home.

“Has anyone seen Jari?” asked Alex, realizing their friend was missing.

Aamir shook his head. “Not since the cells.”

“Yeah, not since he got taken away,” agreed Ellabell, pushing her spectacles anxiously back up the bridge of her nose.

“I have not seen him either,” Natalie frowned.

Concern fell over the group as Alex felt a twist of guilt in the pit of his stomach, realizing with some certainty that Jari must have been the only one among them to deny the offer Alypia made. It was the only explanation for his absence.

“Do you think he—” began Alex, only to be interrupted by another knock at the door.

It was Helena, whose face was pale and fearful as she peered around the door, as if she already expected the suspicion they must feel about her. Hurrying in, she closed the door behind her and jumped straight to defending herself.

“I had nothing to do with it!” she yelped. “I didn’t tell anyone, I swear—somebody must have seen me rowing over to deliver supplies and sounded the alarm. I didn’t say a word about you. You have to believe me!” There was honesty in her plea, but Alex and the others still maintained a level of caution.