The Secret of Spellshadow Manor (Spellshadow Manor #1)

“What?” said Alex. “Oh. Yes, I’m sure that’s it.” Aamir must have mistook his look of concentration for one of dismay.

“I’d be nervous,” said Jari. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard of someone failing their first examination. Do you think they’d kill him?”

Alex looked up sharply, and Aamir glared at Jari. “They would not kill him,” he said. “Alex isn’t non-magical. He’s just having a hard time focusing his energy.”

“Is that what happens to non-magical people here?” They hadn’t harmed him yet, but he wouldn’t put it past them.

Jari laughed, speaking around a mouthful of bread that sent crumbs scattering over the tabletop. “Non-magical people don’t come here,” he said. “There are barriers. Spells and stuff that keep them out. Anyway, I don’t think that’s Alex’s problem. I think his problem runs a little deeper.” His eyes twinkled mischievously.

Aamir turned with an expression of academic interest, his arms folding.

“Oh? What do you know?”

“I know Alex’s little secret,” said Jari.

Alex’s mouth went dry. “You do?”

Jari grinned. “He can’t do magic because he’s got something else on his mind. Or more specifically”—he leaned in conspiratorially—“someone else?”

“Oh, Jari…” sighed Aamir.

“Hey, it’s valid!” said Jari as he held up his hands. “When I had that crush on Ellabell Magri last year, I could barely muster any magic for a week, remember?”

“But you could at least produce something, even if it was pitiful,” said Aamir.

“I’m just saying,” replied Jari. “I think our boy’s problem isn’t of the mind. It’s of the heart.” He tapped his chest meaningfully.

Thinking quickly, Alex jumped on the opportunity.

“I think you’re right,” he said, and Aamir and Jari both turned to him in surprise. “I’ve been thinking a lot about someone—Natalie—but it’s hard to find somewhere to talk alone. If there were somewhere, maybe somewhere outside the manor, we could go…”

Aamir’s expression darkened instantly, but Jari’s face lit up like a Christmas tree.

“I know a place,” he said. “I can get you some time with her alone, away from prying eyes.”

Alex looked up at him, trying to keep the relief off his face. “I think that would be really helpful.”

“Great!” said Jari. “Tonight work for you two?”

Alex was about to reply in the affirmative when Aamir suddenly interjected.

“I will bring Alex to your romantic getaway, Jari.” He held Alex’s gaze for a long moment, his stare penetrating. “You can bring Natalie.”

Jari looked quizzically between Aamir and Alex, but then shrugged unconcernedly.

“Okay,” Jari said. “Let’s meet there after dinner.”





Chapter 14





The walk to the gardens was a strange and uncomfortable process for Alex. For one thing, he felt a little guilty for lying about his reasons for wanting to get outside. He still didn’t trust Jari or Aamir quite enough to confide in them, but he found himself wishing he hadn’t needed to fabricate a reason.

For another, the tall, severe boy at his side walked quickly and in complete silence, his disapproval coming off him in waves. He clearly had not believed Alex’s lie, and Alex had no idea why he had insisted on accompanying him. He didn’t even know if Aamir was really taking him to Jari’s “romantic getaway”. For all he knew, he was taking him straight to the Head’s office, though he felt that was in a different direction.

The hallways of the manor didn’t give any indication of what floor they were on, or which direction they were facing, so Alex found himself being led up a flight of stairs when he had thought they were already on the top floor of the manor, then down a flight of stairs from a hallway that looked like it was on the ground floor. Had he been trying to find the place on his own, it might have taken months of trial and error, opening doors until he finally found the one that led to where he wanted to go. They had likely been designed that way, intended to keep students trapped inside. The hallways didn’t move, but the illusions they created formed as good a maze as any he had ever known.

He focused hard on memorizing all the manor’s twists and turns, determined to remember the way out, but he was finding it far more difficult than he had imagined, and Aamir’s quick pace gave him little time to commit much to memory.

Finally, after several minutes of nothing but the sound of their footsteps walking down the long, empty hallways, and the stern gazes of the rows of painted wizards upon the walls, Aamir stopped before a door.

“The gardens,” he said dryly, throwing the door open.

Alex stepped outside for the first time in what felt like weeks, the fresh night air invigorating against his face. He breathed deeply, savoring the moment, feeling like liberation was just around the corner.

“Coming?” came Aamir’s voice, and Alex quickly descended a short flight of weathered stone steps to join him in the moonlight.