The Secret of Spellshadow Manor (Spellshadow Manor #1)

“Then that’s that.”


Aamir seemed a little more reluctant, but he also nodded. “That’s that,” he echoed.

Alex looked between them, his gaze lingering on Aamir. The older boy was desperate to survive—was he desperate enough to give Alex up? It could be that turning in a Spellbreaker would save his own neck somehow. But Alex didn’t think Aamir would do something like that. He was desperate, yes, but essentially good.

“Thank you,” Alex said, and meant it.

They smiled in unison.

“Just get us out of here,” said Aamir.

Alex tried to smile, but he couldn’t quite manage it. His chest still felt heavy with cold, his limbs stiff.

“I’ll try.”





Chapter 29





Alex awoke the next morning to the truly strange sight of a small mouse crouching on his chest, its eyes aglow with a crimson light. It scurried in circles, tail lashing, revealing patches of missing fur that exposed shining white ribs. Its tail seemed to hang from it by sinew. It pounced from side to side on emaciated legs, leaving little red paw prints on Alex’s comforter.

On instinct, Alex yelled, hurling his sheets, mouse and all, to the floor, where the bedclothes began to thrash, panicked little squeaks cutting the air as Alex sat on his bed in his pajamas, breathing hard in surprise. In his bed, Jari opened an eye, looking over.

“Bad dream?” he asked blearily.

“Mouse,” Alex explained shortly, jerking back as the mouse burst from the sheets. Jari let out an undignified cry of terror and flattened himself against the wall.

The mouse sprang back up onto Alex’s bed and advanced upon him with glittering eyes. Alex held out a placating hand, as if the creature would listen to sense.

The mouse leapt, and Alex braced himself for the pain of its little teeth sinking into him, but instead he only felt a cold, wet weight drop on his hand as it settled comfortably against the side of his open palm. He looked down, and his gaze was met by eyes like flickering, waning candles.

Lifting his hand, Alex surveyed the animal. It had a bloody hole in its side, and was missing a substantial part of one ear. He lifted it up, rolling it onto its back to reveal a little note tucked against its belly, held in place by a thin piece of string.

He undid the binding and took the letter, the mouse hopping from his hand and dropping back to the bed, sitting obediently while he read.



Alex, I found this dying mouse in my room, and I had to experiment on something, so…here it is. It’s not very pretty. I think it must have been attacked by a cat. I hope it didn’t frighten you too much! Anyway, it looks like I got the magic to work. I’m curious about what he will do when his task (delivering this letter) is complete. The book was vague.

-N



Alex looked down just in time to see the mouse give a final, beatific squeal before falling dead on his bed. A little dribble of red drained out of its side.

“She’s more cold-blooded than I am,” Alex muttered, staring from the letter to the mouse and back.

Jari nodded emphatically from where he was still curled on his bed, his eyes wide.

The door opened and Aamir came in, a book under his arm and a determined look on his face. His eyes swept the room, landing on Alex.

“Ah, Alex. Good, you’re awake.”

He hesitated, seeing the sheets on the floor, then the dead mouse bleeding on the mattress.

“Hm.”

“Don’t ask,” Alex grumbled. He tried to pick the mouse up by the tail to move it, but the thing came off in his hand. Jari made a retching noise.

“I confess I am curious,” said Aamir, a wry smile slanting one corner of his mouth. “But no matter. I came to ask a favor.”

Alex threw the tail in the trash bin as Jari made unintelligible noises of protest.

“What’s up?”

“I wanted to ask you to train with me, actually.”

Aamir and Jari had continued their argument from the previous day in more civil terms after Alex’s revelation the previous night. Jari had begrudgingly admitted that Aamir’s additional practices might serve a purpose, but he had also convinced the boy to come back to classes. The peace between them was uneasy, but seemed to be holding for the time being.

Now, Alex gave Aamir a questioning look.

“And do you think I would be useful to help you study magic?” he said, one eyebrow raised. “Although my…talents apparently lie in the exact opposite realm?”

“I do.”

Alex poked at the body of the mouse, and Aamir made a noise of impatience, his hand shooting out. Little flames engulfed the rodent’s body, burning it until nothing but ash remained. Aamir made a second gesture, and the heap of ash blew apart.

“It’s everywhere now,” Jari said in horror.

Alex returned his attention to Aamir with a sigh. “I’m just not sure what I can do.”

Aamir looked away, scratching at his cheek. He opened his mouth, then shut it, trying several times to speak but seeming completely unsure about how to proceed.

“It’s just…” he said, trailing off and gesticulating. “I, well, my disagreement with Jari—”

“‘Disagreement’, he says,” Jari interjected.

“—has left me concerned,” Aamir continued, glaring at Jari, “about what to do in the event that I have to duel someone in the process of taking a teacher’s position. I need a training partner.”

Alex’s brow rose even higher. “You want to have a magical duel with me?”

Aamir made a face.

“I need someone I won’t kill,” he said.

“Ah,” said Alex, then gave him an incredulous look. “You did see what happened to me yesterday, right? I almost froze to death.”

In the corner, Jari shrugged. “That was probably because I hit you,” he said.