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  It made Alex curious, wondering if there was something in the air that made it so.

  By the end of the meal, having brought himself to eat the delicious pasta and a large bowl of raspberry ice cream, Alex found himself musing upon whether five years in this place would be so bad after all. The people were friendly, the food was good, the rooms were comfortable, the teachers were encouraging, the grounds were beautiful, and he had his friends with him.

  Maybe this will be a good thing, he thought.

  It was at this point that Alex knew there was definitely something wrong with the air, or something in the air at least. There had to be, for him to be thinking that way, in a place he clearly didn’t belong, among people who would most likely want him dead if they knew what he was. No, there was definitely something amiss; he could feel it in the crackle of the magic all around him.

  Something was manipulating the way they felt.

  Chapter 24

  Everyone’s cheer continued into the next day, though Alex struggled to watch the happiness of the others, who seemed to have easily forgotten the absence of their much-loved friend. He knew they didn’t mean to forget him, but it was difficult to see their joy while Jari was suffering, somewhere within these walls. Whatever it was that lingered in the air, it didn’t seem to affect Alex as much as his friends, making him wonder if it was because of what he was. Much like with the barriers at Spellshadow, the anti-magic in him seemed to dampen the effects of this magical manipulator.

  As they sat down to a wonderful lunch, an announcement interrupted them.

  “Students of Stillwater House,” began a tall gentleman with curly brown hair. “A special celebration is to be held this evening, to honor our new guests—the first outside students to be enrolled in our fair school in many decades. A truly special occasion deserves truly special festivities, and you are invited to join us by the lake at seven p.m. Everyone’s attendance is required, to help welcome our new friends into the fold.”

  The news seemed to excite Helena, who sat opposite Alex. “This never happens!” she squealed, grinning. “There is hardly ever a spontaneous event in the academic year—there was one perhaps a year ago, but that feels like ages ago now. This is so exciting!”

  Alex frowned, wondering if she was talking about Blaine Stalwart’s ill-fated battle in the arena. “What kind of event was it?” he asked.

  She shrugged. “A fight of some sort. Most unusual, but I can’t really remember it now. It was so long ago! This really is very exciting—it’s always nice to celebrate!”

  She didn’t seem to recall it very clearly, making Alex wonder if it was due to whatever was in the air, molding and melding the thoughts and memories of the students within Stillwater, so as to keep up the pretense of everything being wonderful, with no negativity of any sort.

  Helena’s excitement was infectious, her excitement spreading to the others—even carrying Alex along slightly, despite himself. Ellabell appeared especially encouraging toward Alex’s dour state, trying to get him in the party spirit.

  “It’ll be good to let our hair down!” she insisted. “Things have been so bad for so long. We deserve to have a little fun.”

  Around the table, the others chattered excitedly about the evening, asking Helena questions about what they might expect, though they were particularly curious about the music, the food, and the dancing. Alex watched them fondly as they talked, wishing he could feel so carefree.

  He just couldn’t stop thinking about Jari. As Helena was about to leave the refectory for her afternoon lessons, Alex caught her by the arm and pulled her to one side, waiting until everyone had gone so that he might speak with her in private.

  “How is Jari?” he asked.

  A regretful look passed across Helena’s golden eyes. “I’m still working on the plan to break him out, but I have it on good authority that he’s okay—they are treating him well and they aren’t hurting him or anything. They’re simply figuring out what to do with him, I believe.” She sounded genuinely sorrowful as she relayed the news to Alex.

  He frowned. “What did he do to get locked up in the first place?” he asked, though he was already fairly sure he knew the answer.

  “I think it was because he wouldn’t do what the Headmistress wanted him to do… She can be like that,” replied Helena sadly. “She won’t hurt him, though. He’s no use to her dead.”

  Alex tried not to grimace as she stated the obvious. He could be sure of that much—the people in power in these places were not in the habit of wasting the life essence of mages. Leveling his gaze at Helena, he wondered how much she knew about the offers the Headmistress had made to them, but she wasn’t being forthcoming with that information, if she did know it. Not once in her mention of Jari’s imprisonment had she said a word about any offers.

  “Thank you for caring,” said Alex softly.

  “Of course. I care deeply about what happens to all of you,” she replied with sincerity. She walked with Alex out of the refectory and through the halls to her next class. He accompanied her most of the way, wanting to seize the opportunity to talk more openly with her, one-on-one.

  “We might need your help again, in the near future, if you can give it,” he said, keeping his voice low.

  Helena nodded. “Have you thought any more on what your next move is going to be?”

  “I want to find or make a portal to the outside world,” he answered as vaguely as he could, careful to avoid any mention of his desire to steal or destroy the bottles of essence, which he was certain were hiding somewhere in the school.

  Her golden eyes went wide with excitement. “The outside world? You mean the non-magical one?”

  He smiled. “Yes—home is out there. That’s where we want to be.”

  “Tell me about it,” she pleaded, suddenly melancholic.

  “What do you want to know?”

  “Tell me of somewhere beautiful.” Her expression was almost wistful.

  “Okay… If you walk to the edge of my town, there’s a patch of woodland that you can walk through, and sometimes you’ll see a deer or a squirrel or a raccoon. The cars honk at you as you cross the road to get to it because there’s no sidewalk running next to it, but once you get into the forest, it’s silent—you can’t hear the cars on the road or the people.” He paused, seeing that Helena had closed her eyes. He wasn’t sure if she even knew what cars were, but he continued, “Then, you walk through the woods and come out the other side, where there are train tracks running from one side of a ravine to the other. The river isn’t much to look at, but it’s down there. Sometimes, in the spring, it fills with rushing water from the ice melting in the mountains miles and miles away. When I was younger, I used to walk to the edge of the ravine and climb under the railway sleepers—my mom would have gone mad if she knew, but it’s what all the kids did. I’d climb along the frame underneath the railway line until I reached a place where two wooden beams connected in a cross, a short way below the actual tracks. I’d lie there for hours, staring up at the sun beaming down between the slats, just waiting for a train to clatter across the top. It only did it a handful of times when I was there, but the noise was something else—the rattle of it in your ears, leaving them ringing for days afterward. It was scary and terrifying and wonderful, but somehow beautiful, with the river and the ravine walls and the trees and the silence.”

  Stopping, he saw a tear running down Helena’s perfect cheek. It surprised him—these Stillwater folk looked too faultless to show such raw emotion, but, nevertheless, she was crying. She even did that beautifully.

  “Are you okay?” he asked quietly, reluctant to disturb her reverie.

  She nodded. “It has been so long that I can’t remember what the non-magical world looks like. I was a small child the last time I saw it, before I came here. What a beautiful place it must be. Thank you for telling me that story. I shall treasure it,” she said shyly, brushing the tears away from her face.

  “You’ve been out
there?”

  “Once upon a time.” She smiled wanly.

  “Do you think you can help us get back out there?” he pressed, pleased to see her taking an interest in it.

  Glancing around furtively, she leaned closer to Alex. “I believe I can,” she whispered. “I may even wish to come with you, if you would allow me.”

  This revelation surprised Alex, and he glanced curiously in her direction. He had presumed she was happy here at Stillwater, but he could now see that a seam of anxiety had run in the background of every thought and action she had made, up to that point. Where others happily obeyed every rule, she had dared to go against them. Where others smiled, she had cried. Where others would have handed them in, she had defied the Headmistress to keep them hidden. Where others would have seen him on the wall and raised the alarm, she had smiled and let her curiosity lead her to them. It was as if she were not quite as affected by the magic in the air as he had thought; she was not as hypnotized as the rest of them, and he wondered silently if this anxious, rebellious streak of hers had something to do with it.

  However, before he could give an answer to her request to come with them, she stopped him by placing her fingers gently on his mouth, shocking him into sudden silence. It was as if she already knew he wanted to say “I’m not sure about that” to what she asked.

  “Don’t answer now—I implore you to think on it. Please, Alex—I am begging you to just think about it,” she said, before turning and disappearing down the hallway, leaving Alex to his shock.

  His mouth tingled strangely where she had rested her fingers, and he felt the burn of her magic on his lips for a long while afterward as he returned to his room in a confused daze.

  Opening the door, he was in for his second surprise of the day, as he noticed the suit that had been lain out on the bedcover. Reaching out to touch it, he could feel that it was made of some exquisite, silken fabric. He held it up to get a better view, and saw that it was a suit cut in a more Indian style of dress—a long coat-style jacket with a high collar and intricate embroidery, to be fastened up the front with shining buttons. There were brushed silk trousers of the same dark gray color that he hoped would suit him. With the magic of Stillwater, he was almost certain it would—they didn’t allow anything short of perfection, after all.

  It was beautiful to behold, though Alex had never owned a suit in his life, and there was an envelope on the bed beside it. He picked it up and slid out the card; it was a formal invitation to the evening’s proceedings, the text written in an elegant hand on the cream vellum of the card.

  Dear Mr. Alex Webber,

  You are cordially invited to celebrations in your honor at Stillwater House. Please meet at the dining area beside the lake at seven p.m. sharp. You are expected to dress formally for the occasion, and shall sit at the high table with the rest of our honored guests.

  We look forward to your presence.

  Warmest Regards,

  The Crown Princess Alypia.

  Chapter 25

  As afternoon turned into evening, Alex took a bath and put on the suit, hoping it was the right size. Buttoning up the last fastening, he needn’t have worried—it fit him like a dream, making him look more handsome than he had ever looked. He didn’t know if it was some trickery or glamor within the suit that made him look that way, but he couldn’t deny it made him feel good. Standing in front of the small square mirror that hung on the wall in the bathroom, he brushed his hair neatly, as his mother would have reminded him to do, and looked at himself properly for the first time in ages.

  After so long looking rough and exhausted, with all manner of muck and grime on his face, it was nice to see the shadow of his former self—that the boy who had anxiously accompanied Natalie to a high school party, like any normal teenager, hadn’t disappeared for good. He had just been buried under layers of dirt and misery and struggle.

  As he stepped back into the main section of his bedroom, there was a light knock at the door.

  “Come in,” called Alex brightly, and Aamir appeared.

  Alex smiled. Aamir looked great, the style and dark, cobalt blue of the outfit suiting the older boy perfectly. He was grinning from ear to ear, and the sight warmed Alex’s heart. It seemed like it wasn’t just Alex who was feeling more like his former self.

  “You ready to go?” asked Aamir.

  “You bet,” replied Alex, patting his friend on the back.

  They walked down to meet the girls, chatting amicably, but their words came to an abrupt halt as they caught sight of Natalie, Ellabell, and Helena. The boys’ jaws dropped. All three young women were dressed in stunning gowns that fit to perfection, made in the perfect color for each one. Helena’s silvery gown was similar to the one she had worn on the evening of the Ascension Ceremony, but Ellabell and Natalie’s were in colors Alex wasn’t even sure he knew the names of. Natalie’s gown was a deep, gun-metal gray that complemented her tan complexion, whereas Ellabell’s was a pale turquoise shade that matched her eyes. In their intricately styled hair, jewels glittered alongside interweaving bands of precious metals, catching the light whichever way they turned.

  Alex couldn’t take his eyes off Ellabell, and she seemed equally smitten by the sight of Alex in his suit.

  Speechless, the two young men walked toward the ladies. Aamir took Natalie’s arm and Alex took Ellabell’s, before following the beautiful Helena out of the villa toward the lakeshore, where tables had been set up all along the sunset-drenched banks, draped in pale cream and gold cloths that billowed gently in the light, warm breeze that blew across the lake. As they arrived, a banquet fit for a king was being laid out, the smells making Alex’s mouth water as he passed. Helena led them to the head table, where they were to sit as guests of honor, facing the other tables. The four friends glanced at each other, quietly stunned, as they took their seats and waited for the other students to arrive. They didn’t have long to wait, as the other tables quickly filled with the rest of Stillwater, in all their finery.

  Alex caught Natalie blushing as Master Montego strode up to the high table and personally welcomed the new recruits, planting a suave kiss on the hands of Ellabell and Natalie, though it was only Natalie that the action flustered. It was hard not to smile, even while Alex kept trying to focus on Jari and the need to find information about creating portals. He feared that if he lost sight of his goals for long enough, he would never be able to recall them. However, each time he managed to distract his mind, his attention was snatched up again by Ellabell laughing or asking him something, drawing him in with her sparkling blue eyes and her easy humor. Other times, his attention waned thanks to the taste of something delicious on his plate, or the sweet tang of the drinks being poured. He doubted they were alcoholic, but the sweet, sparkling liquid made him feel unexpectedly giddy and suddenly more affable, making it harder and harder to focus on the desire to leave this place.

  After the banquet was over and they were all stuffed to bursting, the Headmistress stood.

  “In honor of our guests, I have arranged for celebratory games to take place in the arena this evening!” she announced, and a cry of joy went up from the students. “If you could make your way over, we shall begin the next part of our festivities, welcoming our new students!”

  Full and satisfied, everyone rose and walked slowly from the lakeshore toward the arena, the dinner making them sluggish as they chattered excitedly about the rest of the evening’s festivities. Already, the great torches had been lit, illuminating the raked seating and the circular pitch that had been freshly repainted on the grass. Alex could feel the warmth of the flames on his face as he followed Helena to the top of the amphitheater, where they were shown to their seats.

  For once, Alex permitted himself to feel happy—he even whooped along with the others as the first duel began on the field below. It was a friendly match between two Stillwater students, with no dire consequences for either of them; it was simply a display of Stillwater strength. Somehow, it seemed almost e
njoyable to watch a duel, when Alex knew nobody was going to die at the end of it.

  It was fascinating to watch the twist and turn of golden magic as it surged from the palms of the duelers, controlling when and how their opponent moved. The duel was as much about defense as offense, and Alex couldn’t stop following the rapid movements of their hands as they conjured spell after spell, trying to outdo each other. Most matches were evenly balanced, with some opponents being masters of shield magic, while others were experts at building magical weaponry. In one pairing, a young woman seemed faultless at swiping magic from the air and turning it back on her opponent, much to their annoyance as they had to duck and run from their own magic. It was a trick Alex wanted to master himself, and he made a silent promise to practice it, the next opportunity he got.

  They watched a few more duels as the hour grew later. Each one was more thrilling and powerful than the last, making Alex wide-eyed in anticipation of what would be next.

  When Helena stepped up to the pitch, it was clear that she was, indeed, more ferocious and intimidating than any of them had thought possible. Twisting her hands so fast they weren’t even visible, Helena made quick work of her opponent, grinning a touch manically all the while, as she sent waves of fierce, crackling, deep bronze magic at him. Everything she did seemed easy, though the spells were powerful. She tore his magic from his hands before he even had chance to use it and stretched it into a shield that wrapped itself around him, constricting him each time he tried to fight back. Alongside it, she conjured shivering snakes of golden light that rippled toward him, making his body seize and shake as they hit him. At one point, she seemed to be conjuring four things at once, to Alex’s awe and admiration. Aside from the crackle of her magic, it was silent enough to hear a pin drop as everyone watched, enraptured.