The Secret of Spellshadow Manor by Bella Forrest (best way to read ebooks TXT) 📕

Alex groaned, cracking open one eye. He was greeted by the sight of a short, freckled young man—perhaps around Alex’s age, despite his immature manner—with a scruff of blond hair. The boy was partially sitting on top of him, leaning over to look at his face. When Alex opened his eyes, a bright grin flashed into life, spreading across the boy’s face and lighting up his wide eyes.

“You’re up!”

“What are you doing?” Alex grunted, clearing the sleep from his eyes.

“Oh, sorry!” The boy abruptly leapt off him, just about ricocheting into a chair nearby.

Alex sat up on his elbows, blinking around him. He was in a bedroom furnished with three beds and three desks, all of gleaming dark wood. It was virtually undecorated, quite small, and clearly a dormitory.

His eyes fell on an older boy, perhaps nineteen, with coppery skin and an untidy mess of black curls adorning his head like a crown. He sat at a desk across the room, straight-backed and proud, an ancient-looking book held in one hand. When he saw Alex looking at him, he offered a small wave.

“Since my friend has no manners—”

“See? Friends. I have them.”

“—and apparently doesn’t understand that in order to have friends he must have more than one, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Aamir Nagi.” Aamir glanced at where the blond boy continued to loom over Alex. “The grossly oversized puppy that was attempting to climb into your bed is Jari.”

Jari beamed at Alex. “Jari Petra,” he supplied.

“I-I’m Alex,” he said.

“Oh, we know!” replied Jari.

Aamir sighed. “Don’t be creepy,” he muttered. He nodded toward Alex’s bed. “It’s on the frame, though. That’s how he knows.”

Alex sat up slowly, remembering the previous day’s events with mounting horror. He had chased Natalie down an ever-shifting lane of eerie, derelict houses. Had not saved her from the horrible ragged thing. Entered the manor wreathed in gray ivy. Found Natalie. Lost Natalie. Met the Head, and then…No, he should not think of that.

But he had not left the manor.

Natalie was here somewhere, though, and he could get to her and find some way to escape this place. He felt a little sharper now, a little more himself, but he did not notice he was clutching the bedsheets tightly in his fists until the older boy spoke, bringing his attention back to his surroundings.

“How did you like your orientation? Informative, wasn’t it?” The young man regarded him serenely.

Alex snorted. “Oh yes, it was brilliant. Really cleared things up.”

Jari laughed. “More like a disorientation, right?”

“Don’t worry,” Aamir said. “We’ll help you get settled in here. It is this way for everyone.” He cast Alex a small smile, which Alex couldn’t help but notice looked more rueful than reassuring.

“Yup!” Jari stuck his hand out for an emphatic shake that jolted Alex really, fully awake.

Alex turned and saw that his name had indeed been engraved into the wood.

Alex Webber, it read, with sinking finality.

“To hell with that,” he breathed, indignation rising in his chest. He rose briskly from the bed. “Well, it’s been lovely chatting, but I won’t be staying. If you could just point me to the girls’ dormitories, I’ll be on my way.”

They stared at him, Jari looking taken aback, Aamir a little sad.

“You can’t go,” exclaimed Jari.

“Sorry, but I have to. I really didn’t sign up for all this. It seems like a”—he eyed the two young men, who were apparently students here—“really interesting place, but it’s not for me. The girls’ dormitories are which way again?”

“Alex,” said Aamir seriously, “you truly cannot leave. The Head informed you of this, did he not?”

“He certainly seemed opposed to the idea. But what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him, right? I’ll find a way out.”

“There is no way out, I’m afraid,” Aamir countered gravely. “For any of us. There are enchantments in place, strong, old enchantments, that prevent any student’s departure. Like it or not, you are now a student here, Alex Webber. The only way to leave is to graduate.”

Alex stopped just short of the door. “Graduate,” he repeated. “And what does that entail?”

Aamir’s lips tightened. “We do not know until it is upon us.”

Alex raised his eyebrows. That sounded ominous.

“But you really don’t want to leave anyway,” interjected Jari. “It can be dangerous out there for people like us. And we’re supposed to learn control here, so we don’t, you know, blow stuff up. By accident, anyway.” He grinned. “And hey—it can be fun, too. I like learning new stuff.”

Alex very much doubted he would encounter any fun here, or any trouble back at home. But the two young men seemed utterly opposed to him attempting to leave, and he certainly didn’t want them telling anyone—the Head, for example—that he was planning escape immediately upon arrival.

“So what happens if you try to leave, anyway?” he asked.

Jari opened his mouth to answer, but Aamir spoke over him.

“It is extremely dangerous. Do not attempt it.”

Alex looked between the two, wondering if this was true. As much as he hated the idea, maybe he would have no choice but to bide his time a little, acquaint himself with the place and its guardians on his own. In any case, he should be wary of letting them in on his plans.

He exhaled and ruffled his hair. “Okay. I guess I’m…uh, staying. But I still need to get to the girls’ dorms. Do you know the way?”

Jari laughed dismissively. “Oh, you can’t get in there—not without a girl to lead you. Believe me,” he whispered loudly, “I’ve tried.”

“It’s true,” agreed Aamir. “You may want to refer to your rulebook before running off on your own. The punishments here are severe.” He gestured to the nightstand by Alex’s bed. “You’ll find it in the drawer there.”

Alex eyed the nightstand warily. He didn’t want to read any kind of rulebook for this absurd place—what was the point, when he was going to escape anyway? Reading their rules would feel like one step closer to