The Secret of Spellshadow Manor 6 by Bella Forrest (books for men to read .TXT) 📕

and if we’re going to do it again, we need Julius’s blood anyway. If I can get Julius to give us his blood willingly, then that’s one less thing to worry about. Otherwise, how do you suggest we take it from him?”

This one seemed to stump the group, who glanced at one another with uncertain looks. It had been hard enough to get the blood from Venus, and that had been a spur-of-the-moment plan. Retrieving it from Julius without him knowing was more or less out of the question. Even getting near him would be impossible without him sounding an alarm or executing them on the spot. Julius was far stronger than any mage they had encountered. A face-to-face meeting in a civilized setting was the only way, as far as Alex could see.

“Why didn’t you tell us what you were planning?” asked Natalie, eyeing Alex with a disappointment that made him quickly jump to his own defense.

“It just happened. I saw an opportunity, and I seized it. Once Hadrian had left, I couldn’t take it back.”

“And when are you supposed to be meeting with him?” Ellabell cut in, her voice wavering.

“Tomorrow at midday.”

“Are you definitely going to go?” Natalie pressed.

“I think I have to,” said Alex.

Jari gave a tight laugh. “I think you’re an idiot.”

“I’m not feeling too smart myself, right now.” Alex smiled wryly, knowing he probably should have consulted his friends first. However, another feeling stirred within him—a sense of panic, of fear that they might try to come with him. He had arranged this fool’s errand, and he would see it through on his own.

“You know we’re coming with you, right?” Ellabell said, confirming Alex’s fears.

He shook his head vehemently. “Julius told me to come alone. In the letter, he specifically said that if I bring anyone along, there’ll be trouble and the meeting will be off.”

“Why would he want you to come alone? Surely, he’d want as many of us there as possible, so he could deal with us all in one fell swoop,” Aamir reasoned, making Alex wince at the thought.

“I’ve got no idea—those were just the terms he set,” Alex said with a shrug. “Maybe he really is open to a discussion?”

Natalie snorted. “Please, Alex. Even if he hears you out, what reason does he have not to imprison you?”

“This arrangement would benefit him more than anyone else,” Alex insisted. “Once the Great Evil is gone, he won’t have any use for essence. I’ll make him see how much his kingdom will adore him, once they discover that the threat has been vanquished because of him. He loves flattery, and I can flatter with the best of them.” He tried to lighten the mood, but it was clear that nobody was impressed.

“You think we’re just going to let you walk into the lion’s den without any backup?” Helena spoke, putting on a firm tone. “Do you not know any of us by now?”

Alex sighed. This wasn’t what he had wanted to happen, and, now that it was happening, he wished he’d just kept the meeting to himself. As immoral as it might have been, at least he would have been sure of everyone’s safety. After almost losing Aamir to the mist, he simply wasn’t prepared to put anyone else in the line of fire, not when he could get the task done by himself. Now, he realized it would be difficult to head to the meeting without the others trying to follow.

“You can’t be thinking about running off on your own, Alex Webber,” remarked Ellabell, flashing him a chiding look that made his cheeks flush pink. “I say we take a vote on it. As I see it, we have three options: Alex doesn’t go at all, Alex goes with us as backup, or Alex goes alone.”

Alex cut in, not wanting the decision to be taken out of his hands. “Look, I know you all want to help, but it’ll put us in more danger if we defy Julius’s wishes,” he said, meeting the eyes of each of the five. “I’m going alone, and that is final.” He stood defiantly.

“Sit down, dude, you’re not going anywhere—this is bigger than just you,” Jari said.

“Fine… but don’t I get a say?” Alex asked, Jari’s words forcing him to sit back down on the fireside bench.

Natalie shook her head. “You are too biased. This decision is between the five of us. We have heard your side of the argument, and we shall take it into account in making our decision.”

Alex sat back, dreading how the vote was going to go.

Ellabell went first. “I think we should go with him. It’s stupid for him to go alone, given what we know about Julius. He’ll just kidnap him and force him to do the spell. If he’s going, he needs backup and an escape route, should things go south,” she said firmly. “So, my vote is he goes, but he goes with us.”

Aamir was second. “As much as I hate to say it, I believe Alex should go alone. Julius is a volatile man, but I think Alex could be right. Maybe, just maybe, he is willing to strike a deal. There will never be an opportunity like this again, to retrieve that blood so simply. I know I must sound naïve, but I have a feeling in my gut that Julius genuinely wants what we want, in the grand scheme of things. Why rock the boat by defying the king’s wishes? That’s more likely to get us killed than anything else.”

The older boy spoke a lot of sense, and Alex flashed him a grateful look, though Aamir’s features remained a blank canvas, giving little away.

Jari chimed in third. “Are you insane? I can’t believe you just said that. You vote he goes alone?”

Aamir nodded. “That is my vote.”

“I think you’re mad. Of course we have to go with Alex—we can’t just leave him to that lunatic. No way, José. I’m with Ellabell—I vote he goes, and we