The Secret of Spellshadow Manor 5 by Bella Forrest (book series for 10 year olds .TXT) 📕

“Professor, can you move Jupiter to the highest point on the clock-face?” Alex asked, an idea blossoming in his mind.

With a bemused expression, Lintz followed the instruction, pushing the large red orb that symbolized Jupiter up to the twelve o’clock point. With a loud click, a secret compartment opened at the base of the structure. Inside the tray lay a book—a big, ancient thing.

The title was emblazoned on the front in bronze lettering: The Book of Jupiter.

At the very bottom of the compartment was the word “Success” beside the number eleven. Eleven? Alex frowned. That means there is still one task to go. It was a blow. Alex had thought that finding the book would be the last step, but it appeared that the vault had other ideas.

As Alex reached for the book, the same ghostly apparition that had appeared at the door where they’d left Ellabell floated into existence once more. Alex knew it couldn’t be a good sign, considering what this ghost had told them last time.

“I come with your final challenge,” the ghost spoke, in that same lilting voice.

“And what is our final challenge?” Alex asked, fearful of the answer.

“In order to receive the prize you desire, one of your own must vouch for the one who will use it. This person must give up their life and remain within the vault. Death will not be immediate, but shall come when there is no nourishment left,” the ghost explained. “There will be no way out, and no hope of salvation. This is the price.”

Alex flashed a worried look at his friends. “It can’t be me?”

“If you are the one who seeks the prize, then you cannot vouch for your own worthiness,” the ghost replied curtly. “Whoever is going to give their life in return, you must reach up to the orb of Jupiter and say, ‘I vouch for this person. They are worthy of the prize.’ You shall remain within the orb until the others have departed, when you will be returned to the library. Now, you do not have the luxury of time to decide—you have only until the time runs out, or the vault will take a life that will not be returned, as you will have failed your final task.”

The ghost whirled in the air, showing an image of Ellabell, trapped by the mouth of the demon. All around her, the walls were beginning to close in, moving closer and closer to her. Though Alex couldn’t hear the sound of her scream, he could see her mouth opening wide in silent panic.

“No!” Alex said, wishing he could reach through the vision and free Ellabell from her prison.

“It has to be one of us,” Aamir said somberly.

Lintz shook his head. “No, dear boy, it has to be me.”

“We need to talk about this!” Aamir insisted.

“I am already on borrowed time, Aamir Nagi.” Lintz sighed. “I lied back there, Alex, when I told you I didn’t look the specters in the eye. I did. I did, and I-I know what that means. I know that they will come for me. It has to be me who gives myself. I will die, one way or the other—in truth, I am already dead. I was dead the moment I looked into their eyes. I cannot cheat the specters, and I cannot cheat death,” he said, his voice laced with sorrow. “At long last, I will be reunited with all those I have lost.”

“You won’t need to die, Professor. I’ll make sure this spell gets done as quickly as possible, and I’ll come back and set you free when it is,” Alex promised. “We’ll find a way to keep the specters at bay, I swear it.”

“A noble thought, and one I hope comes true, but I don’t think there is time.” Lintz smiled. “Now, Ellabell needs you, so I’ll tell you all you need to know as quickly as I can. Hadrian can help to open any portals you might need opened. Make sure you read the spell carefully, and don’t be duped by any tricks the other royals might throw at you. Oh, and if you get your chance to be free, all of you… take it. Promise me you’ll take it?”

Alex nodded slowly, unable to process what was happening. “You’ll be coming with us, Professor.”

He grinned, but it did not quite reach his eyes. “I’ll wait.”

With a quick shake of hands and a pat on the back for his dear students, Lintz darted toward the red orb of Jupiter and clasped his hand around it.

“I vouch for this person. They are worthy of the prize,” he said.

With a sickening whoosh, Lintz began to disintegrate, his body being sucked into the mechanism. Alex watched with open-mouthed horror as the diorama absorbed him. First his hands, then his arms, then his torso, followed by his head, his stomach, his legs, and, at last, his feet. The orb glowed orange for a moment before dimming to a simple planet again.

Slowly, the clock began to tick, sounding Lintz’s death knell.

Chapter 13

Alex plucked the book out of the compartment, his eyes snapping to the vision of Ellabell. The walls had ceased closing in on her, and relief flooded her expression. A moment later, the jaws of the demon sprang open, releasing her.

Alex watched on the gauzy screen until she had ducked through the now-open door and made her way back to them. He could hear her footsteps running along the narrow corridor leading toward the library, and his arms were open and waiting as she sprinted into the room. She ran to him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

“I was so sure that I was going to—” She paused, breathing sharply.

He leveled his gaze at her. “If I had known that was going to happen—” he began, still a little mad at her.

“Then someone else would have had to stay,” she cut him off, her determined expression showing she was still satisfied with the choice she’d made. “I