The Secret of Spellshadow Manor 3 by Bella Forrest (i can read book club txt) 📕

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 enjoyable 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