The Secret of Spellshadow Manor 4 by Bella Forrest (life books to read TXT) 📕

two of them left, Alex sat on the floor beside Caius, letting him rest awhile. There was a rasp in the warden’s breath every time he inhaled, and it concerned Alex.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked.

Caius nodded insistently. “Just old age, I’m afraid. You’ll find out one day,” he chuckled.

Alex smiled, and the pair of them sat in companionable silence for a short while. At any moment, Alex expected Alypia to come rushing around the corner, but, as the minutes ticked on, the hallways remained empty and still. It was almost peaceful.

“Shall we?” Caius suggested finally as he began to stir, the rasp of his throat lessened.

Alex nodded, eager to be on their way. “After you,” he replied, helping the old man to his feet.

“I’ve got an idea,” Caius said suddenly, a childish look of glee on his face. “Come on, there’s no time to lose!”

With that, the old man took off down the corridor at remarkable speed, even with his cane. Alex hurried after him, wondering where the warden’s exhaustion had gone. Perhaps the rest truly had done him a world of good, Alex thought as he caught up, the pair of them walking along at a brisk pace, turning corner after corner. It seemed as if Caius knew precisely where he wanted to go, and all Alex could do was follow as the hallways become gradually more familiar.

Eventually, they came to rest at a room Alex recognized as the old guard room where Agatha had attacked him. Caius drew a hefty ring of keys out of his pocket, though the door appeared to already be open, resting slightly ajar. Something else fell out of the old man’s pocket too, but Caius stooped quickly to snatch it up and put it back, giving Alex little chance to see what it was. As far as he could make out, it was a small silver box, though what its purpose was, he had no idea.

Suddenly, Alex felt nervous. Something wasn’t quite right, and, as Caius pulled open the door and shoved Alex unceremoniously inside, he realized what it was. But it was too late.

Sitting in the armchair by the fire was Alypia, daintily holding a cup of tea in her hands. She scowled as Alex staggered into the room, skidding to a halt before he got too near her.

He whirled around to face Caius. “Why?”

“You will speak when you are spoken to!” Caius snapped, all trace of the kind old man gone.

Alypia sniggered. “And if you could refrain from conjuring another of your golden beasts, I’d appreciate it.”

Sharply, Caius grasped Alex by the scruff of his shirt and shoved him a step closer to Alypia. “I believe this is what you’re after, dear Niece?” said Caius in a low, menacing voice. “I trust you will leave us in peace now, without running to your father?”

“It is, dear Uncle,” she replied, the glee evident in her words. “And I’m almost certain this is enough to keep me from saying a word about your ineptitude, though it will make me awfully sad not to see the expression on his face—I do so love it when you disappoint him.” She flashed her coldest smile in Caius’s direction.

With that, Caius yanked Alex backward slightly. “Then it seems there are negotiations to be made,” he stated, moving Alex farther back still. “I know the value of the boy in my hands. I want to ensure I get a good deal, seeing as your daddy behaves as if I am undeserving of reparations. I will not simply hand him over and let you have all the glory, dear Niece—so if that is what you were after, I suggest you hop on back to your false utopia and leave me to my own devices. If your pride will permit negotiation, however, then we can talk,” he said, as he turned to leave the room with Alex in tow.

“Why are you doing this? I trusted you!” Alex spat, trying to wriggle free of the old man’s grasp. He was shockingly strong, and held on tightly.

“SILENCE!” Caius roared, shoving Alex roughly onto a chair.

“Here, these might help,” purred Alypia, throwing a set of cuffs at Caius. They were the same grim manacles Alex had seen before, the twist of gray ivy painfully familiar.

“Excellent foresight, I’ll admit,” Caius remarked, catching them deftly.

As Caius bent to lock Alex’s wrists between the cuffs, Alex tried to head-butt him, but the old warden was too quick, ducking cleanly out of the way. When Alex writhed and struggled, Caius simply held him still with vise-like strength, before sitting in the armchair opposite Alypia.

“What will you offer me in return for Alex and the stolen bottles?” Caius asked. “I could do with something to bolster the king’s opinion of me. I’m fairly certain that handing over the key to his survival would do just that, improving my standing at court immensely, but I’m open to options, if you can come up with something better to offer?” Caius remarked, a smirk upon his thin lips. “You seem to want it more.”

Alypia glared. “You could certainly use a bit of collective good opinion, but I’m not sure even Alex’s particular charms could clear your name, not after what you did,” she sneered. “Unnatural acts aren’t often forgiven, as you well know, and there is nothing more unnatural or abhorrent than that relationship you had with that thing. You’re just lucky you never got yours with child,” she spat, her face a twisted vision of abject repulsion.

Though Alypia missed the stern, icy expression on Caius’s face, it had not gone unnoticed by Alex. He could feel the old man bristling beside him, color rushing into his pale cheeks.

“You think your mother was any different to me?” Caius hissed.

A look of shock lit up Alypia’s face. “My mother is nothing like you!”

“Isn’t she?” Caius taunted. “Didn’t she fall in love with one of them too? Isn’t she exactly like me? Isn’t that why your brother is the way he