“Staging a coup,” said Alex bluntly.
Lintz nodded with a tight smile. “I thought as much. About time, if you ask me.” He grinned, his moustache twitching. “Any room for an old codger like me?”
Alex widened his eyes, pleasantly taken aback. “There’s room for anyone who’s on our side,” he replied, hoping his gut feeling to trust Lintz was right. There was a lightness in Lintz’s manner that made Alex curious; he seemed keener than Alex had anticipated. He knew how long Lintz had been waiting for an opportunity like this, and perhaps he had finally come to realize that there was only really one mode of escape left to him, after what had happened to Derhin. They had been friends, from young men to old men, and Alex had to wonder if Lintz felt there was anything left to lose. It certainly didn’t seem that way.
“Count me in. I’ll go fetch some things. You call on me when the time is right—I’ll be barricaded in here until then.” He chuckled, a genuine warmth spreading across his face.
“Professor?”
“Yes?” said Lintz.
“Do you think any of the other professors would help us?” asked Alex sheepishly.
Lintz flashed a smile. “Only one,” said Lintz. “I will ask her.”
“Thank you,” sighed Alex, hoping he meant Gaze.
“Well, this is very exciting,” muttered Lintz as he closed the door of his classroom behind him and headed off down the hallway, whistling loudly. Alex watched him go, a broad smile on his face, before he carried on toward the cellar.
Alex had just returned from a sparring session in the cellar when a loud explosion sent him running back through the manor. The rumble rippled through the flagstones, the ground shaking. Another loud bang knocked him sideways into the wall, but he scrambled to his feet and kept running, determined to reach the place the explosions were coming from.
“How dare you!” roared the biting voice of Professor Renmark.
Alex rounded the corner and saw a maelstrom of energy chasing a small group of students down the corridor ahead.
“How dare you go against the Head! You are not worthy!” Renmark yelled after them, shards of golden spears sailing past the shoulders of the fleeing students.
Beside him stood Esmerelda, wearing a striking, sequined purple dress that glimmered with each burst of magical energy that soared from her delicate hands. Alex saw her gazing up at Renmark’s face with an expression that lay somewhere between adoration and hero-worship, her blue eyes shining.
It seemed Renmark had decided to seize back power, in the absence of Professor Escher or the Head. Alex recalled the muttered conversation overheard through Renmark’s door. It was the moment Renmark had been waiting for—the chance to prove himself to the Head. It looked as if the students had tried to take him on, underestimating his strength and overlooking his partnership with Esmerelda, who was a far more powerful mage than anyone had suspected. Beneath her delicate exterior lay a ferocious force of raw energy, and the pair made formidable foes. Alex ducked into a doorway, watching the fight from afar but not daring to toss himself into the line of fire just yet. Perhaps he could initiate a surprise attack when the professors were least expecting it, or could run to get Lintz, knowing his classroom wasn’t far.
A few of the students sent streams of golden energy trailing over their shoulders, some even using spells they’d been taught in Renmark’s classes. But he seemed to always be a step ahead, swiping the futile magical attempts away with a flick of his robed wrist.
The magic thundered between the walls as the fight tore through the corridor, close to the classroom doors. Fierce blades and great, mystical birds of prey dancing within a flame-like aura raced after the students, lashing out at their skin, trying to inflict pain, as Renmark and Esmerelda walked slowly in pursuit of their quarry. They didn’t need to run; their magic was doing the legwork.
Alex lifted his hands, preparing to form a blade of anti-magic, but he was distracted by the sound of rusted metal scraping the floor as a door across the hall flung open. Lintz jumped out of his classroom, the students rushing past him. A look of disgust flashed across his face, his moustache twitching angrily as he beheld the two teachers at the far end of the corridor. Across his body, he wore a leather satchel that bounced awkwardly against his back. He didn’t seem to mind it, though, and stood his ground.
Deftly, Lintz conjured a blockade, a magical version of the inverted one Alex liked to use, and sent it rushing through the hallway—only it seemed this one was intended to combat magic alone and not inflict damage on human bodies. It swallowed up the magical arsenal of Renmark and Esmerelda’s combined forces, rendering it useless.
“Stop!” yelled Lintz. “What on earth do you think you’re doing? You do not kill the students!” he bellowed as the group tore past him, leaving him to face Renmark and Esmerelda head on.
“Get out of the way, old man!” shouted Renmark.
“I will not!” Lintz sent another blockade to dispose of the fiery eagles trying to dive-bomb him.
Forging vast spears and swirling balls of raw power, Renmark hurled his weapons in Lintz’s direction. Lintz, in turn, ducked and flicked the attacks away, a spear narrowly missing his face, singing the tip of his moustache. A low growl emitted from the back of Lintz’s throat as he retaliated with a wave of thinly made arrows that sliced through the atmosphere, slipping quickly toward his aggressors. One hit Renmark in the shoulder, eliciting a shrill howl as it made his arm shake uncontrollably. Esmerelda gently touched Renmark’s elbow, her magic flowing into his skin and sucking away the hex as his arm ceased to shudder.
Enraged, Renmark fired a flat disc of amber light that spun through the air between them, skimming over the top of Lintz’s head as he ducked, his old knees cracking.
So far, the two men looked almost evenly matched, but the added power of Esmerelda seemed to put a strain on Lintz. Alex wondered if he should step in, but hung back with the other students as they watched the fight continue. They all shouted encouragements to Lintz as he rallied his strength and sent a shimmering dragon toward his two opponents, the golden mouth opening wide as a stream of hot, white fire erupted from between the glinting fangs.
Esmerelda combatted the dragon with a rush of amber mist. The whole corridor was glittering with the sheen of building magic, the air growing hot and stifling. Beads of sweat had appeared on Lintz’s brow, and Alex could feel the chill within him intensifying as he watched the battle.
Renmark’s hands twisted and turned with violent speed as his mouth moved silently. His eyes seemed to glow with an unearthly radiance as Alex observed his unorthodox conjuring, wondering what he was doing. A sliver of a shimmering, navy substance rippled between the mist of the golden magic, snaking toward Lintz. Alex tried to call out, to warn Lintz, but the professor could not hear him above the din of the fight. The substance creeped down into Lintz’s skin.
Lintz froze, his hands grasping at his chest as if trying to remove something, his body doubling over in pain.
“Don’t you dare!” a voice called from behind the gathered students.
Gaze pushed through the small crowd and stepped into place beside Lintz, her hands moving quickly to remove the bluish-tinged magic Renmark had slipped beneath Lintz’s skin. She flung it away like it was a poisonous creature, compressing it until it exploded into harmless vapor.
“You coward, Renmark! Who uses dark magic in a battle?” she crowed.
Gaze sent small, delicately made balls of fire toward Renmark and Esmerelda. The miniscule projectiles seemed feeble but held a dangerous secret—as they neared their target, they exploded in a wide, savage burst. They went off in a series, flashing in the air with a blinding white light and sending out a pulse of violent energy that surprised the others as they staggered back.
Gaze didn’t give her opponents a moment to catch their breaths. She sent a stream of gold toward Esmerelda, creating a barrier around her that seemed to drag her back into the corridor. The younger professor flailed ag
ainst the strength of Gaze’s magic. Professor Gaze smirked and shot another barrier toward Renmark, but he managed to fend it off. It kept him busy, though, as Lintz regained his strength from whatever had been sent creeping into his body.
“All of you, run! Go to the front lawn!” yelled Gaze, turning momentarily with a fierce expression on her face. She wasn’t even looking at Renmark, but managed to flick his magic away easily. The students didn’t need telling twice—they sprinted off down the halls.
Alex lingered around the corner, knowing he could help.
The two pairs were evenly matched as they faced off in the corridor, magic billowing and spiraling and sparking. Gaze had created a latticed barrier around herself and Lintz, keeping away the dark magic Renmark was using while allowing them to release magic of their own. A two-way shield.
Alex was mesmerized as he watched Gaze work. Her magic was flawless. Twisting her hands gracefully, she managed to weave a loop of magic around Esmerelda and Renmark, reducing the impact of their attacks. But Renmark’s dark magic was strong. Alex could see that each rebuff and blow from the viscous streams of navy liquid drained Gaze. It took a lot to protect the hallway, but it had given the students time to get away safely. The corridor behind Alex was empty; everyone had made it out.
Lintz reached into the leather satchel around his body and pulled out two mechanical bombs. He threw them wildly at the opposing pair, just as Gaze forced a moving blockade of strong, fierce magic in their direction. The dual hit sent their opponents flying backward onto the flagstones as Lintz and Gaze turned and ran, following the direction the students had taken.
Gaze reached out a claw-like hand and grasped Alex’s arm.
“Run, boy!” she shrieked, dragging him along with her as they headed toward the front lawn. At least, Alex mused, glancing at Gaze and Lintz, they now had two powerful allies to help with the stand they were about to make.
Chapter 29
Alex’s lungs burned as he sprinted out of the manor, other students spilling out behind him after hearing the ruckus inside. It wasn’t safe in there, with Renmark and Esmerelda on the loose. Gaze and Lintz followed wearily, Gaze stooping for breath as she leaned against the manor’s vast doorframe. Lintz patted her gently on the back, though a sheen of sweat glistened across his own forehead and his chest heaved with the exertion of the battle and their swift escape.
Gathering himself, Alex walked through the gathered group who stood out on the front lawn, making sure everyone was okay. A few of them had burns lacerating their backs and shoulders, but nothing a bit of salve couldn’t fix. Renmark had clearly been saving his more vicious spells for more formidable enemies.
“What happened in there?” asked Jun Asano, his jet-black eyes peering over Alex’s shoulder with barely suppressed anxiety.
“A fight,” said Alex simply. “The first of many, I would imagine,” he added grimly.
Jun nodded. “We are ready.”
The small, lanky boy standing in Jun’s shadow suddenly went pale, his eyes wide, his mouth opening and closing like that of a beached fish. His terrified gaze was looking at something over Alex’s shoulder.
The hairs on Alex’s arms prickled. He didn’t need to turn around to see who it was the boy was staring so fearfully at—he could feel the creeping cold of the Head’s skeletal form, the otherworldly eyes burning into the back of his head, willing him to turn and show the same fear found on the other boy’s face. Alex would not give the Head that satisfaction.
With agonizing slowness, he turned to the Head.
Finally, he had returned.
Thoughts raced through Alex’s mind as he faced the Head, who was standing by the gate, still with some distance between them, but close enough to instill fear. Alex wondered where he had been and what had finally brought him back to stand against the rallied students. Had someone told him? He knew Aamir was still strung up in the manacle chamber, so it couldn’t have been him. Had the band finally sent out a beacon of help to him? Was he taunting them, letting them believe they had the higher ground only to crush them? Alex wouldn’t put it past him. The Head was an impossibly strong magical entity, and they were an army of half-formed wizards. Perhaps he thought he had nothing to fear from them.
Already, Alex had streams of black and silver shards running between his fingers, ready to use in the battle ahead. His eyes locked with the hooded demon, narrowing in determination as he gathered his strength. On every side of him, he felt the other students move into defensive stances, ready to go on Alex’s command.
Nobody fled and nobody stood down in terror, not even the young man beside Jun, who stepped forward, moving into a position beside Alex. The boy’s face was determined, even though his small hands shook. A sad smile pulled at the edges of Alex’s mouth as he watched the boy, hoping he wouldn’t have to shoulder the responsibility of this young man coming to harm. Alex had understood the risks; he understood that not everyone was going to make it out. But he hoped, despite himself, that the boy would.
Seeing the younger student so stoic spurred Alex on as he stood firmly before the hooded figure. A smirk played on the Head’s pale, unnatural mouth, the rest of him shadowed beneath his robe. Alex remembered his feelings about the mask of Professor Escher, before they knew he was Aamir—a man who hid himself could never be trusted.
The same was infinitely more true of the Head. Whatever the reasons for the Head’s vile ‘graduation’ ceremony, whatever secrets rippled beneath the earth of the manor, Alex knew none of it was excusable. There was no cause great enough for what the Head had done and would continue to do if they did not stop him.
Strength surged through Alex on a wave of adrenaline as he moved his hands slowly upward, the anti-magic swirling icily around his fingertips. He was focused and he was ready. But before he could even lift his palms to perform the strongest anti-magical move he knew, something heavy and ungainly fell at the Head’s shrouded feet.
The metal ball landed on the ground with a thud, rocking gently on the sweeping black train of the Head’s robe. Confusion crossed the Head’s shadowed eyes as he looked down at the object, just in time to get the full force of Lintz’s magical trap in his face as it exploded around him, sending his skeletal form flailing backward as he tried to kick the trap away. It bought the students time and the element of surprise they so desperately needed.
Alex glanced back over his shoulder to see Lintz grinning wildly, looking like a much younger man, standing tall and proud at the top of the manor steps with a mechanical ball in each hand.
“Now!” cried Alex, his head snapping back to the main event.
The handful of students around him—a fraction of their main number, perhaps a quarter—did not need to be told twice. Turning on the Head, they bombarded him with their most elaborate, intricate spells, firing them off in perfect unison, preventing him from edging any closer to the school. Gold shards filled the air in a hot rain of glittering embers, the thunder of clashing magic ricocheting through the ears of all present. Streams of fierce gilded light shot through the miasma of misty glimmers, striking the Head with a peculiar fizzing sound. The sound of his pain hissed above the din of magic exploding and students roaring their war cries, audible enough to give the warriors the courage to persist.
Alex ducked through the fighters, running up to the top steps of the manor, where he stood side by side with Gaze and Lintz. Gaze seemed to have recovered somewhat, as she launched attack after attack in the Head’s direction, hitting her target every time. Her aim was deadly, and her power was more immense than Alex could ever have guessed from such a small, ancient creature. Every spell was one he had never seen, her hands moving with disturbing speed, her eyes burning with ferocious intensity. Lintz, still grinning, lobbed bomb after bomb at the Head, watching in delight as they exploded close by, startling the robed figure each time.
Natalie appeared in the doorway, her eyes wide with concern as she took in the newly forged battlefield.
“
I left Jari to watch over Aamir,” she explained quickly.
Alex nodded. “We need you out there.”
There wasn’t time for much more in the way of conversation as Natalie slid into the ranks and shaped magic beneath her hands, firing spells and hexes in the Head’s direction. For a moment, Alex thought he saw a thin stream of blue-tinged magic leave her fingertips, but wasn’t sure if it was a trick of the light.
A moment later, a spear with a pinkish hue at its center rippled from Natalie’s palms, and she threw it with great force. A bellowing roar rose up from the Head as the point hit him square in the shoulder, and Alex knew Natalie had moved away from the basic, everyday magic everyone else was using. He didn’t like it, but he knew it wasn’t the time to stop her. Whatever she was doing, it was working.
Lintz passed Alex bombs and traps from a bag clipped to the side of his leg, watching with gleeful pride as Alex proved himself to be a superb shot.
Barrage after barrage of magic artillery thundered across the front lawn, making the very ground tremble as the energy battered against the Head’s skeletal form. It kept him at bay, but it was nowhere near enough to defeat him. Alex wasn’t sure if the Head was just biding his time, but he knew the ancient wizard had more in his tank than he was currently revealing; he was luring them into a false sense of security. The Head fought back, of course, glistening streams of energy pouring fluidly from his clawed hands, knocking students back and snatching away their projectiles—but he did not seem interested in attacking them with all the strength he had within him. He seemed more intent on defending himself and letting the gathered students tire. Alex frowned, unsure why the Head was holding back.
The small force held him off successfully for a while, but they were starting to wear out. The explosions grew quieter as the dripping sweat on the forehead of every soldier glistened slickly in the glow of their magical fallout. The barrages were fewer and farther between, wizards staggering their spells to try to cover those who could not conjure any more. Each blast and bang was a whimper of its former self. The students were not as quick with their energy, wrists and fingers moving more slowly as aches began to set in. The only ones who seemed as fresh as ever were Natalie, Gaze, and the Head himself.