The Shadowseeker - Victor Kloss Page 0,14
and dress oozed regality. Her long-fingered hands rested on the hilt of a magnificent sword.
Ben stared into the dark brown eyes of Queen Elizabeth and saw an intelligence and determination that took his breath away. Was this some powerful spell or could it be a ghost?
“Your Majesty,” Ben said, bowing his head.
The Queen did not respond. Was he supposed to ask something? If she was a ghost, would she know about his ancestor, Michael James Greenwood? The thought made his heart jump. What about the Armour and the dark elf king, Suktar? Ben was busy trying to work out what to say when the Queen broke the silence.
“Greenwood,” she said. Her voice was a whisper but spoken with such intention that a deaf man would have heard her.
Ben managed a subtle nod; he didn't trust his voice.
“Do you deem yourself worthy of the Royal Institute of Magic?”
“I do,” Ben replied, pleased at the calmness of his voice.
“Very well,” Elizabeth said. “Let us find out if that is true.”
The Queen's eyes started to glow, becoming two white orbs. Ben steadied himself and widened his stance, in preparation for whatever was about to happen.
A beam of energy from Elizabeth's eyes speared right into Ben's forehead, connecting the two of them. The beam penetrated his skin and he screamed.
A picture flashed before his eyes: his mother, wearing a blue gown, holding him in her arms and smiling lovingly. There were white lights everywhere and loud beeping noises. It was the hospital, moments after his birth, Ben realised. The picture vanished and another appeared where he was still a baby, but now able to crawl. He could see the legs of his father.
The Queen was sifting through his memories, from birth to present time. Ben watched helplessly as memories came, were inspected and then discarded. Months, and then years, passed in a heartbeat. Ben soon realised what she was looking for: memories that defined character. There were plenty of moments of courage, loyalty and overcoming the odds. But there were times of recklessness and anger. How much would they count against him?
A recent memory flashed up. Unlike most of the others, which came and went in a flash, this one received an extended appraisal. Ben took one look at it and cursed. He and Charlie were reading the note Wren had left to his parents, urging them to seek refuge at the Institute. It was the letter that had sparked their first adventure to the Institute.
The queen now went more slowly through the memories, following their journey to the Dragonway and the Institute. Ben felt something unpleasant move in the pit of his stomach. The Queen was going to discover their plan to find his parents and the Armour. In excruciating slow motion, all of Ben's intentions were laid bare.
When the memories finally reached present time, the energy beam retracted and the Queen's eyes stopped glowing. Ben met the Queen's thoughtful gaze with defiance. His insides were churning and his legs felt like jelly, but he managed to stay calm. The desire – the need – to join was almost overwhelming. Was he good enough for the Institute? Or would he pay for the secrets he was keeping?
The staring contest seemed to last an age and Ben's eyes were beginning to water, when Elizabeth finally nodded.
“Another Guardian,” she said, and gave Ben what he could have sworn was a relieved smile. “I have been waiting some time. Welcome to the Institute.”
The Queen faded back into the white mist and, in a puff of smoke, vanished.
The lantern above flickered to life.
Ben stood there, panting, a trickle of sweat running down his forehead. He relaxed his shoulders, only then realising how tense they were. He felt a warmth beneath his hands. The binding spell that held them to the book vanished and he let go. Underneath the book's title, the words “Ben Greenwood” were now written into the leather cover.
A flicker of light appeared at the corner of his vision and he turned. Floating above his right shoulder was a small colourless diamond.
He'd made it. He was in! He gave a fist pump, but his delight was tempered by the Queen's final words, and her hauntingly penetrating voice still rang in his ears. Another Guardian. What did that mean? Ben was sure it was significant, but right now he could think about only one thing: he had qualified for the Royal Institute of Magic. A wonderful warmth started at his chest and went all the way