The Shadowseeker - Victor Kloss Page 0,64

fifty feet from the pegasus.

“Guard!” Natalie cried.

Dead ahead a security guard blocked their path. His hand was glowing, forming another missile.

Ben thrust his hand down into the pouch. He barely had time to demand an appropriate spell, and just picked the first pellet his hands fell upon. With a quick throw, he launched it at the guard. They were too close for the guard to mount a proper defence, and it hit him in the stomach. His eyes widened, and all of a sudden the guard started floating away.

For a minute, Ben thought they were going to make it.

He didn't spot the half a dozen missiles until it was too late. These ones were bigger, stronger and the net field was already starting to wobble.

The impact threw Ben from his feet. He saw Charlie and Natalie cartwheel through the air. With a grunt, Ben landed heavily on his arm, the air forced from his lungs. His vision blurred, but with superhuman effort he attempted to get back up. He made it onto one knee, before witnessing a sight far more damaging than the impact from the missiles: both Natalie and Charlie were down, unmoving. Ben stared at them, so horror-struck that he didn't spot the final missile. The protective net was history. Ben heard a crack, a flash of light, and then everything went black.

— Chapter Twenty-Three —

The Power of the Institute

Ben woke to a splitting headache, lying on a firm bed, staring up at a pristine white ceiling. His vision was blurry and just about every part of his body ached. The idea of moving made him wince. His memory was foggy and he couldn't recall exactly where he was or how he got here. Slowly it started coming back.

SpellWorks. Forrecks. Lornor. The failed escape.

Ben's eyes shot open and he sat up – or tried to. He groaned in agony the moment he moved.

“Thank god, you're awake!” Natalie said. She rushed over to sit on the corner of his bed. She seemed anxious to tend to him, but her hands were poised uncertainly, unsure where to start. Natalie had a gash just above her eyebrow, but, other than that, didn't appear too worse for wear.

“I'm fine,” Ben said, forcing himself to sit up.

They were in a small room, empty except for three beds, which were really nothing more than mattresses resting on thin pieces of wood. In the middle of the room was a small table with a pitcher of water. There were no windows and only one door, which Ben knew would be locked.

“This place isn't too bad for a prison,” Ben said.

“We're not in prison,” Charlie said. He had several dark red patches on his shirt and trousers. “This is a temporary holding room while they decide what to do with us.”

“Ah. How long have I been out?”

“Three hours,” Natalie said. “It's almost dinner time.”

Charlie had his legs crossed on the bed with his head resting on the chin, staring despondently at the bed. It took Ben a moment to realise why Charlie was so down.

“The exam,” Ben said, with a sudden urgency that belied his physical state.

“Exactly,” Charlie said, looking up. “We can say goodbye to the Royal Institute of Magic. We'll never get back in time for tomorrow.”

The thought of failing to make the exam gave Ben a shot of energy. He hauled himself to his feet, ignoring his protesting body.

“We have to make it back,” Ben said.

He hobbled over to the door and started pounding on it, shouting for assistance. He kept it up until his voice was hoarse and the skin on his fist was raw.

“We tried that already,” Charlie said. “If anyone is there, they're clearly not interested in us.”

“They will come when they are ready,” Natalie said. “Until we are convicted, they will treat us okay, which means someone will come and give us some dinner to eat.”

“I've got no intention of getting convicted,” Ben said, slamming his hand on the door one more time.

“I'm not sure it's entirely up to us,” Charlie said. “And even if by some miracle we made it back for tomorrow's exam, would they even let us take it after everything we've done?”

Charlie had a point, but Ben didn't care about that right now. If they got out, they could at least plead their case to the Institute. Ben put his hand in his pocket, but his pouch was no longer there.

“Those spells were the first thing they took when they brought us in,” Natalie said.