A Crystal of Time (The School for Good and Evil The Camelot Years #2) - Soman Chainani Page 0,70

to face what was above it.

But he could only hold his breath for so long.

Each time he came up, long enough to inhale, he heard a snippet of conversation.

“If I’d been picked to wear Sophie’s cape instead of those boys, we would have escaped—”

Tedros went back under.

“The tarot cards said a flying ghost would be at the church and Agatha’s bubble looked just like a flying ghost—”

Back under.

“If we’d only made a run for it when I told us to—”

Back under.

Tedros’ skin screamed with cold, his heart pumping madly. His breaths grew shallower and shallower . . . his brain shut down like a closing door. . . . He could see King Arthur’s statue above the mold-colored surface, refracted and hazy, a stone Excalibur clasped in his folded hands. But now Arthur was bending towards the water, leering through empty sockets, which crawled with maggots and worms. Tedros dog-paddled backwards, but his father chased him, the statue coming alive, as if the king had at last learned who had carved out his eyes . . . as if he’d discovered his son’s cowardly betrayal. . . . Flailing backwards, Tedros slammed against a wall, out of breath, flattened like a starfish as his father came swimming, his sword pointed at Tedros’ heart—

“Unbury Me,” the king commanded.

Tedros crashed through the surface of the pool, spraying water and heaving for breath.

Valentina and Aja lounged against the marble wall of King’s Cove, drenched by Tedros’ splash. Behind them, King Arthur’s statue stood eyeless and still.

“Why is he swimming in a dirty piscina?” said Valentina.

“Boys are a mystery,” said Aja, wringing out his devil-red hair.

“You are a boy,” said Valentina.

“Then why didn’t Agatha pick me to wear Sophie’s cape?” Aja puffed. “She knew I loved that cape and instead she let Bodhi and Laithan wear it—”

“Oh, give up on that damn cape, will you!” a new voice said.

Tedros turned to see Willam and Bogden against the opposite wall, both in muddy, grass-stained shirts.

“We’ve been here for hours with no food or water or anything and all you can talk about is a cape!” said Bogden. “You should be worrying about getting out of here before we die!”

“Then stop all this jabbering and help us find a way out,” said Professor Dovey’s voice.

Tedros swiveled to see the Dean and Nicola at the stone door to King’s Cove; Nicola was picking the lock with her hairpin while Dovey tried shooting spells repeatedly across the molding of the door, only to see the spells extinguish midair.

“There is no way out,” Tedros groused, climbing out of the pool and letting the cove’s muggy air thaw his torso as he slumped against the wall near Valentina. “Dad put a shield against magic in this room to get rid of the fairies after Merlin left. Plus, why do you think they moved us here now that the dungeons are smashed in? It’s called King’s Cove for a reason: Dad built it as a safe room, in case the castle got invaded. Nothing can penetrate it. We’re as trapped here as we were there.”

“At least it’s the only room in the castle Rhian hasn’t remade into a tribute to himself,” said Willam.

Tedros looked at him.

“We saw when they took us upstairs,” Bogden explained. “It’s all gold Lions and Rhian busts and shirtless statues of him looking buff.”

“Not that I’m complaining,” said Willam airily. “Been around Camelot my whole life and the castle looks so much better than it did before”—he saw Tedros glowering—“in a gaudy, low-class sort of way.”

Tedros raked a hand through his salt-coated hair. “Probably left this room alone since no one will see it. Everything that pig does is for show.”

He rubbed at the bruises on his muscled stomach and chest . . . then noticed Aja, Valentina, Willam, and Bogden watching him intently.

“What?” Tedros said.

“Nothing,” all four chorused, looking away.

Tedros put his shirt back on.

Meanwhile, Dovey and Nicola had resumed their assault on the door. Dovey’s green gown shed beetle wings while she stood on tiptoes and shot sparks out of her fingertip, trying to find a weakness in the magic shield. Beneath her, Nicola’s tongue stuck out in concentration as she crouched in a squat, picking deeper in the lock.

“I lived in this castle. Don’t you think I’d know if there was a way out?” Tedros hounded.

“Weren’t you also the one who said Good never gives up? That Good always wins?” Nicola bit back.

“When did I say that?” Tedros scoffed.

“Right before you and Sophie went