The Sphere (The Magi Series #2) (26 page)

As soon as the students at the barracks had completed their
mid-term exams in early November, right when the temperature became frigid,
bringing cold rain and sometime sleet, Master Constantine started a unit on
geography.  He explained to the students that they were going to work on a
project on one of the current Magi cities around the world.  He listed twenty
city names on the board and told the students that they could pick any one as
long as they haven’t been taken already.  Then, he said they would be working
in partners.  Everyone moaned.

Elijah spun around quickly to look for Becca, but she was
clear across the room.  Becca never liked sitting next to her friends because
she didn’t want the distraction.  Adam, however, was close enough to ask.

“Psst,” Elijah called.

Adam looked over.  Elijah made a motion to suggest being
partners, but then Master Constantine interrupted the class’s frantic search
for a partner.

“I hate to break up this obvious display of camaraderie,”
Constantine announced, “but I must inform you that I have already selected your
partners.”

The classed moaned even louder than before.

“I will be calling your names one by one.  First on the list
is Adam Flemming and Isaac Rodgers.”

Isaac shot up his head from across the room with a large
grin.  He pumped his fists in the air once Adam acknowledged him.

Seeing two of his friends paired with each other made Elijah
nervous about getting paired with Paul.  Even though they were able to be
around each other, being forced to work one-on-one with Paul would most
definitely be an uncomfortable week.  Elijah imagined failing the assignment
altogether because they would never meet to discuss their work.  Either that or
they would each turn in a separate assignment.

“Becca Uribe and Gabriel Weston,” Constantine spouted.

Elijah buried his head in his hands.  There went another
possible partner.

Elijah actually thought being paired with Hannah would be a
perfect excuse to talk and maybe find a way to make up for being a jerk to
her.  That is until Constantine announced that Hannah would be working with
Andrew Glavin.

A few more names were called.  Elijah just knew that his
fate was to work with Paul.  Paul must have thought this too because he seemed
to be doing everything he could to keep to himself.  Usually, Paul had his back
to the wall so he could observe the entire class.  He often turned in his seat
to face his audience, but at the moment, he looked as though he wanted to
disappear.

“Elijah Hawk and Thomas Benefield.”

It took a moment for Elijah to register what was just said. 
Isaac looked at Elijah like he had just been ordered to swallow a claymore. 
Hannah stole a few glances at Elijah, looking somewhere between curious and
concerned.  Even Paul couldn’t help making eye contact.

Elijah had just been asked—no, told—to work with Thomas, the
creepy kid no one wanted to cross paths with.  Elijah had almost forgotten
about him over the weeks with everything that had been going on with his
friends and work and Mrs. Roddick and Olivia being gone, but suddenly the
long-haired boy with the stare of death was all he could think about.  He felt
like the class was put in slow motion so each and every student could turn to
take their last looks at Elijah—the boy who was mysteriously killed by his geography
partner.

Constantine wrung his hands and made his usual friendly grin
through his mustache.  “Now that you all have your partners, I’ll expect a full
report and presentations in exactly one week on your findings.  Please submit
your city choice to me by the end of the period.  I will not hold class on
Friday in order to give you time to meet together.  Are there any questions?”

Elijah wanted to ask if he could change partners, but he
figured no one would trade anyway.

The whole class began to get up and push their chairs in
with their partner.  Elijah sat motionless.  Maybe Thomas wouldn’t be able to
see him if he stayed perfectly still and didn’t look directly at him.

Suddenly, an eerie presence appeared next to him.  Elijah
knew what cold, expressionless gaze awaited him if he looked up, so he just stared
ahead of him and said, “Do you want to sit down?”

Thomas pulled up a chair and slid it next to Elijah’s.  He
opened his notebook to a blank page and titled the top of the page.

Elijah finally threw caution to the wind and looked up.  It
was like looking into the eyes of a cobra at the zoo.  It’s intelligent.  It
wants to kill you.  But it can’t.  Thank goodness Master Constantine was still
in the room.  Elijah wondered if he was available on Friday to be a liaison.

“I suppose we should pick a city,” Elijah finally suggested.

Thomas said nothing.

“Do you have any in mind?”

“Valcore,” Thomas said abruptly.

Elijah almost fell out of his seat.  Not only did he hear
Thomas speak for the very first time, he actually had an opinion.  And by the
tone in his voice, it was a strong opinion.  Thomas’s voice also surprised
Elijah.  It was very low and rich, like a low brass instrument. 

Elijah looked at the list of cities on the board.  Valcore
wasn’t there.  “I don’t think we can pick Valcore,” Elijah said delicately. 
“It’s not on the board.”

Thomas immediately got up, and Elijah flinched.  Thomas
turned and walked up to Master Constantine.  Elijah studied him.  He talked to
Constantine in the same manner that he stared.  He hunched over with his long arms
hung at his sides.  His lips moved, and Elijah heard his rich voice, even over
the chatter of the class, but he made no hand gestures and his face was still
expressionless.

Elijah looked around and made eye contact with Paul, who
made a slashing motion with his finger across his neck.  Then he grinned just
slightly.  Elijah chuckled to himself, but then stopped immediately when Thomas
returned.

“We’re doing Valcore.  Constantine OK’d it.”

Elijah was confused.  “I’m fine to do whatever, but how are
we going to get any information on Valcore?  I thought no one knows where it
is.  What are we even going to present about it?”

“There’s enough.  See you Friday.”

Thomas packed up his things and left.  Elijah sighed in
relief.  He now wished he
would
have been paired with Paul.

Elijah dreaded Friday’s meeting the whole week.  He even
looked up as much information as he could on Valcore during his shifts in the
library so he and Thomas wouldn’t have to spend much time together.  The only
problem was, information on a secret prison hidden somewhere in the world that
only a handful of Magi know about was hard to get.  Elijah could only find
small entries and archives that talked about Valcore, and they mostly said
things that he knew:  that it was a secret prison made entirely of stone where
elemental control was impossible.  It was no use.  Elijah would have to meet
with Thomas.  Apparently, Valcore was interesting enough for Thomas to demand
they do their project on it—which was weird enough—so maybe he had all the
information.

When Friday’s class started, Elijah hesitated to go inside. 
He waited by the door and let a few students walk in before him.  He first
stuck his head in to see if Thomas was waiting for him, possibly with an axe or
sword.  He didn’t see him at first, so he walked all the way in.  No Thomas. 
Elijah exhaled and took a seat in the very middle and waited.

Before long, the class was full of students comparing notes
and talking about their cities.  The group next to him was in a very lively
discussion about Tyrus, an ancient city along the Mediterranean that used to be
the epicenter of Magi civilization.  They were arguing about whether or not it
was the first Magi city, which was apparently a theory proposed by many
scholars.  The group to his left talked about Westhaven, a current Magi city
hidden just outside of London.  Elijah remembered Hannah talking about her
visit to Westhaven the first week of school.  He wondered if she would have had
something to add.

Elijah twiddled his thumbs and read a few lines from the
books that were on his desk until he began to wonder if Thomas was going to
show.  He couldn’t wait to take off during the last class, and now that he
thought about it, Elijah couldn’t remember hearing Thomas mention a meeting
time or place.  He just said, “See you Friday.”  Was he planning on coming? 
Did he even care to meet with Elijah?  Did Elijah miss something about their
meeting place?

One by one, the students who met in the classroom left to do
research.  The class began to thin out, and soon, Elijah found himself
practically alone.  Apparently, Thomas had other plans than to meet with Elijah
that day.  He knew he should just call it a day and take the bad grade, but
Elijah’s curiosity began to pulse.  What was Thomas doing?

Elijah walked back up the stairs to toward the Novice Hall. 
The entire place was empty in the middle of the day.  Then, Elijah began to
feel an odd sensation.  His neck prickled and his body warmed to an
uncomfortable temperature.  His palms began to sweat and his heart rate
quickened.  He walked slowly down the Preliminary Hall, each step feeling his
senses sharpen.  Every door was closed, but he felt the presence of something
that wasn’t right.  It wasn’t the same feeling he had when the Maliphists broke
into the barracks last year or when his parents were murdered, but it felt
strange.  Misplaced.  Uncomfortable.

He slowly opened up the door to the Novice Hall, and just as
he opened it, he saw a boy with very curly hair jogging toward him, holding a
book.  Elijah recognized him from Preliminary Orientation.  It was Toby, a boy
from his group.  He looked awkward and goofy as he approached.

“Hey, Elijah,” Toby said with a crooked grin.  “I’m so
busted.  Forgot my book…again.”

Elijah laughed.

“What are
you
doing back here?” Toby asked.

“I’m actually looking for someone,” Elijah said.  “I was
supposed to meet this kid named Thomas in my year.  He’s the kid with long,
black hair.  Have you seen him around?”

“You’re
looking
for him?” Toby asked.  “I’ve been
doing everything I can to
avoid
him!  Here, walk with me.  I gotta get
back.”

“Sorry.  I’m still on my suicide mission to find my study
partner.  Good luck, Toby.  Or should I say Meathead.”

“Hey, you remembered!”  Toby snapped and pointed at Elijah. 
“See ya around!”

Toby dashed around the corner toward his classroom.

Elijah chuckled to himself.  Maybe he should be trying to
make friends with kids like Toby.  Even though he was a year younger, he was
much more fun than some of the kids his age.  Especially those who ignored him.

Elijah searched the Novice Hall.  He knocked on a few doors
including Thomas’s.  It was no use.  The place was completely deserted.

As he turned the corner from the Preliminary Hall into the
neutral area, Elijah suddenly heard a noise.  He looked around but didn’t see
anything.  The hairs on his neck returned to their rigid position.  It sounded
like sandpaper rubbing on concrete.  He looked back at the Preliminary Hall,
but it still looked empty.  He peered down the girls’ hall as far as he could
see, but he didn’t see anything.  The sound intensified.

Elijah closed his eyes.  He listened carefully.  After a few
minutes, he realized the sound was directly above him.  He looked up.  Someone
was in the attic above the trap door at the back of the neutral area.  Button
was clear that area was forbidden, but someone was definitely there.  He
wondered if he should investigate inside.  No one was around anyway.  He could
definitely get away with it, but then again, something was up there.  Could it
be Mr. Button?  If it was, sneaking up there to look around was a horrible
idea.  Then again, why would Button be up there in the middle of the day in the
first place?

The moment he decided to have a look, the small door of the
attic chamber swung open, bouncing loudly against the back wall.  Then, inch by
inch, the feet, then legs, then torso, and then the long, black hair of Thomas
came down the ladder until he stood face to face with Elijah.

Elijah went pale, which matched Thomas’s complexion nicely. 
He couldn’t make a sound.  He just stood still, looking into the eyes of a king
cobra as it readied itself to strike.

Thomas stared coolly.  Then, he reached into his bag, pulled
out a folder and handed it to Elijah.

“It’s done.”

Elijah blinked.  Then he blinked again.  He opened the
folder and saw dozens of papers with notes and comments.  At the top of the
page was the word “VALCORE”.

“Oh.”  Elijah cleared his throat.  He was shaking.  His
first urge was to laugh out of sheer nervousness, but he suppressed it.  “Thank
you.  I have a few things I found, but this looks much more thorough.  How did
you even find this?”

“I brought books from home,” Thomas said.

It took Elijah a minute to realize that “home” might be
referring to Malpetra.  It made sense.  Thomas was obviously intrigued by
Valcore, and one reason may be that it held many Maliphists.  It wouldn’t be a
stretch to think that Thomas may have known of some who were actually in
there.  Elijah shuddered at the thought.

“So what do you want me to do?” Elijah asked.

“Nothing.  I can handle the presentation.”

Then, Thomas walked away slowly without another word.

Elijah looked back at the chamber door.  What was Thomas
doing in there?  He wanted to check it out immediately, but he didn’t think
that his quaking legs would hold him on the flat surface he stood on now, let
alone a twenty-foot ladder.

Elijah’s presentation was unlike anything he ever imagined. 
He only stood at the front of the classroom, looking wide-eyed.  The rest of
the class looked just as shocked as Elijah when Thomas, the boy who never spoke
a word unless forced to, gave a rather intriguing presentation about a city no
student in the room knew anything about.  He talked through the various
theories presented by Magi scholars about possible locations.  He gave short
biographies of notable inmates, both current and past.  He even talked about
some of the science pertaining to why it was impossible to use the elements
inside of Valcore, and how it may be built to provide maximum protection.  It
was, by far, the most interesting presentation given, which was just as shocking
as the information itself.