Keynan Masters and the Peerless Magic Crew by DaVaun Sanders

Author:DaVaun Sanders
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Published: 2023-08-16T20:01:40+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

LIGHT TO SHINE

From then on, we avoid anything that hints at the slightest trouble. I keep things simple. Teeth scrubbed. Showered. Shea-buttered up. Dressed and downstairs with the sun. Wherever my tablet says to go next, I’m there early. Whatever homework I’m assigned is turned in before dinner. I’m the first one in class, for every class. I don’t cost Wiley Squad any points. I don’t even raise a fuss when Professor Okoro pairs me with Dez for our physics project, making light bulbs shine with water somehow.

During the day, me and Leah and Amari are model students. But at night? We replay Yolanda’s video in the study lounge, arguing about what it means and what to do next. Magic is busted. We’ve seen that ourselves. So how is it really supposed to work? Headmaster Kinder and the professors are hiding more stuff from us—big surprise!—but whatever made Yo so upset feels way worse. We all know that we need answers, but we can’t agree on how to get them.

One good thing happens after a week of going in circles, at least. Ian comes back! I’m so relieved to see him I can’t help but crush him in a hug. He’s still about his snacks, but he’s different somehow. When I bring up what he said that night, about magic, he just shrugs.

“A nightmare was probably just my brain’s way of spicing this place up.” He yawns.

“But you saw it, out on the field,” I press. “You called it a—”

“Storm, Keynan.” A sudden tightness to his face is there and gone. “We get them everywhere else. Why not here?” He goes back to playing Mirror Maze Castle on his tablet. “Ugh, this game!”

“Still on the first level? I thought you were going to beat it in a day!”

“I never said that.” He gives me a puzzled look. “Anyway. Speaking of nightmares, how’s it going with Dez?”

“Maybe okay, actually,” I say, remembering Dez’s offer to snag those extra cinnamon rolls with us. Ian arches an eyebrow at me, and I add, “Well, kinda.”

“You could just invite him to eat with us,” he points out. “It worked with Leah.”

I shrug and he goes back to Mirror Maze, keeping to himself for the rest of the night. As the week goes on, I feel like I barely see him. He’s so different. I really miss the old Ian. He should be planning a new Hall Hop, or another new scheme. I can’t make myself ask him about magic again. Not after what happened to Joey. And definitely not after what we found in the closed wing.

The worst part about magic? Now that I know it exists, I realize it sneaks in everywhere. Waits for me around every corner. Every day I’m doubting what’s real and what’s not. One morning in the bathroom, my own reflection winked at me while I was brushing my teeth. I spluttered so hard I had to change my shirt! There’s no pretending like magic isn’t there.

On Wednesday night, Ian’s already snoring by the time I’m back from dinner.

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