Such Wicked Intent by Kenneth Oppel

Author:Kenneth Oppel
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published: 2012-08-22T03:56:52+00:00

CHAPTER 11

A DOOR OPENS

I’D MEANT TO WAIT TILL AFTER MIDNIGHT BEFORE MAKING MY entrance to the spirit world, and must have fallen asleep while reading on my bed. I woke with a start. The candle had all but burned down. Quickly I stood, walked to my shelves, and opened my chess set. Nestled beside the queen was the key to the bottom drawer of my desk. As I crossed the room, I faltered. Lingering in the air, like the memory of some spectral perfume, was the sense that someone, not long ago, had just been here.

Uneasily I opened the drawer, and stared in panic. The spirit clock and the green flask of elixir were both gone. Had we been discovered? Had Father stolen into my room and seized these things?

I took several deep breaths. No. Not Father.

Silently I crept out into the hallway and made my way to Elizabeth’s bedchamber. What right did she have to confiscate my elixir, to try to control my actions? Inside my head angry words tumbled one over the other. Her door was locked, but I’d anticipated this and took from my pocket a slender two-pronged device I’d mastered at the age of twelve. In four seconds the door was open and I walked inside, my angry speech already rehearsed.

She was lying fully dressed on her bed. Her eyes were shut, each of her hands holding something. In her right I caught sight of the outlines of the spirit clock.

She was inside!

After all her talk of never going in again, she’d gone inside—and without me!

On her night table was the green flask. Hurriedly I drew out the dropper and let it drip once upon my tongue. I replaced it and sat down in an armchair. I pulled off my family ring to grasp in my hand. I had only a few seconds to wait before—

* * *

—I open my eyes in Elizabeth’s empty bedchamber. At once I see a colorful butterfly launch itself from my body, and with a grunt of dismay I realize that this is the spirit, my spirit, that has been upon me all day, giving me such strength and mental agility. I stand and follow it out into the hallway, lifting my hand, but it flutters high out of reach.

“Come back,” I whisper, feeling a flicker of panic within me.

But almost at once it crosses paths with a black butterfly that spirals gracefully down toward me, its musical wings softly thrumming as it lands upon me. At once I feel the familiar pulse of energy and calm.

I hear voices, and pad silently down the hallway to Konrad’s bedchamber. The door is ajar, and I peer inside. Konrad and Elizabeth are sitting as close together as they possibly can, talking tenderly. My brother has his head lowered to avoid her glare, and he certainly hasn’t noticed mine. I open the door and stride in.

“You hypocrite!” I say to Elizabeth.

They both turn in alarm, Elizabeth with her hand to her chest.

“Victor! I thought you were fast asleep.

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