The Secret of Spellshadow Manor 5 by Bella Forrest (best biographies to read TXT) 📗

his point, he removed several small books from various hiding spots all over his body. It was mesmerizing to watch, like seeing clowns emerge from a tiny car.

“Very impressive, my king,” Hadrian murmured, wringing his hands furiously.

“You can’t just read from your own writers, either. No—how can one get a good grasp of the world if they hear only a portion of its voices?” Julius continued, evidently not caring about his audience’s clear disinterest. “I read mage books, non-magical books… I’ve even been known to dabble in a Spellbreaker book or two, in my time, though they’re not easy to come by. I’d say I have the finest collection of literature on the planet, and that is no exaggeration, wouldn’t you say, darling?” He placed his hand at the back of Venus’s neck, as if to caress it, or snap it like a twig.

“Your collection is the finest of them all,” Venus said softly.

“You!” Julius barked, his gaze settling firmly on Alex. “Do you read much?”

Alex gulped. “Not as much as I’d like to, Your Royal Highness.”

“You must always make time for books—what are you teaching these wastrels?” Julius scoffed, flashing a withering look in Hadrian’s direction.

“They aren’t s-students, Uncle. This is Thomas and Leon, two of our non-magical staff,” Hadrian lied. “The students have a m-much richer education, with far better access to the literature of which you s-speak.”

“You look familiar,” Julius murmured, stepping closer to Alex. It seemed the king had no concept of personal space, as he got right up in Alex’s face, scrutinizing him closely. “Have we met before?”

Alex shook his head. “No, Your Royal Highness. I don’t get out much.”

The king burst into a bout of alarming laughter. “I like this one! Perhaps you just have one of those faces?”

“Perhaps, Your Royal Highness.” Alex forced a smile onto his face, though his heart was thundering and his palms were clammy.

“Could be, though it’s rare that I forget a face, isn’t it, darling?” He turned his attention back to his wife for a moment.

She looked up, smiling falsely. “It is, though I think you’re mistaken with this boy. Do leave him alone, dear. Can’t you see you’re frightening the life out of him?”

Julius flared his nostrils, an angry glint appearing in his eyes. “Did you say something, darling?”

“Come back over here to me—your coffee is getting cold,” she replied, her voice sickly sweet. It was clear Julius had heard what she had said, but the power play between them was an interesting one. Alex hadn’t expected to hear such boldness from her, and yet she had spoken without fear. After so long suffering under the cruelty of her husband, Alex supposed she didn’t feel scared anymore. There was no point.

“Yes, I suppose we should be returning to business anyway,” Julius remarked, moving over to the low table again. He sat down beside his wife, pulling her to him in a tense embrace. She wrapped her slender arms about his neck, evidently adept at calming him.

“Business?” Hadrian spoke, biting nervously into a dumpling.

“I can honestly say, I never thought I’d see the day when I could commend the offspring of my brother, but you have truly surprised me,” Julius said. “To see such ingenuity from the leader of a haven is utterly refreshing. The others, they coast along, doing the bare minimum, but you—you call me here to discuss how we might work together to increase our yield of essence. Now that is the kind of initiative I want to see.”

Alex watched as Hadrian steeled himself. “Yes, Uncle, I thought it would be good for us to talk, and for us to perhaps begin something of a partnership. I have so few ideas; thus, any assistance is much appreciated, especially from your f-fine mind.”

Julius smiled, the expression lacking warmth. “A partnership, you say?”

“Yes, though perhaps partnership is the wrong word—it’d just be me putting your ideas into action,” Hadrian replied, keeping his stutter at bay. It was ill-advised to show weakness in front of a man like Julius, and it was clear that Hadrian was doing his best impression of a brave face.

Julius straightened the high collar of his suit jacket. “Well then, it looks like we have a little something to celebrate!”

With that announcement, the king picked up a narrow glass chalice, and Alex saw his opportunity.

Chapter 21

Julius raised his glass upward. Hadrian picked up his, as did Venus. Grabbing a bottle of some kind of sparkling drink from the sideboard, Alex moved toward the table, eager to get closer to the king, and the glass in his hand. Aamir reached out to grasp the edge of Alex’s shirt, evidently trying to stop him, but Alex weaved out of the way. This was a prime opportunity, and he wasn’t about to miss it.

“To new beginnings, and a replenishment of our great nation’s essence!” Julius toasted.

The others around the low table chorused the sentiment, and Hadrian even managed to look almost pleased with the words tumbling out of his mouth. Alex had to give the man props; he was putting on a very good show. It didn’t look like the king suspected anything was amiss, though Alex’s eyes were drawn to Venus, who seemed remarkably more curious about the whole thing than her husband. From time to time, she would glance around, clearly absorbing her surroundings. Where Julius was outwardly vocal about his intellect, and undoubtedly had the evidence to back it up, Venus was quiet and stealthy with hers, though Alex could sense there was a deep pool of it within her, ever-ticking behind her serene silver eyes. More potent even, perhaps, than her husband’s.

It was Venus who looked at Alex oddly as he stood close to Julius. There was a warning in her eyes, but Alex thought he might be imagining things. She couldn’t possibly know what it was he planned to do, could she? He’d never even seen her before; she couldn’t know what he was. Still, it threw him for a