a few moments before fading again. When she moved forward a few steps and turned, she saw a matching blue spot visible to someone coming the other way.
Curious, she checked the cross tunnel and found golden glows in the same relative locations. She touched them to brief life. Guessing that the colors marked the way, she continued down the blue-coded passage.
The next cross passage was marked with pale green. Would people without magic be able to see the patches of color? She suspected not. They would get lost, which was probably why the tunnels had been excavated in such a confusing way. Tory had always had a good sense of direction, and she thought she was under the boys’ school. But she could easily be wrong. How far did these blasted tunnels go?
She heard a faint noise ahead. As she continued along, it became a murmur of voices. The soft, whispery sounds made the hair on her neck prickle.
She bit her lip, suddenly nervous. Though she’d assumed anyone down here would be from the school, what if smugglers had found the tunnels? They often used sea caves to hide brandy and silk and other goods brought illegally from France. They would love nice tunnels like these, and they didn’t treat strangers kindly.
She closed her eyes and used magical perception to explore those murmuring sounds. A great roar of magic rolled over her. Magelings ahead, not smugglers.
Taking off her shoes, she moved ahead soundlessly. After a last turn, the passage ended abruptly in a large room with higher ceilings. About two dozen young people sat in two irregular circles, with more boys than girls.
“Look!” a male voice said.
As Tory caught her breath, several people rose and came toward her. The nearest was a flaxen-haired girl.
“I wondered how long it would take for you to find us,” Elspeth said with a slow smile.
CHAPTER 12
“What is this place?” Tory asked, relieved to see a familiar face. “Did you expect me to come here?”
“We certainly did.” A grinning Jack Rainford loomed behind Elspeth. “I knew as soon as we met that you weren’t one of the sheep, Vicky.”
“It’s Tory,” she retorted. “What are you doing here?”
“Back to your class, Jack. There will be time to talk later.” The speaker was Mr. Stephens, the magic-control teacher from the boys’ school. With him was Miss Wheaton. Teachers were part of these mysterious goings-on!
Miss Wheaton made a shooing motion with her hand at Jack and Mr. Stephens. “Both of you go. Elspeth and I will explain the Labyrinth to Miss Mansfield.”
Smiling, both males returned to their groups while Tory studied her surroundings. “This place is called the Labyrinth? It’s well named.”
The hall was furnished like a spacious but shabby drawing room, with clusters of furniture and a lecturer’s dais facing a group of chairs. Magical lamps made the center of the room as bright as day. Even the most dazzling of candlelit ballrooms was dark compared to this glorified cave.
Miss Wheaton led Tory and Elspeth to a distant group of worn wing chairs. The teacher took a seat, gesturing for the girls to do the same. “Students who seem seriously interested in magic are provided with enough clues to come looking for the Labyrinth. It didn’t take you long at all.”
“Jack Rainford told me that mysterious things might be happening under the abbey.” Since this corner of the room was dark, Tory mentally told the ball of light she still held to brighten until she could see the faces of her companions.
Miss Wheaton asked, “Do your abilities seem stronger down here?”
Tory rubbed the sore spot on her head where she’d hit the ceiling. “They certainly are!” Wanting to free her other hand, she directed the light to hover above them. The globe floated up and stayed. “These lights are wonderful!”
“Mage lamps,” Elspeth said. “Not everyone can create them, so light globes are left at each of the entrances to the Labyrinth. You’re doing well
Curious, she checked the cross tunnel and found golden glows in the same relative locations. She touched them to brief life. Guessing that the colors marked the way, she continued down the blue-coded passage.
The next cross passage was marked with pale green. Would people without magic be able to see the patches of color? She suspected not. They would get lost, which was probably why the tunnels had been excavated in such a confusing way. Tory had always had a good sense of direction, and she thought she was under the boys’ school. But she could easily be wrong. How far did these blasted tunnels go?
She heard a faint noise ahead. As she continued along, it became a murmur of voices. The soft, whispery sounds made the hair on her neck prickle.
She bit her lip, suddenly nervous. Though she’d assumed anyone down here would be from the school, what if smugglers had found the tunnels? They often used sea caves to hide brandy and silk and other goods brought illegally from France. They would love nice tunnels like these, and they didn’t treat strangers kindly.
She closed her eyes and used magical perception to explore those murmuring sounds. A great roar of magic rolled over her. Magelings ahead, not smugglers.
Taking off her shoes, she moved ahead soundlessly. After a last turn, the passage ended abruptly in a large room with higher ceilings. About two dozen young people sat in two irregular circles, with more boys than girls.
“Look!” a male voice said.
As Tory caught her breath, several people rose and came toward her. The nearest was a flaxen-haired girl.
“I wondered how long it would take for you to find us,” Elspeth said with a slow smile.
CHAPTER 12
“What is this place?” Tory asked, relieved to see a familiar face. “Did you expect me to come here?”
“We certainly did.” A grinning Jack Rainford loomed behind Elspeth. “I knew as soon as we met that you weren’t one of the sheep, Vicky.”
“It’s Tory,” she retorted. “What are you doing here?”
“Back to your class, Jack. There will be time to talk later.” The speaker was Mr. Stephens, the magic-control teacher from the boys’ school. With him was Miss Wheaton. Teachers were part of these mysterious goings-on!
Miss Wheaton made a shooing motion with her hand at Jack and Mr. Stephens. “Both of you go. Elspeth and I will explain the Labyrinth to Miss Mansfield.”
Smiling, both males returned to their groups while Tory studied her surroundings. “This place is called the Labyrinth? It’s well named.”
The hall was furnished like a spacious but shabby drawing room, with clusters of furniture and a lecturer’s dais facing a group of chairs. Magical lamps made the center of the room as bright as day. Even the most dazzling of candlelit ballrooms was dark compared to this glorified cave.
Miss Wheaton led Tory and Elspeth to a distant group of worn wing chairs. The teacher took a seat, gesturing for the girls to do the same. “Students who seem seriously interested in magic are provided with enough clues to come looking for the Labyrinth. It didn’t take you long at all.”
“Jack Rainford told me that mysterious things might be happening under the abbey.” Since this corner of the room was dark, Tory mentally told the ball of light she still held to brighten until she could see the faces of her companions.
Miss Wheaton asked, “Do your abilities seem stronger down here?”
Tory rubbed the sore spot on her head where she’d hit the ceiling. “They certainly are!” Wanting to free her other hand, she directed the light to hover above them. The globe floated up and stayed. “These lights are wonderful!”
“Mage lamps,” Elspeth said. “Not everyone can create them, so light globes are left at each of the entrances to the Labyrinth. You’re doing well
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