Cave of Nightmares Read online

  His face was turning a splotchy red color. “I am one of the most brilliant minds of the age in my area of expertise, tasked with honing the intellect of the next generation. And what is my reward for years of effort and skill? Watching you bumble through the simplest of grinds like an ape with a hammer.” He looked disgusted. “So no, Frost, you are not the only one who is frustrated right now.”

  Hayden was so angry and embarrassed that he could see patches of light swimming before his eyes, his head throbbing with pulses of rage. His classmates were openly staring at the exchange, and a few of them were laughing into their hands to muffle the noise.

  With the greatest effort it had ever cost him, Hayden turned away from the Powders Master and resumed working on his compound, trying to salvage what he could of the mess before the end of class.

  The contents of his mixing bowl had turned even lumpier during the time it took Sark to rant at him, and Hayden picked up the mortar and dumped its contents into the simmering cauldron of water on his desk just as Master Sark’s eyes widened in horror and he shouted, “NO—!”

  It was too late.

  Thick, acrid green smoke poured out of the cauldron amidst the noise of cracking and popping, and sparks of light shot up into the air. Hayden launched himself away from his workstation out of sheer reflex, landing hard on the floor and nearly getting trampled by his classmates, who were attempting to run from the room.

  He saw two of them run through the green smoke and collapse immediately, their bodies unmoving after they hit the floor, eyes glassy and staring.

  “GET OUT!” Master Sark shouted at the remainder of the class, and there was a mad scrum at the door as people struggled to get through the bottleneck before they were poisoned. Hayden scuttled backwards on his hands and knees, horrified by the lifeless bodies of his fallen classmates.

  Please don’t let them be dead, please don’t let them be dead…

  Sark was pulling on a complicated respirator that covered his entire head, strapping the air tanks across his back and checking the seals before he went into the expanding green cloud to retrieve the two students who were immersed in it.

  Hayden was the last of his schoolmates out the door, hurrying down the hallway after the line of others who were running and shouting, not knowing where they were going but following anyway.

  He was just jogging past the Elixirs room when Master Kilgore stuck his head out and said, “Frost, what the devil is going on out there?”

  Hayden stopped running, sensing that he was far enough from the Powders room to avoid imminent danger.

  “I—there was an accident in Powders, and we had to evacuate.” He was winded, his heart racing from fear. “Master Sark stayed behind to pull the others out, because they collapsed when the green cloud hit them…”

  “Green cloud?” Kilgore’s eyes widened alarmingly. “Surely not Terrafan gas?”

  “I don’t know, sir, he just shouted at us all to run…”

  Master Kilgore muttered a curse word that Hayden had never heard a teacher say before and hurried off in the direction of the Powders room, abandoning his class in the middle of their lesson.

  Less than a minute later a loud siren went off, startling Hayden and forcing him to cover his ears from the shrill noise. People seemed to explode out of the nearby classrooms, sprinting towards the main exits like the building was on fire and jostling Hayden in all directions as they passed.

  Master Kilgore came running back up the hall, carrying one of the unconscious students over his shoulders. Master Sark was right on his heels, still wearing his respirator and carrying the other student with visible effort.

  “GO OUT THE FRONT!” Kilgore’s shouting was somehow audible even over the sounds of screaming and the wailing sirens, and people hurried to obey, turning away from the hallways leading to the side and rear exits.

  Hayden was swept into the crowd just head of them, his head pounding as he struggled to get to the main courtyard where it looked like half the school was gathering, fanning out across the lawns and into the obstacle course areas.

  It didn’t help that animals were running, jumping, or flying past him in droves as they fled the castle, and Hayden felt a pang of fear as he searched for Bonk in the crowd. He’d left the dragon in his dorm after lunch, and there were no windows…

  It’s on the sixth floor. Whatever that gas was shouldn’t be able to get that high…

  Master Willow was already out front, barking at everyone to stay well away from the castle and to remain calm. When he saw Masters Sark and Kilgore running along just behind Hayden he hurried over to them.

  “Lay them down here,” he helped pull the unconscious (Hayden hoped they were only unconscious) students down from his colleagues’ shoulders and laid them out on the grass. Master Sark pulled off his respirator and dropped the air tanks to the ground, his face red and sweating from exertion.

  Mistress Razelle appeared (quite literally) out of thin air, wearing the metallic green robes of the minor arcana. She had one hand clenched around the Mastery Charm at her throat, but she released it and hurried over to help, removing tiny bottles of different-colored liquids from her robes, none of which Hayden recognized by sight.

  Master Kilgore knelt down beside her and pulled out some phials of his own, and they began pouring liquids into the students’ open mouths, even dripping it in their eyes and ears.

  Sark, who had been distracted up until now, unfortunately leveled his gaze at Hayden during that moment. The Powders Master looked so angry that Hayden thought he was going to explode as he stomped towards him.

  “You useless…stupid…worthless pile of—”

  He grabbed Hayden by the shoulders and shook him so hard his neck hurt. His head, which was already pounding painfully, was now agonizing.

  Hayden heard himself cry out as he struggled to get away, but Sark was stronger and didn’t seem too keen on releasing him.

  He’s going to kill me…he’s actually going to shake me to death….

  Somehow the Powder Master’s hands ended up around his throat, his face purple with rage as he continued to curse Hayden with half-formed words and sentences. Just before Hayden thought he was going to pass out the pressure around his neck vanished, and he staggered and blinked to focus his eyes, which were watering.

  Master Willow, through some feat of strength Hayden had never suspected him capable of, was holding Sark’s arms and trying to make him see reason.

  “Kirius, calm down!” he barked, and it took Hayden a moment to realize that Kirius was Master Sark’s first name.

  “I want him out of here!” the latter yelled, no longer struggling but glaring daggers at Hayden. “How many people does he have to try to kill to prove that he’s not worthy of learning magic?! Must we wait until he’s as powerful as his father?!”

  Hayden realized his cheeks were wet with tears, though he didn’t remember crying. His voice shook as he tried to explain himself.

  “I wasn’t t-trying to h-hurt anyone!” he insisted, his teeth chattering. “I was just trying to do my P-Powders assignment when that g-green gas started.”

  He had the unpleasant feeling that half the school was watching this horrible scene right now, but he didn’t dare turn around and confirm his fears.

  “He dumped forty-ounces of unmixed catalyzed base into a cauldron of hot water!” Sark snapped furiously, though he no longer had to be restrained by Master Willow and seemed to be regaining control of himself.

  The Master of Wands winced.

  “Terrafan gas?” He grimaced when Sark nodded. “No wonder you triggered the evacuation alarm.”

  Hayden still didn’t fully understand what Terrafan gas was or did, but knew that it must be pretty bad if it warranted a full evacuation of the castle.

  “Come, Kirius, we must find the others and make the school safe. Any punishment for Hayden will have to wait.” Master Willow motioned him away, and reluctantly, Sark went.

  If Hayden had ever been m
ore terrified he couldn’t remember when. He would rather be tossed into a lake full of hydras with nothing to defend himself than face the Masters when they’d all learned of what he’d done. Zane found him eventually in the chaos around the school, and he and Conner tried to assure him that they wouldn’t expel him even for loosing a cloud of poison in the school, and that people had surely screwed up even worse than him since the founding of Mizzenwald.

  They were stuck sitting on the lawns for over two hours before the school was declared safe and everyone was permitted back inside. Hayden wanted to run up to his dormitory and make sure that Bonk was still alive, because he hadn’t seen his familiar since lunch, but as soon as he cleared the main entrance, Ella, the girl who had helped him on his first day of school, said he was to report to the Masters in classroom three immediately.

  Trying to mentally prepare himself for the worst, he walked silently behind her to be taken to his doom. Despite the fact that he had dreaded coming here three months ago, he now felt like Mizzenwald was his home, the only place where he had friends and a purpose. He didn’t want to imagine where he’d end up if he was sent away from here; back at the orphanage in Merina, most likely.

  Or prison.

  The Masters were waiting for him in an unused classroom, and Hayden gasped when he saw the metallic green robes of the minor arcana as well. All ten Masters and Mistresses were apparently going to participate in this, even the ones he had never met before, and Hayden’s heart sank as dread settled in.

  They wouldn’t assemble all ten of them unless they were going to expel me or arrest me.

  The thought of exchanging his Focus-correctors for lead Binders was enough to stop him in his tracks. He wasn’t sure he had the strength to walk to the center of the room without passing out, or worse, crying.

  The Masters weren’t giving anything away in their expressions, not even Asher. Hayden forced himself to put one foot in front of the other until he was standing before them all, trying to look brave and telling himself that no matter what happened, he wouldn’t show weakness and be remembered as the boy they had to drag out screaming.

  Master Willow spoke to him first.

  “I believe you know why you’re here.” He waited for Hayden to nod in confirmation before continuing. “It is common knowledge by now that you have struggled in Powders this entire term, and today two of your classmates very nearly died as a result.”

  Hayden swallowed with difficulty.

  “Are they going to be alright?” he asked quietly.

  Mistress Razelle answered him. “They will make full recoveries, yes. Elias and I were able to begin treating them in time.” She nodded to Master Kilgore.

  “Oh…that’s good,” Hayden mumbled, feeling awkward. At least no one was going to die for his stupidity in Powders.

  “Yes, it was very fortunate that no one was permanently damaged from the events of today,” Master Willow continued calmly. “Though it brings to light the recurring problems you seem to have in Powders class, and the myriad of dangers it poses to others.”

  Master Sark frowned.

  “I still say he should be expelled.”

  Willow glanced sideways at him. “That is what we are here to decide,” he said gently, turning back to Hayden. “We have heard Master Sark’s account regarding what happened today. Now you have the opportunity to explain things from your perspective.”

  Knowing that his entire life was riding on the next few minutes, Hayden took a deep breath for courage before answering. He started by explaining the assignment for the day, opening his book bag and showing them the notes he copied down to prove that he was paying attention in class. He tried to make them understand that no matter what he tried he never seemed able to grind things properly, and that today was no different, how Master Sark always embarrassed him in front of the class…

  “And what sorts of things does Master Sark say to you during class?” Asher interrupted him here. His features were carefully schooled into neutrality, but there was something dangerous about the way he looked right now.

  “He says I’m useless and stupid. Sometimes he tells me my mixtures are a sin against humanity, and everyone else laughs at me,” he frowned, his ears burning just thinking about it. Some of the other Masters mirrored his expression, and Mistress Razelle looked down the table at her colleague.

  “You ridicule him in front of his peers?” She didn’t sound happy about it at all.

  Sark scowled unpleasantly.

  “He’s exaggerating; you should know that by now.”

  “Easy enough to corroborate,” Master Asher interjected softly. “Let’s fetch some of Hayden’s classmates and ask them.”

  Hayden didn’t like being called a liar, especially when he was telling the truth.

  “I’m not exaggerating anything,” he avoided meeting Sark’s eyes when he spoke, afraid that he’d lose his nerve if he did. “Today he said that he was the Regional Champion of Powders for the last four years, and had seventeen papers published and eight students doing research for him. He said he was one of the brightest minds of the century and that he was stuck teaching me. He said I was like an ape with a hammer.”

  Master Sark looked extremely flustered, and several of the others shot him disapproving glances.

  “May I suggest, Kirius, that if you’re too brilliant to teach, we’d be more than happy to replace you with someone who isn’t?” Master Asher suggested sweetly, though it couldn’t have been plainer that he was furious.

  “Enough,” Willow held up a hand to prevent Sark from responding. “Continue, Hayden.”

  Hayden explained how he was angry but trying not to get into trouble for talking back, so he had continued with his mixture according to his instructions and transferred it to the cauldron.

  “You did not understand the effects of adding those unmixed ingredients to a pot of boiling water?” Master Kilgore spoke now.

  “No sir,” Hayden frowned, preparing himself for the words he was dreading: you’re expelled.

  “The boy is a menace and should be sent away before he can bring disgrace to the name of Mizzenwald.”

  “If his father couldn’t manage that, I don’t see how the boy could,” one of the Masters of the minor arcana that Hayden didn’t know mumbled to his neighbor.

  “Perhaps we should be asking why Master Sark, brilliant man that he is, didn’t think to inform his students of the potentially-hazardous effects of their assignment today.” Asher leaned back in his chair, legs propped against the table in front of him as though he didn’t have a care in the world.

  Sark looked like he wanted to get up and strangle the Prism Master with his bare hands, but he remained seated as an unpleasant silence fell.

  Finally, Master Willow spoke.

  “Both of you make valid points,” he sighed. “I believe, given the testimony of all parties, that it would not be proper for us to expel Hayden for his actions today.”

  Hayden let out a breath he wasn’t aware of holding, the world spinning a little as relief washed over him.

  “I will not let that boy back into my classroom,” Master Sark insisted angrily.

  “I second that motion,” Kilgore held up a couple fingers. “I vote to remove him from Powders entirely.”

  The other Masters voiced their agreement unanimously, and Hayden was officially dropped from Powders for good, just like that. It was the best news he had ever gotten, and even meant that he could transfer into Zane’s level-two Healing class after all.

  “Good, now that that’s been settled…does anyone else have anything to add before we adjourn?” Master Willow scanned the length of the table, meeting each of their gazes in turn. There was some low grumbling from one or two of them, but no one had anything else to say to the group and they were dismissed.

  Hayden was the first one out of the room and had barely rounded the corner before he took off running, desperate to get back to the safety of his room before anyone could call him back. All he wan
ted to do right now was find Bonk, get some headache medicine, and lie down in bed until he stopped shaking.

  He blew past a few groups of his peers, nearly knocking Lorn over in his haste to get upstairs. He heard the other boy calling him rude names but didn’t even slow down to acknowledge them, his legs burning by the time he got up all six flights.

  He flew down the hallway, past the common area—which was full of the sounds of people talking and working on homework—and towards his room. He wrenched the door open and stepped inside, shutting it loudly behind him and exhaling in relief at finally being able to escape the rest of the world for a few minutes.

  To his surprise, not only were Conner and Zane both in the room but so was Tess, looking startled by the sight of him. She was holding a thick book open, and it looked like Zane was reading something over her shoulder, but she dropped it at the sight of him and the book snapped shut when it hit the floor.

  “Hayden!” Zane leapt up from his desk chair, looking aghast. “Are you alright? Did they expel you?”

  “No, it’s okay,” Hayden gasped in relief. “They just banned me from taking Powders ever again, which was actually the best thing that could have possibly happened.” He was almost giddy with happiness at the thought of never returning to Master Sark’s classroom again.

  “Really?!” Conner looked impressed. “You must be the first person ever to get dropped from a class before the first year was over. Usually they force you to stick it out so you have at least a basic knowledge in the subject before they’ll let you give up.”

  Hayden shrugged. “Apparently I’m a menace.”

  Speaking of menaces… he looked around the room. “Where’s Bonk?”

  The dragon must have recognized his name, because he popped his head up from under the covers on Hayden’s bed, his pointy little ears perked up with interest. Hayden immediately relaxed.