Zak Turner - A Twist In Time Read Free Page B

He wasn’t sure if the portal had closed before his spell hit it or not, but there was a blinding flash and thunderous crash as the spell made contact with something.  At least part of the Libra Mortis remained in the cellar, where it ricocheted off the portal, and hit the attacker himself, killing him instantly.
    His accomplice was entering the cellar at that moment, and the percussion from the blast alone would probably have killed him, but it brought down the cellar roof for good measure.  The man, Gelert, was crushed under half a ton of masonry as the Abbey itself finally put an end to the magical battle that had raged within it for less than ten minutes.
     
    * * *
    Sir Philip made it into the corridor leading to the council chamber and saw a trio of shadow-wizards heading his way.  He flattened his invisible body against the wall, and they disappeared past him into the concourse.  He carried on swiftly up the corridor, the sounds of the fight dying away behind him.
    He still didn’t feel safe though, and his senses were super sharp.  He knew that danger was still close-at-hand.
    Was the elected member waiting for him here, guessing that he would head in this direction?  Well, he’d create a few diversions to flush him out if that were the case!
    The baronet cast a Silencio charm on himself, and moved stealthily along the corridor to a point where he could just see the double doors into the council chamber.  He then cast a complex charm on the doors which both unlocked and opened them.
    Immediately, two Libra Mortis spells were fired at exactly the spot where he would have been standing had he opened the doors by hand.  He quickly cast two Finité Incantios at the source of both spells, just as the curses exploded against the council chamber doors, following them instantly with a couple of Firmus spells.  Two wizards became visible just as they dropped motionless to the ground. 
    The first was Lucius Anton, one of the elected members for Southern Ireland, and the second was Rafael Lindan, secretary to the council.  Their wands fell from their hands and lay next to them on the thickly carpeted corridor floor.
    The doors to the chamber remained open, and a few seconds later, the cautious and shielded form of Professor Orion Trell emerged slowly into the corridor.  He too cast Finité Incantios in both directions up and down the corridor, together with some Revelio charms of his own invention.
    For the second time Sir Philip’s Abscondo was lifted by someone else, this time revealing the armed and very serious looking baronet leaning against the wall staring meaningfully at the headmaster.
    “Lord Middleham,” said Professor Trell.  “Would you care to step into the council chamber and enlighten us as to what just happened?”
    “Yes Orion, I would.  First though, you need to confiscate those two wands and arrange to regress them, so that we can see what spells and curses they’ve just cast.”
    The headmaster raised an eyebrow at the baronet, and the corner of his mouth twitched up in sign of camaraderie.  He then glanced at the scorch marks on the doors, and said quietly, “I think we know what curses caused this Philip, and I assume they were intended for you?”
    “Yes, Orion, and it’s a good job that I’m a cautious man.  Between those two wands, in the last ten minutes, no less than five Libra Mortis have been cast either at me, or where they thought I was standing.”
    “Indeed?  I think therefore it would be prudent that we check to see if we have any more traitors within these walls, and act accordingly.”
    “My thoughts exactly, Orion, and I think those wands should stay in the council chamber until they’ve been regressed.  Their owners can stay in the corridor as far as I’m concerned, until the shadow-wizards collect them in a few minutes, and then lock them up for the rest of their natural lives.”
    The headmaster flicked his wand, and grasped the two wands which flew