Shadow Walker (Neteru Academy Books)

by L. A. Banks

  Sarah shot Tami a look that said later, promising herself that “later” was coming soon.

  Chapter 10

  Sarah, Tami and Allie were waiting as soon as Hyacinth walked through the door. They stared in disbelief at the scrapes and bruises on her arms and legs. She looked like she had been in a fight and lost.

  “Hyacinth, what happened to you?” Sarah said, dashing forward. She took her friend by the arm and led her to one of the lower bunks.

  Hyacinth sniffed and burst into tears. “Ohmigod, that was so horrible!” she said in a quiet, intense rush. “Two Upper Sphere Clair-Vs kept making me trip down the hall, fall up the stairs and bump into archways. The messed up my depth perception, so I would see the floor as higher or lower than it really was and stumble like a clumsy idiot all over the place! Bebitta came by and saw what was happening, and she tried to stop them, but because she’s a Blend, she wasn’t strong enough.” Two big tears slid down Hyacinth’s nose.

  “It was that bitch Melissa Gray, wasn’t it?” Tami said, furious.

  Hyacinth shook her head. “Melissa didn’t actually do anything. It was her two friends, Amy Feingold and Angelica Roberts.” She wiped her cheeks and drew a shuddering breath. “But Melissa didn’t do anything to stop it.” She looked up at Sarah. “She wants to get you kicked out, Sarah. She’s using me as bait.”

  “What?” Sarah asked shocked.

  “You know how it is. No matter how strong a Clairvoyant you are, you can’t be in someone else’s mind without them sensing something about you, too. Well, Amy and Angelica are strong, but I picked that much up from both of them. Melissa wants you out of here, and she’s going to try and make you get yourself in trouble—the kind of trouble that can get you expelled.”

  Sarah placed her hands on her hips. “Like messing with my compound sister so I’ll kick her butt kind trouble, I bet.” She glanced at Tami. “First she started by bumping me in the hall and had some axe to grind with Tami, now she’s picking on you. It’s only a matter of time before she comes for Allie.”

  Tami frowned. “Of all the dirty, rotten, low down—”

  “That’s horrible,” Allie said, talking with her hands. “Tami can take care of herself, and I don’t care what she tries to do to me, I’ll zap her. But we’ve gotta do something to help ‘Cinth, stuck in the Clair-V division with that crazy chick. Ayana is in Upper Spheres, so she won’t be around to protect her. We can’t just let that beyotch torture poor ‘Cynth. We could—”

  “Beat her ass down in a dark hallway when nobody else is around?” Tami said, narrowing her gaze and resting her hands on her hips.

  “Well…” Sarah said. “We could, but…isn’t that a bit…?”

  “Extreme?” Allie finished for her. “I mean, I don’t even understand what started all this in the first place. It’s insane. We haven’t done anything to her, Sarah!”

  “Sarah exists, doesn’t she?” Tami said dryly. “I’ll tell you what I think is going on, but maybe I’m wrong. If you ask me, Melissa Gray thinks she’s the queen around here. It’s clear that she doesn’t want any Neteru kid messing that up.”

  “Yeah, you’re right.”

  “You think she made you want to fight her?” Allie asked.

  Sarah shook her head. “No, she wasn’t manipulating my thoughts or anything like that, but…she set me up. Everybody who saw what happened blamed me for everything.”

  “When was this?” Hyacinth asked, looking confused. After Sarah explained her encounter with Melissa, Hyacinth nodded and said, “That makes sense.”

  “I say we kick her ass right now,” Tami said, not bothering to lower her voice.

  “Shhhh!” Allie whispered.

  “Screw them,” Tami said, her voice escalating in defiance.

  “Tami,” Sarah said sharply. “That would mean falling right into their trap, and we’re not going to do that. There’s gotta be a way to keep this psycho chick off our backs without getting in trouble. Plus, there’s something more going on here than her thinking she’s queen bee around here. She’s got some secrets she’s worried about. But just outright kicking her or her friends’ butts isn’t an option.”

  “Fine,” Tami said. “What do you propose, fearless leader?”

  “I don’t know yet. But if this chick has secrets, that’s always good for possible leverage—my dad taught me that. And stop calling me fearless leader,” Sarah said with a frown. She turned to Hyacinth. “Is there anything else you can tell us? Anything else you picked up from Amy or Angelica?”

  Hyacinth shook her head. “Just that they’re kind of scared of Melissa, too, and they think she’s wicked strong.”

  “Okay, well, we’re going to have to protect our thoughts, so white light prayers every morning, all right?” Sarah told them. “Just like Nana taught us.”

  “That’s not going to be enough.” Tami said.

  “I know,” Sarah said, frustrated. “Do you have any suggestions?”

  Tami was silent, looking thoughtful. “Well, maybe we can find some strategies in the library.”

  They all stared at Tami.

  “What?” she said defensively.

  “You’re suggesting that we go to the library?” Allie asked.

  “Does anyone have any better ideas?”

  They all looked at one another.

  “The library it is,” Sarah said, and got to her feet.

  “Right now?” Tami asked, disbelieving. Hesitating, she opened her duffle bag and took out several sweaters, and then walked over to the bureau she’d instantly claimed. “I know it’s my idea and all, but we just got here.” A mischievous smile lit her face. “I’d rather do some digging and find out who the guy with the gray eyes is over in Specs,” she said, closing her eyes. “Wow.”

  “He makes me nervous,” Allie said.

  “Ohmigod, Allie!” Tami threw her sweater into a drawer. “Everything and everybody makes you nervous.”

  “Tami, we need to focus here,” Sarah said. “Plus, isn’t anybody the least bit interested in the bigger problem going on here at the school?”

  Everyone stopped fidgeting to stare at Sarah.

  “Guys,” Sarah said, now talking with her hands outstretched, “two students are missing, and two others have died. Doesn’t that make you the least bit curious about what’s going on—for no other reason than to make sure it doesn’t happen to anybody we know? Or to us?” Sarah stopped and looked at her roommates, and then closed her eyes, her hands on top of her head. “Some jealous chick is the least of our worries.”

  Stony silence made Sarah open her eyes.

  Hyacinth’s gaze lingered on hers, and then her friend searched the other girls’ faces. “You know, Sarah has a point. This insanity with Melissa and her crew really isn’t as important as life or death…or some cute guy.”

  Allie nodded, glancing at Hyacinth. “‘Cinth is right. We can go to the library to find out ways to protect ourselves from Melissa, but maybe we should be trying to research how to protect ourselves from whatever evil abducted those kids right from school grounds.”

  “I can’t get the stuff Ayana told us out of my mind,” Sarah said, turning her attention to Tami.

  “What stuff?” Hyacinth asked, as she and Allie stepped closer.

  “Yeah,” Allie said. “Spill.”

  “They’ll go over it all in a dark arts protection class or whatever, I’m sure,” Tami muttered.

  Sarah kept her focus on Tami, ignoring Hyacinth and Allie for the moment. “Do you really wanna wait to figure learn how to rig up personal protection? I sure don’t.” She turned to Allie and Hyacinth. “On the tour, Ayana gave us the inside scoop, stuff I bet only the Upper Sphere students are whispering about. I’ll tell you on the way to the library.”

  “Fine,” Tami said. “Let’s go to the boooring library.” She sighed wistfully. “But, damn, Sarah, for a little while, it was sure nice to dream.”

  Chapter 11

  It took several loops through the
hallways, but they finally found the library again. Running forward with anticipation, Sarah pushed open the massive oak-and-brass doors, then stopped and for a long moment simply gaped.

  Tall, gleaming wooden shelves created perfect alcoves for private conversations between friends, but before taking advantage they glanced up and down the rows for any sign of a librarian, teachers or other students. There were none—the place was completely deserted.

  Whoever the librarian was, he or she must have been on break, because the coast was clear. The moment that was confirmed by four extremely anxious pairs of eyes, they launched into an intense whispering session.

  Sarah leaned in and dropped her voice. “First of all, we need to find defensive strategies to protect us in the room at night, in case anything gets into the building. I think we’ll be okay during the day, in class and in the halls. Safety in numbers, you know?”

  “And what about those smuts who keep attacking us? The likelihood of some monster crashing in to drag us from our beds at night is really remote, Sarah. I say let the administration and parents worry about that. Our immediate problem is Melissa and her witchy friends,” Tami said, folding her arms over her chest. “‘Cinth was in public and they made it look like she tripped by accident. No safety in numbers there.”

  “Fine,” Sarah replied with a frustrated huff. “But we look for defensive strategies only,” she said, looking hard at Tami. “We don’t wanna get sent home for starting a fight, but if they start it and we just protect ourselves… And nothing too complicated. We don’t want to do anything that a teacher would have to undo and we’d have to explain. We have to stay off any faculty or administration radar.”

  Allie smiled. “That’s a plan I can get behind.”

  “Okay, I’m in,” Tami said with a half-smile.

  “But…” Hyacinth whispered, leaning in. “That stuff Sarah is worrying about is valid. I’m really not as worried about Melissa as I am about what could happen to any of us if…whatever it is gets back in. You guys go look for light defensive arts to use against the witches. I’m going into the stacks to find anything I can on advanced dark arts protections.”

  Everyone looked at Hyacinth, the team’s brain, but no one argued with her. If anybody could figure out a solid demon defense, it would be ‘Cinth. Sarah put her hand out, and three hands immediately covered it.

  “Then let’s get started,” Sarah said.

  Her three friends gave her a silent thumbs-up and then began to look around.

  “There’s gotta be a section on easy white-light protections and protocols,” Tami said, hunting through the rows. “Something a little more heavy-duty than we were taught at the compound, but not enough to fry anyone.”

  “Yeah,” Sarah said, beginning to figure out how the books were arranged. “Make sure it’s only defensive stuff, though.”

  “Yeah, we heard you the first time,” Tami said, but she smiled.

  “I’m going to hunt over there,” Hyacinth announced, pointing. “Something’s calling me—I can feel it. I bet I can find us just what we need.”

  “Cool,” Tami said under her breath, sidling up to Sarah and Allie. “The sooner we can find something and get out of this dead joint, the better.”

  Allie picked up a book off a shelf, and a fist-sized black-and-white spider scuttled out, squeaking in spider gibberish as Allie dropped the text and screamed. The little mutant creature parachuted off the shelf shaking its tiny fist, then scampered along the floor and disappeared.

  A blue static charge rippled around Allie, making her hair frizz out wildly as she clutched her chest. “Did you see how big it was?”

  “Was it me, or was that little guy cussing us out?” Tami scratched her head, while Allie peered frantically around her.

  “Little guy? That thing was huge!” Allie made a face. “Eeeew. I hate spiders.”

  “Is everything okay?” Hyacinth called out from several rows away.

  “Yeah, just a big ugly spider!” Sarah yelled back.

  “Okay, I’ll keep looking,” Hyacinth said.

  “You know,” a large land snail said, sliding out from between two large texts on the opposite shelf. “That was a thoroughly offensive thing to say about someone of such a complex phyla.” It left a gleaming trail along the wood as it moved. “Anansi is a renowned cataloguer from the Land of Nod, and a respected member of this bibliophile community, not unlike myself.” The voice seemed to indicate that the creature was female. “What are you ladies doing in here at this hour without a hall pass? And do please stop shocking the shelves, young lady,” she said to Allie. “Our inhabitants are at risk.”

  Allie clutched her hands to her chest and murmured contritely, “Sorry.”

  “We’re new,” Sarah said after a moment, looking at her friends in utter amazement. “And we had some free time, so we thought we would check this place out.”

  “Very well, then—I am Miss Tillie, not to be confused with Miss Tittle, your homeroom teacher and a wonderful Phoenix. Anyone who has enough of a yen to read that they would spend their free time here researching is a friend of ours. But do apologize to Mr. Anansi. I am sure he was highly offended by your outburst.”

  Allie nodded, then cast her gaze around, trying to spot the irate spider, but he was nowhere to be seen. “Umm, Mr. Anansi,” she called out. “I’m sorry. Forgive me. I was just…startled. Sorry about the spontaneous zaps, too. I’m still learning how to control my talent.”

  They only had to wait a few seconds before the huge spider dropped from the ceiling. Allie covered her mouth and dodged behind Tami to keep from screaming again. Sarah stared at him closely, squinting. He was indeed a fascinating little fellow, with a pattern on his thick body that looked like X-Ray art, and he wore a little purple scarf around his short neck. She smiled broadly when she saw that he was wearing tiny round glasses and a tiny purple cap.

  Sarah giggled. “Pleased to meet you, Mr. Anansi. Forgive my friend Allie. Are you the librarian?”

  Several unintelligible squeaks preceded Miss Tillie’s protest.

  “Oh, heavens no, child. Mr. Anansi is much too busy spinning new stories to actually maintain interaction with students, just as I am too busy keeping the shelves ship-shape. Mrs. Hogan is responsible for you students, her being a faery godmother, and all…. That reminds me. If you’d like a job to earn some class extra credits, this is one of the most fascinating places in the entire academy.”

  “Thanks, but I’ll pass,” Tami said, rolling her eyes.

  “Ummmm…we really should see what our workload is going to be like before committing,” Allie said in a small voice, staying as far away from Mr. Anansi as possible. “But thanks for the offer.”

  “Dear child, no insult intended,” Miss Tillie said, “but I think our library residents would protest unless you were able to control your tactical proclivities. However, if your friend is interested…” Miss Tillie trained her independently moving eyes on Sarah and waited.

  Sarah glanced around her. It was indeed the most incredible library she’d ever seen. If she could master this place, maybe she could even get an early pass into the Tehuti Library. Being able to get up into The Dollar Bill would be awesome.

  “I’m in…I mean, yes, I’d like to work here, if they have an opening,” Sarah said. She paid no mind to Tami’s incredulous look.

  Allie’s eyes were wide, but she nodded, her expression saying good thinking without words.

  “Wonderful, excellent,” Miss Tillie crooned, slowly moving along the edge of the shelf. “I shall inform Mrs. Hogan the moment she returns.” She stopped and frowned at the shelf. “Never enough time to fight this on-going battle with the motes… Just write your name and room number in the dust in front of me and I shall relay the message. See, Mr. Anansi, not all of these children are, ahem, daft.”

  Sarah remembered the other reason why she’d wanted to visit the library. “Ah, ma’am,” she said, walking closer to the retreating snail. “I need to look up a wo
rd I heard. Nexse. Can you tell me where there’s an ancient or mystic language translator?”

  Miss Tillie stopped and gazed at Sarah with both bulbous eyes. Sarah ignored her friends’ quizzical looks and focused on the snail, her heart beginning to beat more quickly.

  “Nexse… nexse,” Miss Tillie said. “Child, wherever did you hear that?”

  “Ummmm…in a dream,” Sarah said evasively.

  “Oh, then that makes complete sense,” Miss Tillie said in a cheerful voice. “It means awaken, wake up, arise and open your eyes in Coptic.”

  Sarah blinked. “Really? Wow…Okay…thanks.”

  Awaken? The being of Light had told her to awaken…but awaken to what?

  “Come, I’ll show you to our translation section,” Miss Tillie said.

  But before Sarah could accept her offer, Hyacinth’s voice rang out.

  “Hey, I think I found something,” she called out. “This should be the right place, but it’s all gray down this aisle, no books and it’s getting foggier as I walk. Maybe the books are in a separate room—can one of you guys see if you can hit the lights back here?”

  Sarah, Allie and Tami just looked at one another. They’d momentarily forgotten that Hyacinth was off exploring. But before they could call back to her, Mr. Anansi had scurried up a shelf and Miss Tillie released the most alarming squeak.

  “No, no, no, child!” Miss Tillie cautioned as loud as one could expect a snail to manage. Her eye stalks flailed in every direction as she tried to propel herself forward more quickly, to no avail. “Call her back!” she said breathlessly. “That poor child is headed down The Shady Path—the astral projection realms for the Upper Spheres! It is the advanced classes section and forbidden to students who haven’t taken Mr. Everett’s white light barrier course! At her grade level, she must have an instructor or an Upper Sphere student with her, someone who is versed in the way of the path! She could get lost in there—or worse!”