Read Online The Alchemists Academy: Stones to Ashes Book 1 by Kailin Gow - Free Book Online
Authors: Kailin Gow
Tags: General, Fantasy fiction, People & Places, Action & Adventure, Juvenile Fiction, Magic, Europe, Arthurian, Schools, Teenagers, Legends; Myths; Fables
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perfectly ordinary- or at least ordinary for inside a giant tree- classroom. Ms. Preville stood in the middle of it, wearing a dress that, if anything, eclipsed the one she had worn before. It seemed to be woven entirely from spider-silk, and living flowers decorated it here and there. The rest of the class was filled with students, including Alana, who seemed to be happily asleep.
“While we were waiting,” and the admonishment there was so slight that Wirt barely caught it, “the class and I have been exploring using dream glamours. Still, since you seem to have such a good grasp of what is and isn’t real, we will skip that for now, shall we? Off to your seats, boys.”
Wirt and Spencer hurried to their seats, and Ms. Preville snapped her fingers. Almost instantly, people started to wake up.
“Glamour,” Ms. Preville said, and Wirt couldn’t help noticing the way her voice carried strangely musical notes with it, “is the art of making people see, or hear, what you want. It is closely linked to charms, and other forms of mental control. For now though, we will be focusing on its use in illusion.”
Ms. Preville smiled, and suddenly Ms. Genovia was standing in her place.
“Now then, you ninnies!” she bellowed, but then did the one thing that the large woman would almost never have done, and broke into a fit of giggles. Ms. Preville let the illusion fall. “Sorry, I shouldn’t make fun of her so. It’s just that dear Gertrude does insist on doing things the dangerous way, when there are so many easier options available.”
It seemed that the lack of respect was mutual then. Wirt pushed that from his mind and tried to concentrate as Ms. Preville taught. He found that he didn’t have quite the flair for it that he’d had for transmutation, creating images that were weak and sketchy.
“You just have to capture the image better,” Ms. Preville said. “Concentrate, Wirt. If you believe something is real, if you can make others believe it, then it is real.”
Alana seemed to get the hang of things rather more quickly. Not only did she make herself look like half a dozen different people in turn, she also projected images of people and objects into thin air that seemed real enough to touch.
“Now then, class,” Ms. Preville said at last. “I have a little assignment for you. Well, technically it is Ms. Genovia’s assignment too, but I just know that you’ll all want to do things the easy way, won’t you? Still, I mustn’t be cruel. Now, I…sorry, we , would like you all to try impersonate someone around the school. Wizards often have to travel in disguise. You can use whatever method you think best.” That was in the tone of someone perfectly confident about the method that would be used. “And we will see how well you have done the next time we have a class. One slight word of warning. Please be careful about whom you choose, and what you choose to do while you pretend. Not all of the staff quite get into the spirit of the game, you see. The Head, in particular, can be quite…pointed about people impersonating him, and then there’s Gertrude with that frog spell of hers, and Mr. Fowler isn’t happy about people going in his lab...”
Ms. Preville paused to think.
“…in fact, it might be best if you just stuck to your friends. Or me. I always like seeing lots of me around. So long as it is well done, obviously. Oh well, have fun, children.”
Chapter 8
A s he stood in the hallway in front of the Head’s office, trying to ignore the feeling that the grotesque statues of the school’s governors were staring at him, Wirt wondered for what had to be the several millionth time if this was really such a good idea. It had seemed so simple when he’d discussed it with Alana and Spencer after Ms. Preville’s class. They would each assume the form of someone important in the school, and so they would find out more about what was going on with the chalice. It
“While we were waiting,” and the admonishment there was so slight that Wirt barely caught it, “the class and I have been exploring using dream glamours. Still, since you seem to have such a good grasp of what is and isn’t real, we will skip that for now, shall we? Off to your seats, boys.”
Wirt and Spencer hurried to their seats, and Ms. Preville snapped her fingers. Almost instantly, people started to wake up.
“Glamour,” Ms. Preville said, and Wirt couldn’t help noticing the way her voice carried strangely musical notes with it, “is the art of making people see, or hear, what you want. It is closely linked to charms, and other forms of mental control. For now though, we will be focusing on its use in illusion.”
Ms. Preville smiled, and suddenly Ms. Genovia was standing in her place.
“Now then, you ninnies!” she bellowed, but then did the one thing that the large woman would almost never have done, and broke into a fit of giggles. Ms. Preville let the illusion fall. “Sorry, I shouldn’t make fun of her so. It’s just that dear Gertrude does insist on doing things the dangerous way, when there are so many easier options available.”
It seemed that the lack of respect was mutual then. Wirt pushed that from his mind and tried to concentrate as Ms. Preville taught. He found that he didn’t have quite the flair for it that he’d had for transmutation, creating images that were weak and sketchy.
“You just have to capture the image better,” Ms. Preville said. “Concentrate, Wirt. If you believe something is real, if you can make others believe it, then it is real.”
Alana seemed to get the hang of things rather more quickly. Not only did she make herself look like half a dozen different people in turn, she also projected images of people and objects into thin air that seemed real enough to touch.
“Now then, class,” Ms. Preville said at last. “I have a little assignment for you. Well, technically it is Ms. Genovia’s assignment too, but I just know that you’ll all want to do things the easy way, won’t you? Still, I mustn’t be cruel. Now, I…sorry, we , would like you all to try impersonate someone around the school. Wizards often have to travel in disguise. You can use whatever method you think best.” That was in the tone of someone perfectly confident about the method that would be used. “And we will see how well you have done the next time we have a class. One slight word of warning. Please be careful about whom you choose, and what you choose to do while you pretend. Not all of the staff quite get into the spirit of the game, you see. The Head, in particular, can be quite…pointed about people impersonating him, and then there’s Gertrude with that frog spell of hers, and Mr. Fowler isn’t happy about people going in his lab...”
Ms. Preville paused to think.
“…in fact, it might be best if you just stuck to your friends. Or me. I always like seeing lots of me around. So long as it is well done, obviously. Oh well, have fun, children.”
Chapter 8
A s he stood in the hallway in front of the Head’s office, trying to ignore the feeling that the grotesque statues of the school’s governors were staring at him, Wirt wondered for what had to be the several millionth time if this was really such a good idea. It had seemed so simple when he’d discussed it with Alana and Spencer after Ms. Preville’s class. They would each assume the form of someone important in the school, and so they would find out more about what was going on with the chalice. It
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