Read The Silver Dwarf (Royal Institute of Magic, Book 4) for Free Online Page A

help us right now. Maybe later, after this is all done.”
    “Well, let me know before you do, because I want to be there,” Ben said with a smile.
    “I’m glad we’re training at the D’Gayle battleground,” Simon said. He was flying in a zigzag pattern alongside Ben. “That Taecia ground was rubbish. Now we
can try out some real moves.” He grinned. “I have a few that I made up last night that I want to try out. They’re mental.”
    Talk was limited during their journey on the Dragonway to Alexia Bay, a small island off the coast of Ireland, home of the D’Gayle family estate. By the
time the dragon pulled up at the station, it was getting dark, and Ben guessed it to be past eight o’clock. The platform was as extravagant as he
remembered it – all glass, marble and open spaces everywhere. Even at this time of the evening, there were white-gloved porters standing to attention,
ready to deal with luggage or any other needs. They went straight to the taxi station outside. Waiting patiently were at least a dozen pristine silver
carriages of various sizes, pulled by white pegasi. They split up into two carriages, and gave the drivers the address. Moments later they were in the
air, relishing the sea breeze, as they sailed up and over the bay, before turning inland, towards the hills. Extravagant houses lit up the top of those
hills, and they flew towards the brightest of them all.
    Less than ten minutes later, the carriages landed them on a familiar cobbled road, just outside the main gated entrance. They disembarked, paid the taxis,
and were soon standing alone, in the fading light, in front of the vast mansion.
    William and Ben promptly walked up to the gate. Immediately an elf, dressed in an impeccably tailored white suit, appeared on the other side.
    “Ah, the Greenwood spellstrike team, I assume?” the elf said, with a perfectly clipped English accent.
    “That’s us,” Ben said with a small sigh of relief. He had half-expected Aaron to be lying when he said he’d send word.
    “Very good. I have been given specific instructions that under no circumstances are you to enter the D’Gayle estate.”
    There was a moment of shocked silence, before all eight team members spoke at once. Lydia grabbed the gate and started shaking it violently.
    “That lying, scheming backstabber!” she cried. “You let us in so we can tear up the place!”
    Ben’s own fury lasted less than the others. Deep down he wasn’t surprised, and looking at William’s impassive face, he guessed Will wasn’t either.
    The elf stood calmly, hands behind his back, watching the scene in front of him without the slightest care in the world.
    “Alright, that’s enough,” William said. “Put your spellshooter away, Lydia. Blowing their house up won’t help us.”
    “It will help me,” Lydia said, holstering her spellshooter with reluctance.
    “I, too, would like to see Lydia shoot at the house,” Charlie said.
    “No. We’d just end up with a bill that none of us could pay, and the Institute would have to fork out the money,” Will said. “We will meet up at the
Institute tomorrow morning, and decide what to do.”
    They fired a taxi-hailing spell into the sky, and waited. A sullen silence soon replaced their fury. Will turned unexpectedly to Ben with a grim smile.
    “You said you wanted to be there when I beat the life out of Aaron, right?” Will said.
    “Absolutely.”
    Will cracked his fingers. “You might want to stick by me tomorrow morning, then.”

— Chapter Five —
Desperate Measures
    Aaron managed to avoid them that following morning, and it wasn’t until they were all in the lunch hall, munching down a chicken and mushroom pie, when he
finally showed up.
    Aaron, Joshua, and another chap who looked almost as big as William entered the hall. To Ben’s surprise, Aaron headed right over to their table. Even more
surprising was the huge grin on his face. Ben’s gaze flickered to Will, who had just pushed his