Page 244 of Castings & Curses

“I would like to use a simple expansion spell on room 563W—”

“563W? Let me see,” he grumbled, turning to his computer screen.

The keyboard, I noted, was full of symbols, both Roman and Trollish. I could not understand half of the runic keys, but he seemed to have no trouble at all, punching in commands until what appeared to be a blueprint of the building where my dorm room was located popped up.

“Hmm. Miss Montrose, how many people are assigned to this room?” he asked, rubbing the long beard on his face.

“Six,” I replied.

“And why do you need an expansion spell when there are eight bedrooms?”

“Eight? There are only four, Mr. Pierce, I should know—”

“Four on the first level. 563W is a duplex, Don’t tell me you’ve never noticed the stairs?”

My mouth hung open as he showed me a staircase that appeared to be hidden by a panel just off the living room area. I thanked Mr. Pierce for his time and rushed back to 563W. My course load was pretty light since it was summer, and I had loads of free time.

I shot off a message to my dorm mates, emergency meeting because,duh, why hadn’t anyone noticed this secret stairwell before?

It took a few minutes, but I made it back just as Rio came racing down the hall.

“Ohmygawd, Jade!I got here as fast as I could. So, what’s the matter?” she asked, and I noticed she was wearing a bathing suit and dripping water everywhere.

Uh oh.

Maybe I should not have marked the message urgent.

Too late now.

I shrugged and motioned her inside. I was a bit winded, came from being a chubby chick and jogging up the last few flights of stairs. Stupid airheads were messing with the elevators again. I hated those derogatory names everyone gave the elemental witches, but sometimes the monikers fit. Toying with elevators was a way for air witches to test their power with air currents, but it seriously messed with everyone else. Not like they cared.

Grrr.

“Everyone come here,” I yelled, hurrying into the living room.

Well, that explained why we never noticed the stairs, I realized as I stood in front of a huge bookshelf. If memory served, the fully stocked shelf had been delivered for Maia on move-in day.

“What’s going on?” Mabe asked, her black hair wet and a towel wrapped around her petite body.

“No more couches and doubling up,” I grunted, trying to move the shelf.

“Let me,” Magnus rumbled from behind me.

I got out of the enormous sentinel’s way and shook my head as he easily slid the shelf over despite me breaking a nail trying to get it to budge.

Ugh.

Nothing like a big hulking shifter to make a witch feel puny.

I shook my head as everyone gasped and pointed at the semi-hidden door. Decorated to match the wall, but with a telltale built in handle, the panel gave way with a simple push, revealing a short stairwell that led to another level of 563W.

“Another surprise in this freaky-ass dorm room?” Tana muttered.

But she was the second one to run down the stairs after me. I could hardly believe my eyes. Three more bedrooms and a second living room area filled the space. It needed some dusting and airing out, which led me to open one of the bedroom doors. I gasped as I took in the space and the enormous floor to ceiling window that opened onto a tiny wrought iron terrace.

“How did we never see this from outside?” Rio murmured, having followed me inside.

“Because we’re facing the south tower,” Magnus replied. “Look, this window is just pointing at a brick wall.”

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