“The time rapidly approaches, my minions of doom!” she proclaimed theatrically, holding up her ostentatiously naked wrist to her face. “I do believe it’s time we revealed the whole plot to our dowdy leading lady, so that she might act her role to the very best of her ability.” Another condescending wink in my direction. “Minions! Let there be light!”

The space was suddenly flooded with illumination, a painful shock to my darkness-accustomed eyes. I squeezed them shut, and in my exhausted fear, I couldn’t contain a scream. This precipitated another wave of disdainful laughter from my captors.

I slowly opened my eyes and went through another dizzy period of acclimation. Crystal’s projection had not done justice to the size of the theatre; there were several levels of floor seats and three balconies towering above. I imagined the place could fit four thousand people, and all the gaping empty chairs before me were especially unnerving.

Hanging a hundred feet above the orchestra pit was a giant crystal chandelier that held a thousand blazing electric candles.

“You’re admiring our chandelier, are you, dear?” Epistola susurrated. “My little joke. I’ve seen you reading that melodramatic tripe you so love between classes. Now, it’s true that Eldritch magic is more effective in the gloaming, but I couldn’t resist mocking you, just a little. There shall be no lonely hero coming to spirit you offstage during your performance tonight.”

Of course there won’t be, I thought miserably. I was but a meager asteroid adrift in an uncaring universe, now utterly beneath the notice of one such as Riley. And even if he could notice whatever Epistola had planned for me tonight, he would not care. He had no reason to waste any more attention on a low harlot like her. He had resisted her summoning, she was defeated, that was that.

He was done with all of us. He was done with me. I slumped in defeat as much as my restraints allowed.

“Yes. Hang that plain-faced head low.” Epistola had taken her place at the wooden podium. The Necronomicon and Eldritch Grimoire sat open upon the polished surface before her. Next to them was a very ornate, very sharp looking knife. It glistened as if forged from some metal not found on Earth.

The tall, shrouded, coffin-like structure I’d seen on Crystal’s screen was gone. In its place stood a low, long shape. The incongruous tarp covering it made it seem as though it were added to the scenery in a hurry. I did not like the look of it.

Epistola pointed a long red-nailed finger at me. “Bring that over here.”