“I want to know what’s going on,” said Effie.

Her head suddenly ached again. She was going to have to get back to the Realworld soon. If only she could get her vial of deepwater back she could at least restore some of her power.

“You want to know what’s going on?” said Dr. Wiseacre. “I’ll tell you what’s going on. The Trueloves are a weak link. That’s what’s going on. It’s simply not safe to have the Great Library in the hands of people who are scattered across worlds—especially when it means galloglasses like you can have access to it. And the Trueloves are sloppy. They haven’t done a good job of protecting us in recent times.”

“What do you mean?”

“You know about the book that was stolen. You must. It was your mother who did it.”

“My mother didn’t steal anything,” said Effie.

“But the book was taken away. Books must never be taken from the Great Library. Not without the ritual.”

“Well it certainly wasn’t my mother who did it. And anyway, I took the book back,” said Effie.

“Aha. So it did happen. I knew it!”

“But . . .”

“And it’s true what they say about the library. It is real! But the wrong people are in charge of it. Things are worse than I thought.”

“You tricked me,” said Effie. “That’s not fair.”

“Yes, and it was easy,” said Dr. Wiseacre. “Proving yet again what a weak link you are. Just like the other Trueloves.”

“You’re wrong,” said Effie. “You’re so wrong about everything.”’

“You’d better tell me where Dragon’s Green is, and quickly. I think I can turn this lever about three more times before your cousin loses all her lifeforce. And then you’ll never see her again. Of course, as I’ve already told you, she won’t want to see you again anyway when she knows what you are. So you may as well tell me, and spare her—unless you really want to carry on acting like a selfish galloglass forever. How do I get into the Great Library?”

“I’m never going to tell you that,” said Effie.

“Then you and your cousin will die.”