“I don’t think she will,” Eleanor objected. “She’s just a little girl. If we take care of her, she’ll have a chance to be good.”

“You’re the one who is going to suffer the most if you are wrong,” the hedgewitch said. “The People Who Look Away don’t need me, they need you.”

“Then why do you even care?” Eleanor demanded. “You don’t remember me. You don’t care about me at all.”

“I’m not entirely unfeeling. I don’t want something bad to happen to you, Elle, and—” She stopped. Eleanor stared at her. Elle. Her mother had called her that. The hedgewitch tensed.

“Well, this is very dramatic,” the cat-of-ashes said, looking a bit uncomfortable. “I suppose it explains where Katie got to, at least. And good riddance. Apart from the bit where it destroyed reality itself, it was a genius move.”

“Wait,” Eleanor said slowly. “If taking Thea made Katie disappear, how are you and the kitten-of-ashes both here?”

The cat and kitten wore identical smug expressions. “I’m a cat. I don’t play by the rules,” the cat-of-ashes drawled. She stretched. “Oh, I nearly forgot—the January Society is on its way.”

“On their way here? Now?” Eleanor yelped. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I was a bit distracted by figuring out how you had all gotten here. And then that showed up. How’s a feline supposed to focus under these circumstances?” the cat-of-ashes demanded, flicking an irritated ear in the kitten’s direction.

Eleanor swore under her breath and dashed toward the Great Room, scooping up the kitten-of-ashes on her way. Bartimaeus and Ben were in there, midway through a game of Catan.

“Longest road! Hand it over!” Ben declared, putting out his hand.

“The January Society is coming!” Eleanor interrupted. “We have to hide. Where’s the key to the secret room?”

Bartimaeus looked over his glasses at her. “Have you not been paying attention? There is no secret room. All my between-world spaces collapsed.”

“What’s going on?” Pip asked sleepily, stepping into the room wearing Eleanor’s pink flannel unicorn pajamas, Gloaming belted around her hips. Otto and Thea trailed after, looking mildly more awake.

“The January Society is coming,” Eleanor said.

Just then, someone hammered on the door. “Should we hide?” Otto asked.

“They already know we’re here. Better to face them unafraid,” Pip said. The knocking came again.

“I’ll get it,” Ben said grimly, and strode toward the foyer. There was the sound of voices speaking quickly, Ben’s tone one of protest, and then Delilah Foster walked into the Great Room. Ben trailed behind.

Eleanor hadn’t seen Ms. Foster up close since Halloween, but she hadn’t changed at all, from her immaculately tailored navy suit to the bright red nail polish she wore to the way she moved when she walked, like she was hunting something.