When we reach the roof, we find the first librarian we woke up hovering over a very confused Euna. Her eyes can’t quite seem to focus on anything. Instead, they flit like a hummingbird from one object to the next. Olga kneels next to her and begins to do a cursory examination.

“Well, she doesn’t seem to have a head wound, and there’s no physical damage I can see.” She leans back on her heels. “But whatever happened clearly affected her mind. It may indeed be a body walker, just as you say.”

“A body walker?” Maeve’s voice yanks my attention away from Euna. She stands in the doorway to the roof. She must have heard the commotion and followed us up here.

“Yes, it’s a plausible explanation for Euna’s sudden strange condition. Come,” Olga says to the other librarian. “Let’s get her down to her quarters where she’ll be more comfortable.” Using a portable stretcher contraption from Olga’s bag, the pair of them manage to get Euna down the stairs and take her away. Maeve, however, remains behind with us.

“What happened here?” she asks. “When I woke and you were gone, Simone, I was worried. Then I heard people shouting about something happening on the roof. You two scared me half to death.” She brushes her hair back and places a hand on her chest. Real concern leaks from her thoughts, enveloping me.

But all I can do is stare at my shoes. We’ve kept this from her. The fact that we were fleeing a body walker. It’s strange—and frightening!—that they would show up here too. Unless, of course, we somehow managed to lead them here. The very thought steals my breath.

Sebastian stares at me wild-eyed as the full brunt of that fear falls over us both.

But why would they follow us? That is the part that defies explanation. The Lady is powerless now, so we know it can’t be her, but perhaps it is happening again. Maybe someone is hunting talented folks. We’ve had too many encounters with the body walker for it to be a coincidence.

“There was a body walker here. They took Euna over, then left when we found her,” I say.

Maeve’s face pales. “Are you sure?”

I nod vigorously. “Lady Aisling used that talent on us all the time. We know how it works intimately. Her mind was shoved down. Someone else was in there controlling her.”

But Maeve seems unconvinced. “That’s certainly a terrible thought. But maybe there’s another explanation. How could a body walker just sneak in here? This place is a fortress.”

Her words strike a terrible chord. What if they were already here? We know many librarians travel for research, like Ida and Rachel did. It could be any of them who just took a less winding path to get here. Except Rachel, of course, since we already know she’s a book binder, and Euna since she’s the latest victim. It could even be one of the researchers. I wouldn’t put it past someone like Connor, or even Devynne.