Aha. Having to let Moloch inside the Vault meant Moloch couldn’t outright kill Isaac, which might give him an edge. “So, when I let you inside the Vault and give you the key and you perform the little spell, you will go back to your world and we will all live happily ever after?”

Moloch spread his clawed fingers.

“No?” Isaac said.

The dire wolf growled and bared his teeth. “The light can’t exist without the darkness,” Moloch said slowly.

“That’s what I thought,” Isaac said. He waited a moment. Then, “I’m sorry, but I will not help you. I am sorry you lost your place. I understand how you must feel, because I do not want to lose my friends. But the artifacts inside the Vault must be protected no matter what. So as much as I care about Amelie, I will not give you the key.”

Isaac paused and glanced up at Willow, who still dangled at the ceiling. He bit his lip, hoping that the wight would understand what he was trying to say, and knowing that he’d use his own magical power to amplify Willow’s. “If I could magic her out of here all by myself, I would. I would take her to safety. Anyone who cared about Amelie would do that. But I cannot.”

Isaac straightened and stuck his hands in his pockets. His fingers found the Adder Stone cuff. “If I am a monster, I’m going to try and be a good monster. Not fall into evil. Not like you.” He looked back at Willow, meeting (he hoped) the wight’s eyes. “What do you think about that?”

Moloch snarled.

Willow took the hint.

Willow magicked Amelie away, and at the same instant, Isaac slipped the cuff up his arm, called on his power . . .

. . . and vanished.

CHAPTER 48

Isaac

1942

Isaac barely had time to register his relief.

Moloch gave an anguished scream, and it was all Isaac could do not to throw his hands over his ears. And then he had a horrifying thought. What if the dire wolf could smell him? He was invisible, not gone.

As it was, Daemon was staring straight at him. Moloch’s red eye searched blindly, his great leathery wings expanding around him.

Isaac couldn’t just wait to be found out. He had to do something. Now.

He leapt for the open door, just as the dire wolf leapt for him, then, hoping his long legs would not fail him, ran as fast as he could.