The Vault echoed with whispers. He heard again the familiar hum in his brain, and the pendant grew unexpectedly hot in his fist. Amelie’s eyes widened.

“I accept,” he said, softer.

This time the whispers grew to loud mumblings, some sounding welcoming, some threatening. Isaac’s hand tightened on the pendant, now icy cold. The hum grew to a zinging bolt of energy that coursed up his spine and back down, and he had to brace against the table with both arms.

He would become a target.

Be strong, Isaac Wolf.

He thought of Miss Rachel, sending him away when she was taken. Of Hypatia who sacrificed herself to save him, of the Incan man who showed him the Vault, of Mistress Vivienne who left him these words, all of them past Guardians. He thought about his parents and what they had sacrificed to leave him the information he needed, and how they’d feel if they could see him now.

Isaac squared his shoulders. “I accept!” he shouted, and his voice echoed endlessly through the long and shadowy Vault.

I accept! I accept! I accept!

CHAPTER 54

Moloch

When Isaac vanishes before him for the second time, Moloch curses his miserable stupidity. How could he let a child get away with that ridiculous wight? He’d magic the hutch away and follow the children himself, but one of them left a pile of cast-iron pans up against the door and he can’t get past those.

And the children have descended deep into the oldest part of this castle, into a bright place so rich with good magic that he doesn’t dare follow—and speaking of iron, he can feel it, so hot and bright that it lights up the scar on his cheek with searing pain.

When Isaac disappeared with the wraith and then reappeared seconds later, why, that was disturbing. Isaac must have used the Witch’s Watch to leave the wraith in some other time and place.

“Wouldn’t dare do that to me,” Moloch mutters. “Would. Not. Dare.”

Without warning, a pain pierces Moloch’s head like a driven spike.

Isaac—a child!—has just assumed the role of Guardian. Ach! He’s spoken the words. Now he’ll be even stronger.

The hideous creature on the floor behind Moloch twitches mechanically and makes a high-pitched whining noise as if she’s experiencing some electric shock.

“What’s wrong with you?” he says. He kicks her, to make her be still.

Moloch will make Isaac pay. He’ll fix these foolish children for good. He can’t stand losing to children, after all his searching.

The mechanical thing whines again.

“What in the world is that screech?” he yells.

He turns and waves his arms angrily over the creature, who stops twitching at once and falls as still as death. He steps over the body.

And then pauses and sniffs the air.