‘Apparently Mr Black went to Master Geryon and warned him a thief had entered the library, and he compelled Mother’s assistance. Her contract binds her to obey him, if he issues a direct command.’ Ashes looked as though admitting this lack of omnipotence on Ending’s part pained him severely. ‘They were able to follow your progress and wait for you to emerge from the book.’

‘Wait until Geryon hears what that rat Mr Black has been up to,’ Alice said, throwing off the sheets. ‘I’m going to—’

‘Mother asked me to remind you,’ Ashes interrupted, ‘that if you accuse Mr Black, Vespidian will undoubtedly flee, and we will lose any chance we might have left to interrogate him.’ His tail lashed. ‘Also, as it would be your word against his, there is no guarantee that Master Geryon would believe you.’

Alice chewed her lip. While the cat had a point, the idea of just letting Mr Black get away with his treachery rankled. He was the one who told Vespidian about me in the first place!

‘All right,’ she said reluctantly. ‘But what am I supposed to do now? Geryon has the book, and I can’t steal it from him.’ The very idea sent a shiver down her spine. Quite apart from whatever safeguards the old Reader had in place, stealing from him would be a rebellion against authority on a scale Alice wasn’t prepared to accept. ‘And what about Isaac?’ She hesitated. ‘Do you think he’s really . . . what Geryon said? A thief who came to steal the book for himself?’

Ashes yawned, indicating disinterest. Alice shook her head.

‘I don’t believe it,’ she said. ‘If that was what he wanted, he wouldn’t have . . . helped me. We can’t just let Geryon keep him locked up.’

‘Are you planning a prison break, then?’

Alice paused again. If stealing the book would be bad, freeing Isaac would be infinitely worse. But the way Geryon treated him . . . She winced as she remembered the casual way he’d ordered Mr Black to hurt Isaac until he got what he wanted out of him, and how he’d locked away her voice.

He’s a Reader, Ending had told her. He is cruel, because that is his nature.

‘For the moment,’ Ashes said, interrupting her thoughts, ‘the question is moot. Geryon wants to see you.’

Alice froze. ‘Now?’

‘When you’ve got a moment,’ Ashes drawled. ‘You know how patient he is.’

Alice knocked at the door to Geryon’s suite, and he answered it promptly. She was relieved to find that he seemed to be in a good mood, smiling genially.

‘Good morning, Alice,’ he said. ‘I trust that a night’s rest has helped you recover from yesterday’s exertions.’

‘Yes, sir. I feel much better.’