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Back The Forbidden Library
Chapters (63)
  1. About the Book
  2. Title Page
  3. Dedication
  4. Chapter One: The Fairy
  5. CHAPTER ONE
  6. Chapter Two: Mr. Pallworthy
  7. CHAPTER TWO
  8. Chapter Three: Geryon
  9. CHAPTER THREE
  10. Chapter Four: The Empty House
  11. CHAPTER FOUR
  12. Chapter Five: The Library’s Library
  13. CHAPTER FIVE
  14. Chapter Six: Sneaking Out
  15. CHAPTER SIX
  16. Chapter Seven: Isaac
  17. CHAPTER SEVEN
  18. Chapter Eight: The Swarm
  19. CHAPTER EIGHT
  20. Chapter Nine: Trapped!
  21. CHAPTER NINE
  22. Chapter Ten: The Wizard of the Library
  23. CHAPTER TEN
  24. Chapter Eleven: The Sorcerer’s Apprentice
  25. CHAPTER ELEVEN
  26. Chapter Twelve: Ending
  27. CHAPTER TWELVE
  28. Chapter Thirteen: The Eyes of a Wizard
  29. CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  30. Chapter Fourteen: A Second Chance at a First Impression
  31. CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  32. Chapter Fifteen: Eavesdropping Again
  33. CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  34. Chapter Sixteen: The Lair of Mr. Black
  35. CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  36. Chapter Seventeen: A Map of the Labyrinth
  37. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  38. Chapter Eighteen: The Lonely Cottage
  39. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  40. Chapter Nineteen: Dinner
  41. CHAPTER NINETEEN
  42. Chapter Twenty: The Second Trial
  43. CHAPTER TWENTY
  44. Chapter Twenty-one: The Tree-Sprite
  45. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
  46. Chapter Twenty-two: A Decision
  47. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
  48. Chapter Twenty-three: The Gideon
  49. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
  50. Chapter Twenty-four: Sleeping Beauty
  51. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
  52. Chapter Twenty-five: The Dragon
  53. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
  54. Chapter Twenty-six: Hunted
  55. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
  56. Chapter Twenty-seven: The Trap
  57. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
  58. Chapter Twenty-eight: A Bit of Blackmail
  59. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
  60. Chapter Twenty-nine: Vespidian
  61. CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
  62. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
  63. About the Author

By the fourth day, she felt like she would soon go mad even without the mysterious servants. There was nothing she was supposed to be doing, and no one to talk to, except for Emma, and that was worse than talking to herself. She’d have given anything to have Miss Juniper assign her some algebra, or a French passage to translate, if only so she could look forward to being done with it.

When Emma turned up at her door just after lunch, therefore, Alice was glad to follow. Her sense of relief even survived the sight of Mr Black, who was waiting for them in the front hall and regarded Alice as though she were something he’d had to scrape off the bottom of his shoe.

‘Mr Wurms asked for help in the library,’ he rumbled. ‘He’s got a bit of a disaster that needs sorting out. The two of you go and do whatever he needs.’

Alice’s ears pricked up. The one thing she hadn’t found in her explorations of The Library was, in fact, a library. She’d been assuming it was locked away somewhere, probably in Geryon’s private suite, and she’d been hoping to catch him long enough to ask if she might visit. At least then I could find something to read.

Still, against her own best interests, she couldn’t help raising an objection. ‘Geryon said I wasn’t supposed to visit the library.’

Mr Black scowled. ‘He said you’re not supposed to go in there unaccompanied. But you’ll have Emma with you, so that’s all right. Emma, make sure to tell Alice the rules and show her how not to get lost.’

‘Yes, Mr Black.’

Alice bit back a further argument. She wasn’t honestly sure Emma counted as a proper escort, given that the girl would do whatever Alice asked her to. But those had, technically, been Geryon’s words, and if it was good enough for Mr Black, Alice thought she could accept.

Besides, Geryon had a library that was so big, you could get lost in it! This, Alice thought, I have to see.

Chapter Five: The Library’s Library

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CHAPTER FIVE

THE LIBRARY’S LIBRARY

To Alice’s surprise, Emma led her, not to Geryon’s suite, but out the kitchen door and down a gravel path into the back yard. It was a grey, overcast day, not quite raining but thick with the threat of it, and the air smelled clingy and damp. The wind cut through Alice’s shirt and raised goosebumps on her skin.