Vespidian buzzed from side to side in agitation for a moment before regaining his composure and hovering in front of the big servant’s face. His voice had the snide tone Alice remembered from the night in her kitchen.

‘I thought we had moved beyond this level of dealing,’ he said. ‘Haven’t we learned to trust each other?’

‘You may have learned to trust me. I don’t trust you further than I could throw you.’ Mr Black grinned maliciously under his bristly beard. ‘Which might actually be some distance, now that I come to think about it.’

‘Very well,’ Vespidian said. ‘I shall have to consult my master. You realize, of course, that every day that passes increases the risk of discovery?’

‘You’d better hurry, then, hadn’t you? I’ll be—’

That was when Alice, leaning the swarmer forward to catch every word, felt it lose its footing. It tumbled forward, automatically tucking into a ball, hit the step with a thump, and bounced high into the air. Alice hurriedly let go of the silver thread in her mind, letting the little creature snap back into non-existence. Her world went black, and she felt a moment’s panic before she realized she was only lying with her eyes closed. When she opened them, the cracked paint of her ceiling stared back at her.

Mr Black had told Vespidian where to find me. She felt anger welling up inside her again. He sold me to that vile little fairy, and that made Father go off on his trip, and then . . .

She had to find the book Ending had called the Dragon. And it sounds like Mr Black has a way to do it. She had to get hold of that map, whether it meant breaking the rules or not.

Alice rolled out of bed and hunted for her shoes, already working on a plan. She had an idea, but she thought she’d need help, and there was only one place she was likely to get it.

Chapter Sixteen: The Lair of Mr. Black

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

THE LAIR OF MR BLACK

The sun was dropping behind the encircling forest by the time Alice emerged from the library with Isaac in tow. He paused on the threshold, one hand on the great bronze door, and shivered. Alice looked over her shoulder.

‘What’s wrong?’ she said.

‘Nothing.’ He let the door close behind him with a hollow bang, and huddled deeper into his threadbare trench coat. ‘It’s cold.’

The chill was rising fast as the sun disappeared. Alice tried not to think about the last time she’d been out of the building after dark, and how that night had ended with her fighting for her life in the world of the Swarm. Gaslight shone from the windows of the house, glowing cheerily through the curtains.

‘You’re sure we won’t run into anybody?’ Isaac said.