Alice looked over her shoulder and lowered her voice to a whisper. “What do you want?”

“I need to get you out of here with a minimum of fuss, or my sister will be very angry with me. Therefore, I agree to your terms. The others can go free. You and I will remain behind and have a little chat. I believe you have some . . . questions for me.”

Questions? Alice’s heart leaped for a moment. He really does know something!

“That seems generous to me,” Torment went on. “What do you say?”

“What about Jacob?”

“He must remain here. You must see that there is no other place for him now. But I hope that I have demonstrated that I am more than capable of protecting him from the Readers. He’ll be perfectly safe.”

Alice bit her lip. “Isaac won’t like that.”

“Isaac won’t have a choice. You are the one to whom my sister has gifted her power. The others will go where I send them.”

Gifted her power? Alice was confused for a moment, then realized Torment meant her newfound power to twist the fabric of the labyrinth. He thinks it’s a gift from Ending. She paused thoughtfully. He must not know about the Dragon. I suppose Ending wouldn’t tell everyone.

That wasn’t the point at issue, though. What do I do? She glanced surreptitiously at the others. Dex was winding a bandage around Soranna’s leg, while Isaac leaned out of the doorway, keeping watch. They stayed because I said I was going to help Jacob. She couldn’t give up now, just because Torment had waved the answer she wanted in front of her. They’ve helped me this far. I owe them.

But if Torment is telling the truth, this could be my only chance to find out about my father.

“I don’t . . .” Alice hesitated. “I don’t think I trust you. What’s to stop you from hurting the others once I let you take them away? And what’s to stop you from lying to me?” She shook her head. “Besides, you’ve done something awful to Jacob. He deserves the chance to make up his own mind.”

“Foolish girl,” Torment growled. “I offer you mercy, and you throw it in my face.”

“I’m not afraid of you,” Alice said. “We’ve beaten everything you’ve thrown at us so far.”

“You have been lucky, and I have been indulgent. I warn you one last time. If you turn away from me now, all your friends will die in agony, and you will never know the truth. My patience is finished.”

“Good,” Alice whispered. “So is mine.”

She slashed the canteen through the water, shattering the image of the wolf’s staring eyes, and turned back to the others.

Chapter Twenty-three: Torment’s Children

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

TORMENT’S CHILDREN

“ARE YOU SURE you’re all right?” Alice said to Soranna.