In spite of their familiarity, there was always something unnerving about Ending. For one thing, while Alice had never seen her in the light, the glimpses she’d caught of paws or tail hinted at a black cat the size of a tiger. But it was more than that—Alice had faced plenty of monsters, but even the ugliest didn’t match the sense of casual power Ending exuded. The library was her domain—in here she could see everything and be everywhere. Or at least she would like me to think so.

“It looks like it may have worked this time,” she went on, when the cat didn’t say anything. “Unless they explode again.”

“It feels right this time,” Ending said.

“Still, better safe than sorry,” Alice muttered.

She pulled the Swarm thread around herself, hardening her skin, and went over to the acorns. When she nudged one with her foot, it didn’t burst, so she bent down and picked it up. Tugging just a bit on the tree-sprite’s thread let her feel the power coiled inside it, enough raw energy to create a full-grown tree squished into a nut that fit in her pocket. Alice closed her hand around it and grinned. The tree-sprite was one of her most useful creatures, but only if there were trees about to work with. Now she could bring her trees with her.

“Congratulations,” Ending said as Alice picked up the other two acorns. “I knew you would get it eventually.”

“Thank you for your help,” Alice said politely.

“Now you’ve got a trick Geryon doesn’t know about,” Ending said. “I’m sure that will come in handy.”

The thought of Geryon, and their conversation this morning, instantly obliterated Alice’s good mood. It must have showed on her face, because Ending made a noise like “Hmm?” Her yellow eyes closed and vanished, appearing again in another patch of shadow close to Alice’s side.

“What is it, child?” the cat purred. “Has something happened?”

“No,” Alice said. “That’s just it. Nothing’s happened at all.” She hesitated, not sure if she should talk about it. But Ending had helped her capture Vespidian, and already knew most of the story. “I asked Geryon if he’d found out anything about what happened to my father.”

“And he said nothing,” Ending said.

“He said he’s looking into it. Asking the other old Readers.”

Ending’s brief snort was eloquent. Alice’s cheeks heated.

“You think he isn’t doing anything?” she said.

“Whether he is or not is of little consequence. The Readers are as miserly with their information as they are with their magic, and they give up neither simply for the asking. Besides, does Geryon truly want to find out? Suppose he discovered who was involved—what then? Does he go to war with another Reader on your behalf?”