“Not ‘all over,’ in this case. Only those who had close dealings with Esau will send representatives,” Geryon said, as though he’d genuinely forgotten the problem. He smiled gently. “It matters very little. Do you think Ashes learned English as a kitten?”

“I . . . I hadn’t considered it, sir.”

“It’s only humans who suffer from the curse of Babel. The words of Readers, and magical creatures, carry pure meaning. Suffice to say that if you wish to be understood, you will be, and vice versa.”

“I see, sir. That’s good to know.”

“Be polite and respectful,” Geryon said. “But do not grow too friendly with the others. Remember that, however you may feel toward one another personally, they must obey their masters, and the will of those masters may set them against you someday. It does not serve to become too attached to those who may eventually be your enemies.”

Isaac had said something similar to her, the last time they’d seen each other. I wonder if he’ll be there? She had no idea if his master, Anaxomander, had had “close dealings” with Esau, but it would be nice to see a familiar face. Even if I still owe him a punch on the nose.

“I understand, sir.”

“Very well. Good luck. I will be waiting for your return.”

Alice nodded, and flipped open the book. As usual, there was a moment where the letters were a mass of flickering, incomprehensible light, and then they twisted and resolved under her gaze.

She read, The air smelled musty and damp, like cold, wet stone . . .

The air smelled musty and damp, like cold, wet stone. A faint breeze was chilly against her cheek, and she could hear the plink, plink of dripping water in the distance. It reminded her of the world of the Swarm, but only for a moment. The rough floor under her boots felt like natural stone, not bricks, and there was none of the faint sewer smell of that place, just the clean scent of ancient rock.

Even after Alice counted to fifty, her eyes still hadn’t adjusted to the utter darkness. She reached out with her mind for the devilfish thread and tugged, summoning the creature’s ghostly glow. It cast weird, green-tinted shadows.

She was, as she’d guessed, in a cave. It was roughly circular, big enough to hold a couple of tennis courts, with the ceiling perhaps twenty feet overhead. There was no way in or out that she could see. A couple of the walls had long cracks, and she could feel a steady breath of fresh air through them.