Torches hung in the many windows of the towers and along the walkways. But it was the starlight that revealed the most surprising thing: Each tower rested on a single rock spire, stretching up from the black depths of the crevasse below. The entire castle was perched on hundreds of these pillars, like a bed of needles.

In the center of the mass of towers, a single huge building rose, round and dome-roofed. More torches shone in a ring around it, like a crown of fire sitting on a bald stone head, and a hundred bridges stretched away from it to every level of the surrounding towers.

Alice became aware that the others had halted too. The six of them stood quietly for a moment, staring at the huge complex.

“Well,” Garret said, “it’s pretty obvious where we have to go.” He pointed at the big central building. “That must be Esau’s stronghold.”

“That doesn’t mean Jacob is in there,” Ellen said. “If he has any brains at all, he’d hide in one of the outlying towers. Searching this place would take years!”

“I can help with that, Sister Ellen,” Dex said. “Auguries and finding are my specialty.”

Ellen sniffed. “Your last augury led us into a swamp.”

“We did find what we sought.”

“And nearly lost your arm.”

Dex shrugged. “The signs tell me where the road leads, not what troubles we will face along the way.”

“In any case,” Garret broke in, “we should investigate the stronghold first. If he’s not there, we’ll widen our search.”

“We’ll have to get there first,” Ellen said. “Look at this place. It’s a maze.”

A labyrinth.

This last was not spoken aloud. It was a low, resonant voice that echoed around Alice’s skull and down to the pit of her stomach. It was a deeper, louder voice than any human’s, but Alice recognized it, even after six months of silence. That’s not a day I’m ever likely to forget.

The Dragon hadn’t spoken a word since the day it had submitted to her, inside the prison-book. She’d never been able to pull its thread toward the world to summon or control it. It just sat there, deep in her mind, like a toad at the bottom of a pond.

Now she took hold of the thread. Can you hear me? she thought at it.

I can hear you, little sister.

A dozen questions came to mind. Why haven’t you spoken to me before now? Can Isaac hear you too?

No. His mind is closed to me. And there was never a need before. But now you are in great danger.

Danger? She looked up at the castle. Here?

Yes. You are entering a labyrinth. If you continue, you are lost.