“Oh, come on,” Ellen said. “If you’ve already killed your own master, you’re not going to let a bunch of apprentices drag you away. He has to know what the old Readers would do to him.”

“I’m not sure he does,” Alice said. “I’m not sure he knows anything. He seemed half mad when I spoke to him, and Torment was . . . controlling him, somehow. I don’t think any of this is his fault.”

“It doesn’t make any difference whose fault it is,” Ellen said. “Why should we go back for him?”

“I’m not asking anyone else to come,” Alice said. “Torment doesn’t seem to want to hurt me, but that doesn’t apply to the rest of you. I’ll open a path back to the portal-book for all of you, and then go after Jacob alone.”

“Alice.” Ellen’s expression softened. “I know you feel bad for Jacob, but think about this for a minute. You’ll just get killed if you try this by yourself.”

Alice swallowed hard, but matched the other girl’s gaze levelly. Ellen’s halo flickered and danced over her head, like a wavering candle flame.

“I’m going with Alice,” Isaac said. “The rest of you can do what you like.”

“What?” Ellen said.

“Why?” Alice said.

“Because you’re right,” Isaac said. “Jacob needs our help.”

“But—”

The thing was, Alice hadn’t exactly been telling the whole truth. Torment wanted something with her, and she in turn needed something from him. If anyone knew how Esau was involved in my father’s death, it would be his labyrinthine. If she left now, the old Readers would have no choice but to get involved, and any chance of finding out what she needed to know would be lost.

But they can’t come with me. It was one thing to risk her own life to get what she wanted so desperately. If Isaac comes with me—if he were to get . . . hurt, or anything—

It didn’t bear thinking about. Alice shook her head violently.

“You can’t. I mean . . .” She paused. “Look. Torment doesn’t want to hurt me, he told me that himself. I’ll be fine.”

“Right,” Isaac drawled, catching Alice’s eye. “Because we both know that labyrinthine always tell the truth.”

“Brother Isaac is right,” Dex said. “You only know that Torment has not harmed you yet. His ultimate intentions are still unknown.”

“All the more reason we should all leave,” Ellen said.

Dex shook her head. “Sister Alice makes a good point. If Brother Jacob is in thrall to this maze-demon, we must help him.”

“You can’t mean to stay,” Ellen sputtered. “You can’t even walk!”

“I have been speaking to Sister Soranna,” Dex said, “and she believes she can help me with that problem.”