“You can’t predict what Torment will do, and you know it. You didn’t want us to come because you’ve got something else in mind.”

“It’s not like that,” Alice said. She paused. “I am going to rescue Jacob. But there’s something else too. I didn’t want anyone getting hurt just for my sake.”

“Oh.” Isaac regarded her thoughtfully. “I can believe that. So what is the ‘something else’? Some treasure for Geryon?”

“No! If that was it, I would have left with Ellen. This is something . . . personal. And I told you, it’s no business of yours!” She glared at him. “What are you doing here? I’m sure it’s not out of the goodness of your heart.”

“I’m here because of my brother,” Isaac said.

“Evander?” He’d told Alice the story, back in the library, when he was trying to convince her to let him escape with the Dragon book. They’d grown up together, until Isaac’s master had traded Evander to another Reader like he was a milk-cow. “Why? Was he supposed to be on the expedition?”

Isaac gave a bitter chuckle. “Who do you think we came here to find?”

It took Alice a moment to parse that. When she did, her eyes went wide.

“Wait. I thought Jacob was Esau’s apprentice.”

“Esau changed his name,” Isaac said. “Like a pet.”

“You’re certain?”

“Of course I’m certain! I told you, we’ve met a few times since. He would joke about it.” Isaac’s expression was dark with anger. “I’m not surprised he killed Esau. That monster deserved it.”

“But why would your master send you to kill him?”

“Maybe it’s a test.” Isaac kicked idly at the fabric of the tent. “He wants to be sure I’m loyal enough, or something. Maybe he just forgot all about Evander, or who he traded him to. I wouldn’t put it past him.”

“So you knew this from the beginning,” Alice said. Isaac’s sullen behavior and his bloodshot eyes suddenly made a little more sense. “What were you going to do when we found him?”

“I have no idea. Try to help him escape, maybe. Or maybe convince him to come along peacefully and beg for mercy. I couldn’t let the rest of you find out. You’d have tried to stop me.”

“And that’s why you were pretending I didn’t exist?” Alice said.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I thought . . . You were the only one who knew the story. I was afraid if I talked to you, I might let something slip, and you’d figure it out. You could have told the others.” He scratched his cheek and looked away, embarrassed. “I thought you were still angry with me.”

“I ought to be. Angry, I mean. That was a dirty trick you pulled to steal the Dragon.”