“Honestly, I don’t,” Alice said.

“Neither do I,” Ashes said. “Because it’s the kind of thing that, when you do it to someone, they’re never heard from again.”

“I’m hoping we have a little time,” Alice said. “They won’t know for sure that Geryon’s gone, and they’ll have to organize.”

But Isaac was shaking his head. “After Esau’s death, they’re all on edge. My master was already talking to the others about sending their apprentices here. He was practically in a panic. I was hoping I’d be in time to warn you.”

“Warn her?” Ashes said. “That’s like running to warn someone who’s set off a bomb that things are about to get a little hot!”

“You know, you could be a bit more constructive,” Alice said.

“I’m still trying to wrap my head around the magnitude of your insanity,” the cat muttered. “Once I’ve got that handled, I’ll get started on the mind-numbing terror. It’s not just your neck on the block here, you know!”

“I know,” Alice said. “I’m sorry! I thought we’d have more time!”

“Running isn’t going to work,” Isaac said. “Mr. Black might be able to get away if nobody goes looking for him, but the old Readers will follow Alice wherever she goes. A rogue Reader, even an apprentice, is too dangerous.”

“And most of the creatures can’t run,” Alice said. Isaac shot her an odd look, then nodded slowly.

“As I see it,” Isaac went on, “you’ve got two options when the apprentices turn up. You can tell them it was an accident, and surrender. If the Readers don’t figure out that it was you who trapped Geryon, they’ll probably assume one of them did it. I bet one of them would take you in. Apprentices are valuable. I could try to convince my master that you’d be useful.”

“They’ll still tear the library to pieces,” Alice said. “All the creatures—”

“Not to mention Mother and me,” Ashes said. “The Readers won’t allow one of their own to control two labyrinthine. They’ll imprison Mother and probably toss me to the wolves.”

Isaac’s face fell. “The other option is letting Geryon loose and begging for mercy. Tell him it was a mistake, or that one of the others had a spell on you. He might let you live.”

Alice closed her eyes.