“Is that what you’re here to do?” Alice said. “Take me prisoner?”

“Something Geryon did has gone very wrong,” Ellen said. She looked nervous. “He released something that ought to have stayed imprisoned.” She took a small green book from her pocket. “My master gave me a spell that can recapture it, if we set it in the right place.”

“We’re supposed to bring you in to explain exactly what happened,” Garret said. “And to make sure you don’t mess anything up once we activate the spell.”

Released something? That didn’t make any sense. Pyros and Helga had warned her about the Palace of Glass, but nothing could have followed her home without Ending seeing it. All I came back with was the book.

“You’ve got it wrong,” she said aloud. “Geryon is busy with his own affairs, but he sent me to tell you to leave right away. You can tell your masters that he doesn’t appreciate the intrusion.”

“Is that so?” Garret said. “If he were that irritated, you’d think he’d come down here himself.”

“Like I said, he’s busy. And you’re lucky he is. Do you really want to see an old Reader get angry?”

“You think we’re lucky.” Garret’s grin widened. “I think you’re bluffing.”

“You don’t have to do this, Alice,” Ellen said. “Geryon won’t blame you for not standing up to all of us. Just surrender and come along quietly, and everything will be fine.”

“I must agree with Sister Ellen,” Dex said. “I do not wish for us to quarrel. Stand aside, and we complete our mission and let our masters decide what happens next.”

“It’s a reasonable request,” Garret said. “Unless the prisoner has already gotten to her.”

Dex looked pained. “Garret—”

“My master warned me it might try something like that,” Ellen said, staring hard at Alice. “There’s no telling what it’s capable of.”

“I’m not under anyone’s control,” Alice said. “But I’m not going to surrender.”

“And I don’t plan to keep chatting all day,” Garret said.

“Are you really going to try to hurt me?” Alice said. “Dex? Ellen?”

Dex opened her mouth but for once seemed to have nothing to say.

“Please don’t make me,” Ellen said.

“I’m not making you do anything,” Alice said. “Can we forget the mission, just for a minute, and talk about this?”

“I think we’ve had enough talking,” Garret said.

“Garret—” Ellen began, but the boy had already raised his hand, shadows flowing along his arm like dark quicksilver.

“Get her,” he said pleasantly. “Try not to kill her, if you can help it.”