“You’ll help?” Alice hesitated. “I don’t think I can do it without you. I never would have gotten this far without you.”

“At this point, I have little choice,” Ending said. “My lot is cast. But for what it is worth, I think you are right. I will help as best I can.”

“Thank you.”

On impulse, Alice reached out to touch the fur on Ending’s shoulder. Her hand sank into it, the downy black softer than the softest of pillows. Ending’s tail lashed again.

“They are waiting for you, by Mr. Wurms’ table,” Ending said. “The library creatures and the apprentices. I asked Ashes to bring them together. You had better speak to them.”

Alice nodded, then thought of something and swallowed hard. “What about . . . Ellen? Is she . . .”

“I have put her body somewhere safe,” Ending said gently. “When we are finished, I will show you a place where she can be buried.”

“Thank you.” Alice straightened up. “I guess it’s time to face the crowd, then.”

“It is.”

She gave a weak chuckle. “I think the Ouroborean was less terrifying.”

“Was it?” Ending said.

Alice shook her head. “No.”

She took a deep breath and stepped around the corner, from here to there.

They were all gathered, all the creatures who’d come to her looking for reassurance after Geryon had disappeared—the clockwork spider, the sprites, the woman in bones, the bent-backed old man with his mushrooms. There was no sign of Mr. Black, but Mr. Wurms was there, having crawled out of who-knew-what hidey-hole. Helga was still in bed, of course, but Erdrodr stood at the edge of the crowd, her slate out, sketching frantically. Flicker and Actinia were in the front row, long black spears at their sides.

The other apprentices were there too. Isaac, Dex, Michael, and Jen stood together, a little separate from the rest. They were covered in patches of healing ice, and looked worried and exhausted. And no wonder. I was fighting to defend my home. They may have lost theirs. They can’t go back to their masters, not now.

Ashes walked back and forth on the now bench-less table, stepping lightly over the scattered books.

“Thank goodness,” he said, when Alice arrived. “This lot is getting fractious. I—hey!”

Alice scooped the cat into her arms and planted a kiss on his fuzzy forehead.

“What was that for?” Ashes sputtered. “What have I ever done to deserve that?”

“I wanted to say thank you,” Alice said, putting him on the ground. “For everything.”

“Yes, well. Far be it from me to dispute my own heroism,” Ashes muttered. “But proper thanks should involve tuna.”

Alice laughed. “I’ll keep that in mind.”