wider. Stephanie turned, moved behind the desk and hid. The pounding continued. She peered out. She could see a papery arm now, reaching around. Then a shoulder, and a head. She ducked back into hiding.
One last heave and the door was open wide enough for the thing to step over the fallen bookcase. Stephanie stopped breathing. She peeked out. It crossed to the window and leaned out, hands on the sill.
Stephanie rose and launched herself forward. It heard her and tried to turn but she slammed into it. Its heavy hands slipped off the window sill and dragged it through, and Stephanie reached down, grabbed its lower leg and hauled. The thing tried to reach back through the window but it was too late, and out it went with a faint rustle of paper.
It landed in a heap and she saw the man in the suit glare up at her. He waved his arm and she threw herself away from the window as the air turned purple and the window exploded. Glass shards rained down on her back, but they didn’t tear through the coat.
She lay where she was, hands over her head, until she heard a car start up. Then she got up, glass and splinters of wood falling from her, and reached the window just in time to see the silver car leave the estate. They’d left her, obviously deciding it wasn’t worth the effort to make sure she was dead.
Stephanie pulled the crumpled business card from her pocket, got out her phone and dialled the number. The call was picked up almost immediately. She spoke urgently.
“I need help. They’ve taken Skulduggery.”
“Tell me where you are,” China Sorrows said. “I’ll send someone to pick you up.”
ELEMENTAL MAGIC
The apartment was vast, occupying the space across the hall from her library. Stephanie had leaped out of the car China had sent, run up the stairs and had been directed in here by the man in the bow tie. No time had been lost. Skulduggery was in danger and they needed to get him back now.
China spoke at last. “How can you be sure it was Serpine?”
“What?” Stephanie said, exasperated. “Of course it was Serpine! Who else could it have been?”
A delicate shrug of delicate shoulders. “We have to be sure, that’s all.”
“I am sure, OK?”
China looked at her, and Stephanie felt ashamed of her impatience. She lowered her eyes and closed her mouth. She was so sore, her body was so sore, but it was all right now because she was safe, and China would know what to do. Everything would be OK. Stephanie would wait for her to make a decision, no matter how long she deliberated, and she felt sure that Skulduggery would be safe and well. Even if he wasn’t, what did it matter? China knew what was best, and if she wanted to wait, then Stephanie would be happy to wait with her.
No, she said to herself, that’s the spell, that’s China’s spell working on me. She dragged her eyes up, met China’s gaze and thought she saw a flicker of surprise.
“What are you going to do?” Stephanie asked.
China rose from the chair in one graceful movement. “I will see to it,” she said. “You should go home, dear: you look dreadful.”
Stephanie felt herself blush. “I’d rather stay,” she said.
“It could take some time before plans are in place. Wouldn’t you be more comfortable in familiar surroundings?”
Stephanie didn’t like disagreeing with China but she couldn’t go home, not while Skulduggery was in trouble. “I’d rather stay,” she repeated softly.
“Very well,” China said with a small smile. “I must leave, but I’ll return when I have news.”
“Can I come with you?”
“I’m afraid not, child.” Stephanie nodded, hiding her disappointment.
China left the building, accompanied by the man in the bow tie. Stephanie stayed in the apartment for a while, but despite the fact that it was almost three in the morning, she couldn’t relax. There was no TV and the only book in a language she could understand was a leather-bound address book on a small table.
She crossed the hall and stepped into the library. She passed a man in a porcelain mask, too engrossed in his reading to notice her. She walked slowly, reading the titles on the spines of the books, trying to keep her mind occupied. If she could find something here, a book that had what she needed, then maybe she wouldn’t be so helpless next time she went up against Serpine, or anyone else. If she’d had even the slightest bit of power, she might have been able to help Skulduggery.
Stephanie followed one shelf to its end then chose another one, wandering deeper into the labyrinth. She couldn’t work out the system – the books weren’t arranged alphabetically, or by author, or even by topic. It all seemed completely random.
“You look lost.”
She turned. The young woman who had addressed her slipped a book back into its place. She had tousled blonde hair and she was pretty, but her eyes were hard and she wore a sleeveless tunic that showed her strong arms. She spoke with an English accent.
“I’m looking for a book,” Stephanie said, unsure.
“This would seem to be the place for that.”
“Are there any books here on magic?”
“They’re all books on magic,” the young woman replied.
“I mean learning magic. I just need something. Anything.”
“You have no one to teach you?”
“Not yet. I don’t know how to find anything in here.”
For a moment, Stephanie felt like she was being studied. Finally the young woman spoke again. “My name is Tanith Low.”
“Oh, hi. I’m afraid I can’t tell you my name. No offence.”
“None taken. The books are arranged in terms of experience. These are far too advanced for someone without instruction. Two rows over, you might find what you need.”
Stephanie thanked her and Tanith walked away, disappearing in the maze of shelves. Stephanie found the section she was referring to and started scanning the titles. An Introductory Guide to Monster Hunting, The Sorcery Doctrines, A History So Far, Three Names…
Stephanie took the Three Names book from the shelf, and flicked through it. She came to the part on Taken Names, a chunk
