Taken

open—but this time it opened into a small old room, which seemed to flame with brilliant colour. This was the real world, not the half-real copy I was in. A beautiful woman in a cream-coloured suit walked in quickly, letting the door swing shut behind her without looking back.

She sensed me before she’d gone two steps, but too late. Before she could turn I had my left hand tangled in her hair and pulling her head up while my right hand held a knife against her throat. “Crystal,” I said into her ear. “Fancy meeting you here.”

Crystal held quite still. Without moving the knife I took the item from her unresisting hand, then held it up where I could see it. It was a small iron key and it radiated magic. “A focus,” I said. “So Vitus gave you a way to get in and out of this place on your own, huh?”

“I don’t know what you’re hoping to accomplish,” Crystal said without turning her head, “but this is not a good way to go about it.” Despite the knife to her throat, her voice was steady.

“First things first,” I said, dropping the key into my pocket. “Please don’t try any attacks. No matter how fast you think you are, I promise you you’re not as fast as a muscle twitch. Now how about you lead me to where Vitus Aubuchon has been taking the kids?”

“I’m not quite sure what you’re talking about.”

I let myself think about the fact that if Crystal was going to be uncooperative it would be faster just to slit her throat and find Vitus’s lair myself.

“Oh, Vitus Aubuchon,” Crystal said hurriedly. “You’re looking for his sanctum?”

“Yes I am. Start walking.”

Crystal did. I matched pace with her, keeping the knife pressed against her throat and keeping my divination focused on the short-term chances of her trying anything. As long as I kept the knife there, they were very low. I’d spent enough time around Crystal to get a fairly good handle on her personality and I’d pegged her as the cautious type. I didn’t think she’d try to attack on her own, not as long as she thought she could get out of this some other way. “What is this place?” I said.

“I don’t actually know the details—”

I let myself think of cutting Crystal’s throat again.

Crystal changed gears quickly. “—it’s a shadow realm of Fountain Reach. It’s a copy, slightly out of phase with reality. The wards link the copy with the original.”

“And that key is a focus that lets you go between the two, right?”

“. . . Yes. But it’s not easy to use, you have to—”

“I’m sure I’ll figure it out.”

“Please don’t tell Vitus I let you know any of this,” Crystal said. She sounded afraid, fearful. “He’ll kill me.”

“Uh-huh.”

“I’ll help you. I’ll take you to him. Is that all right?”

“That’s great. Down these stairs?”

“Yes . . . Could you take the knife away?”

“I don’t think so.” I started down the stairs, keeping the knife to Crystal’s throat.

“Look, I didn’t have any choice,” Crystal said anxiously. “He brought me here the first time. If I didn’t help him he was going to—”

“He was going to do what?” I said. “Vitus can’t do anything outside this house. In fact, I don’t think he can even leave this house. So what exactly was stopping you from walking away as soon as you got out that first time?”

“There are—things he can do,” Crystal said with a little catch in her voice. “You don’t understand. He’s—”

“Oh, spare me the bullshit,” I said. “I’m not as gullible as Lyle. If you’re going to lie at least make it interesting.”

Crystal was silent for five seconds and when she spoke again the pretence of fear was gone from her voice; it was precise and cool. “I’m going to enjoy watching Vitus kill you.”

“You know, that might be the first honest thing you’ve ever said to me.” Following Crystal’s lead, I turned down another hallway; we were descending towards the lower regions of Fountain Reach. “While we’re on this truthful streak, why don’t you tell me why you signed up with Vitus?”

“Why should I?”

“Because you’re hoping to kill me before we leave, so where’s the harm?”

“That’s an interesting perspective.”

“Okay, let’s try another question. How long has Anne got before Vitus kills her?”

“That is the question, isn’t it?” Crystal said calmly. “Let’s just say that if I were you I wouldn’t wait around.”

A flash of anger went through me but I kept my voice level. “You’re very funny.”

Crystal suddenly came to a stop. We’d reached an intersection, corridors stretching away in all four directions into darkness. When Crystal spoke, her voice was suddenly high and frightened again. “No, please don’t hurt me! I’ll do whatever you say!”

I growled. “Stop that.” I was watching Crystal’s future actions closely and I could sense she was coiled, ready to strike. “I told you—”

The attack came from behind: a chaotic surge of fear and emotion and confusion that scrambled my thoughts.