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 read 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 a slight bit of power, she might have been able to help Skulduggery.
She 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 blond hair and 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 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 offense.'
'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 Three Names from the shelf and flicked through it. She came to the part on taken names, a chunk of the book that went on for roughly two hundred pages, and scanned the headings in bold print. She turned pages, skimmed paragraphs, looking for anything that stood out. The best advice it had for taking a name was this: 'The name you take should fit you, define you, and already be known to you.'
She put the book back, unimpressed, and scanned a few more titles before she found it: Elemental Magic. She took it down, opened it, and started reading. This was it. This was what she was looking for. She found an old chair in one corner and sat, bringing her legs up under her.
Her mobile phone was perched on the arm of the chair. Stephanie held her hand closed, trying to think of the space between her hand and the phone as a series of interlocking objects. Moving one would move another, which would move another, which would move the phone. She focused, opened her hand slowly, and then snapped her palm, as she had seen Skulduggery do.
Nothing happened.
She made a fist, then tried again.
The phone stayed where it was. Just as it had done the previous fifty times she'd tried.
'How's it going?'
She looked up as Tanith Low approached.
'You're starting off too big,' Tanith said. 'A phone's too heavy. A paper clip would be enough.'
'I don't have a paper clip,' Stephanie said.
Tanith took the book from her, opened it, and balanced it on the arm of the chair. 'Use that,'
she said.
Stephanie frowned. 'But that's even heavier than the phone.'
'Not the book. Just the page.'
'Oh,' Stephanie said. She concentrated again, flexed her fingers, and splayed her hand. The page didn't turn. It didn't even lift.
'It takes time,' Tanith said. 'And patience.'
'I don't have time,' Stephanie said bitterly. 'And I've never had patience.'
Tanith shrugged. 'There's always the possibility that you just can't do magic. It's one thing to know it exists — it's quite another to be able to do it yourself.'
'I suppose,' Stephanie said.
'That's some bruise you've got there.'
Stephanie glanced at her arm, to where the sleeve had risen. 'I had a bit of trouble,' she said.
'So I see. Did you give as good as you got?'
'Not really,' Stephanie admitted. 'But most of the bruising was done by a tree anyway, so . . .'
'I've fought just about every type of opponent you could name,' Tanith said, 'but I've never been attacked by a tree. Well done.' * 'Thank you.'
Tanith dug into her pocket, coming out. with a piece Of yellow porous rock. 'Run a bath, let this dissolve. A few minutes in there, the bruises will be gone.'
Stephanie took the rock. 'Thank you,' she said, and Tanith shrugged.
'I don't want to scare you, but this mightn't be the best time for someone to start learning magic.
Bad things are happening.'
Stephanie didn't say anything. She didn't know anything about Tanith, and she didn't know how many sides there were in the coming conflict. She wasn't about to start trusting perfect strangers.
'Thanks for the rock,' she said.
'Not a problem,' Tanith responded. 'We warriors have to look out for one another.'
Stephanie saw movement through the stacks — the man in the bow tie was back. Which meant China had returned.
'I have to go,' she said at once, getting up off the chair.
She found China in the apartment, her back to Stephanie as she approached.
'Have you told the Elders?' Stephanie asked.
'Word has been sent,' China said without turning.
'You sent word? That's it?'
'Do not presume to question me, child.'
Stephanie glared at her. 'I really wish you wouldn't call me 'child.''
China turned. 'And I really wish you would pick a name, so I wouldn't have to.'
'Why aren't we going to the rescue?'
'Going to the rescue?' she said with a laugh. 'On our horses, is that right? With bugles sounding and flags flying? You think that's how it works?'
'Skulduggery has come to my rescue.'
'Well, they don't make them like him anymore, do they?'
'Sending word isn't good enough. Meritorious has to be told. Tell him that we need Skulduggery to get the Scepter, tell him that without Skulduggery Serpine will destroy everything, tell him whatever you want, but we have to make the Elders act!'
'And then what? They call the Cleavers to action, they call their allies together, and then we all go merrily along to war? Child, you know nothing about war. You think it's big and it's loud and it's good versus evil. It's not. War is a delicate thing; it requires precision. It requires timing.'
'We don't have time.'
'Not so. Time is in short supply, but we still have it.'
'So you're delaying! Why?'
'I cannot have chaos erupting around me until I am prepared for it. I am a collector. I am an observer. I don't
