I spoke quickly before he could refuse. 'Mam would want us to use every possible means in order to survive and slay the Ordeen!'
'And I've already explained that I don't like all your mam's methods and don't choose to employ them myself!' my master snapped.
'Let Alice do it,' I begged softly. 'Please . . .'
'I think we've little choice but to let the girl try,' Arkwright said.
The Spook closed his eyes as if he was in pain; then gave a barely perceptible nod.
Alice immediately went to the foot of the central flight of stairs and sniffed loudly twice. 'Can't tell what's up there,' she admitted, 'because that's the way the witches went. They've tainted the air, so I ain't able to tell what's beyond them.'
'Then it would make sense to take those steps,' suggested the Spook. 'At least then we might get some warning if they run into trouble. Won't they have sniffed it out as the safest route anyway?'
But before Alice could answer there was a sudden scream from the central tunnel and we could hear someone running down the steps towards us. The Spook raised his staff and there was a click as he released the retractable blade.
A moment later, a shrieking witch ran out onto the landing, her hair on fire, her pointy shoes clattering on the marble floor. I doubt she even saw us. Still screaming, she continued down the steps and was lost from view. Then a second one appeared, a barefoot Mouldheel, one of Mab's followers. Arkwright intercepted her, grabbing her ragged sleeve and threatening her with his staff. Her eyes were filled with terror, her face grimed with soot, but she seemed unhurt.
'Let me go!' she cried.
'What happened?' he demanded.
'Fire daemons! We had no chance. They're dead. All dead!'
With that she tore herself free and ran on down the steps. If she was right, all the witches were dead – even Grimalkin and Mab. The power of the Ordeen was such that they hadn't been able to sniff out the danger and they'd been no match for the fire elementals.
Alice checked the left-hand stairs and shook her head. 'Danger up there!' she said. At the right-hand opening she nodded slowly. 'Seems all right . . .'
So we began a cautious ascent, the Spook once again taking the lead. We seemed to be climbing for ever: my legs grew weary and felt as heavy as lead. It was terrifying to imagine this whole structure passing through a portal, full of dark entities – some of them unknown and not even recorded in the Spook's Bestiary. And what if the Ord were suddenly to return through the portal, carrying us all with it? It was a scary thought and I wished we'd done what was necessary and were on our way out rather than penetrating ever deeper, with a host of unknown dangers ahead of us.
At last we reached the top of the stairs, to be faced with a large, circular bronze door. On it was embossed a huge skull. There was neither lock nor handle, but the Spook placed a hand against the carving and pushed. The door slid open soundlessly. Holding the lantern high, he stepped into a small octagonal room. We looked around in puzzlement. There was no other door. What was this place? What function did it serve?
Almost immediately I received an answer. This was a trap! Suddenly the ground opened beneath my feet and I heard Alice cry out in fear. Then the lantern went out, my stomach lurched, and I fell into nothingness.
Chapter 18
A BARGAIN
I landed on soft earth, the impact driving all the breath from my body and jolting my staff and bag out of my grip. It was totally dark – I couldn't even see my hand in front of my face. I got to my knees. There was mud beneath me, the dampness starting to soak into my breeches. I called out to the Spook and Alice but received no reply.
However, I wasn't alone. I sensed a movement in the darkness close by. Whatever it was travelled on more than two legs, scuttling delicately towards me. With a start, I felt something touch my ankle just above my boot. It was a gentle touch, almost a caress, and I wondered for a moment if perhaps this was something I didn't need to fear after all. But then that first delicate contact became a grip of steel, and I felt sharp teeth tearing into my leg. I waited for whatever it was to bite through to the bone, even sever my foot, but it began to drag me along behind it. I didn't dare resist. Helpless, I bumped across the ground, then felt the surface beneath me change, becoming hard and cold. I could hear the legs of the creature clicking and clacking across it. Then it stopped, released my leg and scuttled away.
Nearby, people were laughing. I had the impression that their laughter was directed at me, in an attempt to provoke me in some way. I lay perfectly still and said nothing. I'd lost my staff and bag in the fall, and but for the silver chain in my breeches pocket, I was defenceless.
Suddenly the ground beneath me began to sway alarmingly and I heard the creaking of chains. Instinctively I sat up and stretched out my hands at my sides for support. The mocking laughter seemed to be receding below me. Either that or I was somehow being carried aloft. The sounds became fainter and fainter, then faded away altogether. There was a slight movement of air on my face now. I was moving upwards into the darkness!
Feeling like a tiny mouse in a cat's basket, I kept perfectly still and silent. The slightest movement might precipitate an attack. Anything could be lurking in the darkness and I didn't want to draw attention to myself. But then I became aware of shapes about me: it was growing lighter. I had feared the dark, but the light now showed me how hopeless my predicament was.
The surface beneath me was metal, pitted with rust and scratches. As the light intensified, I saw that I was sitting in a deep circular metal dish, suspended from the apex of the spire far above me. Three rusty chains were fastened to its outer edge: apart from its great size, it was very much like the bait-dish spooks used to lure a boggart into a pit. Was I bait for some creature – some large predator? I wondered fearfully.
There were other chains nearby, and they also seemed to be in motion. Above me I heard a deep rumble. How far was I from the ground? As I moved to peer over the edge of the dish, it began to sway alarmingly. Below was a yawning gulf. And all around me I could see other dishes rising up into the spire. I was trapped. There was no way down.
The walls were also getting gradually closer as the spire narrowed. Now I could see the texture of the stones – and something else: there were creatures clinging to the walls – so many that they resembled a colony of insects, the teeming centre of a hive. What were they?