Inkcaster (Library Gate Series Book 4)

by H. Duke

  Even though she was the last person April wanted to talk to, Gram would just keep calling if she ignored her. She tapped the tiny phone icon and pressed the device to her ear.

  “Hi, Gram,” she said, trying to keep her voice from quivering.

  “April, I’ve called you half a dozen times and it’s gone to voice mail. Is everything all right?”

  “Everything’s fine. I turned my phone off for a meeting earlier and forgot to turn it back on.”

  “Oh,” Gram said. She sounded distracted. “I was just checking to see what time you’re going to be home. Remember—we have to pack tomorrow for the flight.”

  “About that…” April said. Maybe it would be easier to tell her that they’d have to cancel the trip over the phone. She tried to force her mouth to say the words, but nothing came out. Randall and Dorian looked at her expectantly.

  “I’m going to be late tonight. Something came up at the library.”

  “Are you serious? Can’t you tell them you have to wake up early?”

  “I’ll still get up early tomorrow, Gram. Don’t worry. But I have to take care of this.”

  “All right. But don’t stay too late, okay? Sometimes I think these people are taking advantage of you.”

  “It’s fine, Gram. Love you.”

  “You, too, hon. Bye.”

  “Bye.” April ended the call.

  Randall and Dorian were both looking at her expectantly. “I’ll tell her tomorrow,” she said. “Right now, we need to focus on this. Where were we?”

  “We were talking about how William the Bold doesn’t seem bound to protecting the storyline like the other UNCs,” Dorian said.

  “Right. Any theories?”

  “The potion is supposed to remove moral inhibitions,” Randall said, rubbing his chin. “Do you think it made him able to disregard whatever rules or guiding principles the UNCs follow?”

  “It seems likely,” Dorian said with a frown. “The ink rot may also play a part—this is a perfect storm of sorts. It’s not a fortuitous situation in any case.”

  “How did William know where to go?”

  “I didn’t tell him, if that’s what you’re implying,” Dorian said. “He literally sniffed out which page they were on. He seems to also have a sense of how the gate works.”

  “That must be the UNC part of him,” April said.

  “If he gets to Thaddeus, he might kill him, even if he doesn’t have to,” Randall said.

  “He seems like the type.” Dorian rubbed the bump on his forehead, which protruded even further than it had before. “So how are we going to get Thaddeus back?”

  “Is it really the best idea to get him back?” April asked.

  Randall’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean? We have to, don’t we?”

  April shrugged. “I don’t know. When we went into The First Adventure of Braddy Evers, we were able to take Braddy back with us to hold Rico’s place and balance the worlds, right?”

  “So you’re suggesting that we just pull someone off of the streets?” Dorian said.

  “Maybe. I’m just exploring our options.” she paused. “In the past I’ve made a big deal over the fates of single people without thinking about the greater consequences. I’ve risked entire worlds to save one person. I’ve risked our world.”

  “April,” Dorian said. “If we leave Thaddeus to his own devices, he won’t give the girl back. It could wreck the world of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.”

  “We changed the course of The First Adventure of Braddy Evers,” April pointed out. “And things there don’t seem so bad.”

  “That we can see,” Dorian said. “I’ve seen wrecked worlds. Not all of them turn out as nice as that. And we don’t know what the long-term repercussions are. An ant on a sinking ship won’t notice any problems until the moment the ground disappears from under their feet.”

  “Even if that’s the case,” April said, “How many of these books will go black while we’re trying to save Thaddeus? Is it worth it? Maybe it is, but we need to weigh the options.”

  “Would you be saying the same thing if it were one of us and not Thaddeus?” Dorian said.

  “I did for Barty, didn’t I?” April said frostily. “I could have formed some half-baked plan to go into that warehouse and save him, but I didn’t because I know that not only will we most likely become trapped, but that all of the wizards who we might some day be able to save, if we bide our time, will lose their last hope. So don’t tell me I’m being impartial because it’s Thaddeus.”

  She looked at Randall and Dorian, both of whom stared back at her, shocked.

  She continued. “I’m just saying, we need to think about this first, weigh the risks. What losses are worth cutting?”

  Dorian shook his head. “That way of thinking… it’s not like you,” he said.

  “No, it isn’t,” Randall said. He nodded his head as if he approved. “She’s thinking like a general. So, let’s weigh the risks, then.”

  Chapter 5

  Thaddeus ran, pulling Malloria along behind him. She was crying.

  “Hush, Malloria,” he said to her. “Do you want them to find us?”

  “My name’s not Malloria!” The girl protested between sobs. “It’s Sara!”

  “Right, right,” Thaddeus said, the ire he’d felt only moments before doused by this fact. “Of course. I misspoke. Do you know of a place to hide?”

  In this scene it was broad daylight out, so they couldn’t rely on the cover of night, even if the sun’s light was dimmed by the ink rot across the sky. There were few people walking about the streets, but they’d all had that empty-eyed, faraway look. Was it just his imagination, or did they turn towards him as he passed?

  In any case, none of the—what had the character in the library called them? Right, UNCs—none of the UNCs turned to come after him, but they seemed to sense his presence.

  It was like they were actors afraid of breaking out of character. For what? Something must be about to happen…

  “Outta my way!” A monstrous voice called from behind them. For a moment Thaddeus thought that it was Mr. Hyde, that he’d been waiting the entire time for her to show up so he could plow over her.

  But when he looked behind him, it was Officer Powers. He still looked beefy and deformed, but how had he arrived here? The serum would have surely worn off by now; this scene must take place at least several weeks in the future, if not months…

  It was Officer Powers from that same night in the scene he’d escaped from; his clothes were identical to the ones he’d been wearing, torn in the exact same places from the strain of his grown muscles. The only difference was the black rot had spread farther across his face, now touching the corner of his mouth and extending halfway across one of his eyes. Not that his vision seemed to be impaired at all.

  He must have followed Thaddeus through the portal. Had Dorian just let him pass through? Perhaps he’d even pointed him the right way. Thaddeus could think of no other explanation for him being able to find the exact page that he’d escaped into.

  Thaddeus turned back towards the street and ran. The monster’s footfalls picked up speed on the cobblestone behind him. He must have seen them.

  They rounded the corner. How had Powers gotten into the library in the first place? From the little he’d learned from the Pagewalker, book characters didn’t cross over the threshold on their own.

  The pace of Officer Powers’ footfalls accelerated. He’d focus on the logistics of the monster’s presence later. Right now he had to keep Sara safe.

  “Think,” he told her. “Where’s someplace we can hide?”

  “I don’t know,” she said, looking terrified. “That monster-man is going to get me!”

  “I won’t let him, I promise,” Thaddeus said, doing his best to keep his frustration out of his voice, “But you know these streets better than I do. Where can we go? Somewhere where the monster won’t find us?”

  She looked terrified still
, but then her eyes cleared. “There’s a place I hide from mummy sometimes when she wants me to do chores. None of the grown-ups know about it.”

  “Perfect!” Thaddeus said. “Where is it?”

  “There’s a hedgerow outside of one of the rich people’s houses,” she said. “It’s hollow inside, but the leaves are so thick that you can’t see through them.”

  “How do we get there?”

  She pointed down the street, away from the corner where Officer Powers would be emerging any minute.

  Thaddeus scooped her up. He’d ask questions while they went. Halfway down the street he saw a house that looked nicer than the rest. Eight-foot hedges had been planted in front of it—to obscure the view of nosey onlookers, presumably.

  “That’s it,” Sara said.

  “How do we get in?”

  “There’s an opening on the other end.” She looked at him doubtfully. “I don’t know if you’ll fit, though. It’s only just big enough for me.”

  We’ll deal with that when we get there, Thaddeus said, sprinting the last ten feet to the opposite end of the hedge. He set Sara down.

  “Where’s the opening?” The shrubbery looked completely solid to him. Had it grown back in the weeks since she’d been here last?

  But then she stuck her hand into a spot on the hedge and pulled a few of the branches off to one side, revealing that the inside was partially hollow.

  It was also entirely too small for him.

  “In you go,” he said, and she slipped inside. Even for her, it was a tight fit. She had to hunch over to keep her head from hitting the branches.

  There was no way he’d fit inside; if he tried, he’d break the branches that concealed the opening, wrecking the bit of camouflage that made this plan even remotely viable in the first place.

  He heard footsteps approach.

  “You stay in there, okay?” he said. “No matter what happens. Promise you’ll stay there until I get you out, all right?”

  She nodded, her eyes wide.

  The top of Officer Power’s misshapen head appeared over the hedge. Thaddeus pressed his finger to his lips in a shushing gesture, then carefully replaced the branches so that Sara was hidden. He crept to the side of the hedge facing the house, scooting as close to the shrub as possible.

  He’d hoped that Officer Powers would pass them, but he stopped on the other side of the hedge. Thaddeus’ heart pumped in his chest. He needed a weapon.

  He looked around him but saw only well-manicured grass. There weren’t even any sticks… then he saw a short tower of bricks stacked near the hedge. He leaned over and gripped two of them, one in each hand.

  “Come out, come out, wherever you are,” Officer Powers breathed menacingly. “William the Bold can smell you. I know you’re here somewhere…”

  William the Bold? It sounded like he was referring to himself in the third person, but the name was new. Mr. Hyde had a different name from Dr. Jekyll, though, so…

  Thaddeus shook his head. Focus, he told himself. He needed to get away from this spot. If Officer Powers—or William the Bold, whatever his name was—found him, then he’d know Sara was nearby. If he found her, it was all over. There was no way that Thaddeus would be able to get her back.

  He turned back the way they’d come. The building’s driveway formed a horseshoe shape, with the entrance on the right side of the hedges and the exit on the left side. Probably for guests in carriages to be easily dropped off. The exit lay back in the direction they’d run from; the entrance was in the direction they’d run towards. Thaddeus didn’t dare chance a look, but he was sure that William the Bold stood closer to the entrance.

  Then Thaddeus would go back towards the way they’d come. He lowered himself onto his stomach and began to crawl, pulling himself forward inches at a time with his elbows. He still held a brick in each hand, unwilling to relinquish his only weapons, even if they hindered his movement. He thought wryly that he was using the skills he’d learned from the Academy more today than he had in the last five years with the Agency.

  He hoped that Sara would stay where she was, that she listened to what he’d told her. If she left, he’d never be able to find her… but it wasn’t worth risking William the Bold finding her now.

  Thaddeus crawled, listening to the monster’s feverish soliloquy.

  “Where are you?” he said. “I smell you, but I can’t see you…”

  Thaddeus glanced back. He could see the top of Officer Powers’ bobby cap peeking over the edge of the hedge—he was standing exactly in front of the space where Sara was hidden. The hat tipped forwards slightly…

  “You there!” a voice called from the house. “What are you doing?”

  Thaddeus winced. He was sure that the voice was calling to him; that someone from the house had seen him. Now William the Bold would know where he was. That was fine; Thaddeus was only worried about him finding Sara.

  “I… I’m a member of the police,” William the Bold said sullenly, stupidly, as though taken off guard.

  Thaddeus couldn’t see the source of the voice, which meant whoever had spoken couldn’t see him. They were talking to William the Bold. The man’s inexplicably off-putting appearance would have drawn attention for sure. He sighed with relief, and kept belly-crawling towards the entrance…

  “Like hell you are,” the voice said. “I know the police commissioner, and he’d never hire a vile creature such as yourself. What are you doing skulking around our hedgerow?”

  “I assure you,” William the Bold retorted, sounding somewhat out of his element, “That I am a member of the police force. In fact, I am posted on just the next street over—”

  “Then I know you’re lying,” the man’s voice said. “A young man is stationed there, but he’s been missing for near a fortnight now. Not that he was much use. So I ask again, what are you doing?”

  “I am… I am Officer Powers’ replacement. As far as my business here, I am looking for two fugitives. I smelled—I mean, I saw them come this way.”

  Thaddeus continued to belly crawl. He was feet away from the entrance. He stood up, hoping that William the Bold wouldn’t see him.

  “There are no fugitives here,” the voice sniffed. “And I suggest you take your business elsewhere, before you besmirch the name of Mr. Carew, owner of this household.”

  Thaddeus hurried across the street, nearly colliding with a horse-drawn carriage that happened to be passing by. William the Bold was still standing near the hedge.

  The voice called again, “Come to the opening so that I can see your face. That way I’ll recognize you if you come back to enact whatever treacherous deed you have planned.”

  William the Bold moved reluctantly to the opening at the end of the hedge.

  “Good God, man,” the man’s voice said, revulsion dripping from every syllable. “You’re simply repulsive! Be gone from here, and don’t come back!”

  William the Bold stood dumbly. It was as though this person, whoever they were, had some sort of power over him. It reminded Thaddeus of the way he’d acted when Enfield had come to save him. Was it possible that this man was a part of the storyline?

  Thaddeus wasn’t going to wait around to find out. He waited for a break in the traffic of the street, which was heavier than he’d expected. When he had a good shot, he raised one of the bricks and threw it at the back of William the Bold’s head. He under-shot slightly, and it hit him on the shoulder.

  Thaddeus waited only long enough for William the Bold to whirl around and see him. William’s eyes flashed murderously as they met his. Thaddeus took off at full speed, though the people walking around the street impeded his progress.

  “Out of the way,” he said, but the figures didn’t heed his command. Instead, they turned towards him, their eyes empty.

  He was running in the direction of the portal, but he wasn’t necessarily heading there, if it was even still open. Dorian would have closed it so the Pagewalker would be able to get back through. Thaddeu
s wasn’t concerned with that. He just wanted to lead William the Bold away from Sara…

  “Go, Sara!” he called ahead of him, hoping to build the illusion that the girl was running in front of him. “Faster!”

  There was a bottleneck of pedestrians up at an intersection up ahead of him, and Thaddeus realized it was the intersection where he’d rescued Sara. In fact, Sara’s mother was among the people milling about. Her eyes were just as dull and empty as ever; they might as well have been made of cheap buttons that had lost their shine.

  The intersection was blocked with people. All of them had their hands outstretched, obviously ready to grab him. He raised his one remaining brick, ready to use it, not sure what good it would do him. But he wasn’t going to stop trying.

  He was a few feet in front of the mob when William the Bold’s voice came up from behind him.

  “Don’t touch him!” he boomed. “He’s mine!”

  Everyone in the street parted, their arms coming to rest at their sides.

  Why would William the Bold do that? From what Dorian had said, all he should care about was protecting the integrity of the story-line. Wouldn’t it be in the storyline’s best interest if the mob grabbed him and held him? But Officer Powers seemed to be putting his ego first.

  Looks like you don’t know everything, Dorian, Thaddeus thought.

  Thaddeus slowed his pace on the other side of the mob. He could see the door that had served as the portal. Should he go check if it was open?

  No. Even if it was, the Pagewalker might be there… and then they’d hold him and send someone in after Sara. They’d put her back in earlier scene and let Mr. Hyde run over her.

  He would never let that happen. Not on his life. Not if all the worlds in existence were at stake.

  He turned towards the only other place he was familiar with. The lab. The lab where he’d been threatened with torture both minutes and weeks earlier.

  The door was locked, but he kicked it in on the third try. He heard William the Bold barreling towards him. He’d seen him. Damn.

  Thaddeus pushed a large crate in front of the door, then surveyed the scene. The crate wasn’t tall enough to block the entire doorway, but it was the best he could do. Against the back wall was an entrance that must connect to the Jekyll house.