Chapter 1

The Growing Mystery

A few hours earlier

Irene had been a Librarian long enough to smell a rat when she encountered one, and this assignment carried a distinct whiff of rodent. She was a Librarian-in-Residence, not a journeyman any longer. This assignment should have gone to someone else.

Oh, Coppelia had sugar-coated it nicely, using phrases such as valuable experience in alternates with chaos-infestation, time-sensitive mission while we are temporarily short-staffed and useful experience for your apprentice.

Maybe Irene was a little bit suspicious after the mission that had landed her the job of Librarian-in-Residence in the first place and maybe – if she was being really honest – she just didn't fancy going out into alternates from which Alberich had not been permanently banished.

Quick in, quicker out, she told herself, because this assignment should be simple. If Coppelia was to be believed, they only had to go out and buy a rare book in the same city where the Traverse came out, a few hours work at the most. No need for deception, no need for false identities.

It really sounded too good to be true.

The size of the folder with background information did nothing to reassure Irene either.

She entered her lodgings and found Kai in the living room.

'Any news?' he asked.

Irene laid the folder on the coffee table. 'We have an assignment,' she announced. 'In another alternate.'

That caught his interest. 'What book are we after?'

Irene consulted the folder. ' Die Lied der Erlking, by Wizard Peabody.'

'A B-alternate?' Kai asked.

'G-692, actually.' Tech and magic. 'Unique to that alternate, I think. And rare.' According to the folder there had only been fewer than a thousand copies printed and most of those had disappeared. Kai and Irene were to retrieve one of the few remaining before they too went the way of the dodo.

Of course Irene knew of at least a dozen alternates where dodos were still around, but the saying was popular in many worlds, including the one she now lived in.

Kai perked up. Irene suspected that he had rather liked the Gamma world from which he had been recruited. Not that he complained about the level of technology in this world, but he might miss it.

Now for the bad news: 'There's a chaos infestation in that world.' On par with the one they were currently living in, if not worse in some ways. She listed it all, just to get it over with: 'Multiple types of vampires and werewolves, all kinds of supernatural creatures and monsters, heavy Fae involvement, although not as openly as here.'

All of that resulted in a list of updates to the Language specific to that alternate as long as her arm; words describing every kind of specific vampire and werewolf, as well as words to describe all kinds of magical entities and wizards. She had glanced over it, but it was a lot of study for just a quick trip across town to buy a book.

The stench of rodent increased.

Kai's initial cheerfulness made way for disappointment. 'Where are the Dragons?' he demanded.

'Not in that alternate.' Probably because the chaos there was on the increase. 'The chaos level is intuitive right now, moving towards assumptive.' So warped, but not yet at the stage where everything was falling into narrative patterns. Much like this world. 'According to the brief, there are stabilising forces at work. Something called the Accords sets limits on what the Fae and the supernatural can do, as well as some unwritten rules and courtesies.'

Kai did not look convinced.

Nor was Irene, if for different reasons. She outlined for Kai what she knew of the mission, but kept her concerns about being sent to another alternate whilst being Librarian-in-Residence to herself. As much as she liked Kai, it would not be appropriate for her, as his teacher, to discuss that.

Sometimes being a teacher was no fun whatsoever.

At Kai's insistence they sent a note to Peregrine Vale, informing him that they were off elsewhere to retrieve a book, but to expect them back shortly. If all went well, they might be back before the note was delivered.

They were far from the only people making their way to the British Library. Irene could have used another library nearer by to create an entrance to the Library, but she would have no control over where they came in, and she had no intention of entering miles and miles out of her way.

What used to be Dominic Aubrey's office was now only a storeroom. Kai and Irene had to squeeze between boxes to reach the door.

' Open to the Library,' Irene said in the Language. The connection formed without any trouble.

The Library itself was quiet. If Coppelia had told the truth, every available Librarian was currently either out collecting books or up to their ears in important research.

They saw no one – which included a complete absence of Bradamant, to Irene's relief – on their way to the Traverse to G-692. It was a two hour walk, and they made it mostly in companionable silence. Irene filled Kai in on the little she had found out about the world's specifics, which wasn't much.

'Is there no Librarian-in-residence?' Kai asked.

'Used to be.' Irene remembered reading about it on the Library email system. 'Hercule died two days ago. Crossed the road while reading a book.'

As much as she wouldn't mind dying doing what she loved, she didn't think she wanted to go that way.

It was a pity, because apart from dying in what sounded like an avoidable accident he had done a really good job. The information was detailed, but presented in a way that was easy to read. His record, which Irene had to look up, was impeccable. He'd been Librarian-in-Residence on G-692 for twenty-six years, during which he had acquired a great number of unique books for the Library. She had never personally met him, but she had a great respect for his work.

The Traverse to G-692 opened to the Harold Washington Library Center in Chicago. This was a relatively recent change, because until ten years ago it had been in Prague. That library had burned to the ground and for reasons unknown the new Traverse had opened in Chicago.

They stepped from the Library into a dimly lit office, but they were barely two steps into the room when Kai froze. 'Irene.'

That kind of alarm couldn't mean anything good. 'What is it?'

'There are Dragons in this world.' He seemed shocked by the realisation. To be fair, Irene was a little surprised as well. So much for the research. Then again, you wouldn't normally expect to find a Dragon in a chaos-slanted world.

Practicalities first. 'Anywhere near? And is that going to be a problem?'

'Nowhere near,' Kai said. 'I think.'

Nowhere near as confident as Irene would have liked. She also noted that he had not answered her second question. But since they would only be in this world for a couple of hours, she would settle for that answer and just hope they could sneak in and out without any further complications. She said so, and then looked around her.

The little office room where they came out was empty and a little dusty. The little plaque on the desk had Hercule's name on it. They mustn't have got round to cleaning it out. Papers and books were strewn around on every available surface – and some on the floor too – bookmarked or lying open as if the occupant of the office could come back at any moment to pick up right where he had left off.

The thin layer of dust on some of them told plainly that this had been a while ago.

'He must have been deep in research,' Irene observed, checking the covers of the books closest to her and the notes tucked between pages.

'Fairy tales,' Kai agreed, browsing through the books on the side table beside him. 'And stories about the Fae.'

The subject made Irene uneasy. Hercule's brief indicated that Fae interference was not unusual in this alternate, and here they were in his room that was filled from top to bottom with books – both fiction and more research related tomes – on everything Fae and faerie stories. She didn't believe in that much coincidence.

What had Hercule been up to? Had he been compromised?

Kai took that thought and went a bit further with it. 'Was Hercule's death really an accident?'

Professional paranoia was all good and well, but they weren't here for that. They were here for a book, which she realised was also dealing with some sort of Fae being. It was a shame that she hadn't been able to do a little more of her own research before she got here.

'It could be a coincidence,' she said, because it could be. But as this world was tilting towards chaos and narrative would be getting more frequent than random chance, she didn't really believe that. Either way, it didn't matter, because: 'We have to get the book first. Investigating Hercule's death is not up to us.'

No matter how much she secretly liked to investigate things.

Kai looked at her.

Irene looked at the floor. 'I'll put it in an email to Coppelia,' she said, because that was what she was supposed to do. 'If she wants us to investigate…'

Kai, already prickly because he suspected that the Fae were involved, snapped: 'He was your colleague, Irene!'

'Yes, he was,' she replied heatedly. 'And because he was a good Librarian, he would want us to get the book that he cannot get himself anymore.' She took a deep breath and lowered her voice. 'We don't know if it was an accident or if it wasn't, Kai. It's all speculation. Let's get the book first and then we'll see.'

Kai geared up to protest, then remembered that she was still his superior, and folded. He didn't look happy about it any more than Irene felt happy about it. Kai was right, something wasn't right. Or, if not that, at the very least more of a coincidence than she usually was comfortable with.

Book first, everything else later.

It was near closing time, so once they had left the office areas, they could blend in with the general crowd making its way towards the exit. They weren't the only people in big coats, so the fact that they wore clothes that were not currently in fashion wasn't very noticeable. Then again, Chicago was a big city. They wouldn't be the strangest people even here.

Irene was grateful for her coat once they came outside; the wind was cold. It was autumn and the light had faded already. Not that it was ever really dark in such a big city. There were streetlights and car lights and well, lights everywhere.

Being in a world where tech was dominant in day-to-day life was taking some getting used to after some months of only steam-level technology. This Chicago had no zeppelins or carriages. There were however lots and lots of cars. Small wonder Hercule had ended up under one; the odds of it happening were rather high.

'We should go shopping,' Kai said, studying the people on the streets. 'We don't fit in with the fashions of this world.'

'No.' It wasn't that she wanted to slap down every suggestion he made, but this was only supposed to take a few hours, hardly worth the trouble and expense of changing outfits. She fully intended to be back home as soon as possible. 'It's in and out, Kai. We'll be here one night at the most.'

Unless she wanted to break into the library after closing time, and that just wasn't worth the bother. They'd get the book, find a cheap place to sleep and get out the moment the library opened.

'We should at least take a cab,' he said, and Irene agreed because she didn't want to shoot down the third suggestion in a row. Besides, they'd already had quite a walk through the Library, and her feet hurt. And she had no inclination to work out the public transport system of this world either.

The cabbie looked at their strange clothes, but didn't comment beyond: 'Early Halloween party?'

Irene quickly assured him that it was exactly that.

They passed the drive in silence. Kai was experienced enough now not to discuss Library business where anyone else could hear them and they were neither of them knowledgeable enough about this alternate to do the meaningless chitchat that would make them blend in rather than stand out. The traffic was bad, though. The cabbie frequently apologised for the delays, but he couldn't help them either.

The cab finally dropped them off at the end of the road. The shop they were after – Bock Ordered Books according to Coppelia's information – was some way ahead and on the lefthand side of the street. It was a quieter street and not many people were about. Although Irene quickly realised it wasn't exactly quiet because everyone here was so decent and trustworthy. This felt like the kind of street you didn't want to be on your own, especially after dark.

Kai twigged first. He put a hand on Irene's arm and drew her into an entryway of a closed shop, out of sight of the road. 'There.' He pointed.

There were two people in long cloaks loitering opposite Bock Ordered Books. Irene squinted, but their faces were hidden in the shadow of their hoods. They stood just between two lantern posts, which made them blend in with the darkness so well that Irene would have missed them if Kai had not pointed them out to her.

They looked like trouble.

Long cloaks and hoods did not seem to be in fashion here from what she had seen. Some sort of magical people, perhaps?

'Fae?' she asked. They seemed to crop up everywhere on this assignment – and they had barely even started – so it would not surprise her.

Kai studied them, but shook his head. 'Magic, probably. There's nothing Fae about them.'

Small mercies. Of course, maybe the wizards were nasty here. Or they could be vampires. Hercule's brief suggested there was a bit of a war going between wizards and vampires at the moment.

That's the last thing we need, walking into a warzone.

It seemed like her gut feeling about this assignment was spot on.

They waited for a few moments, deliberating what to do. The hooded figures were waiting for something, but she couldn't tell what for. Instinct told her that bringing herself to the attention of these people would be a bad idea.

But they couldn't stand there forever.

It wasn't needed. The door of the shop opened and a man in a long black coat strode out, long staff in one hand. The other he held half before him and it crackled with blue sparks. While it still wasn't clear what the hooded people were, there was no question about this one. This man was a wizard.

Kai pulled Irene deeper into the shadow of the entryway.

Initially nothing much happened. A conversation ensued that Kai and Irene couldn't hear from where they were. It seemed that the two hooded figures wanted something from the wizard that the wizard was not prepared to do.

When she finally could hear something Irene wasn't sure if it was because a fortunate gust of wind carried their words or because the people were finally speaking up.

'Enough!' declared the taller of the two hooded people. He sounded male, but something about his voice was not quite right. It was as if a colony of bees buzzed in his voice box as he spoke. 'Give us the book!'

Oh.

Bollocks.

What were the odds they were after a different book, Irene wondered. Given the way events had progressed so far, it didn't seem likely. She exchanged a glance with Kai, who looked like he agreed.

'He has the book,' Kai said, really rather stating the obvious.

The wizard planted his feet. 'Bite my ass, Cowl,' he replied.

Cowl said something else Kai and Irene couldn't hear. The wizard in response said something else.

Given his opponent's – Cowl? – reaction, it was not the answer he wanted. He shouted: ' Dorosh!' as he thrust his right hand forward.

The wizard conjured a shield which deflected some of the force, but not all of it; he was thrown back through the air and landed in a rolling motion from which he leaped back to his feet.

Irene didn't just suspect a rat at this point, she could picture a full mischief of rats. Of course this was not as easy as Coppelia had made it sound. Rare books were occasionally easy to obtain, but more commonly the rarity made them more desirable. People would go to extreme lengths to get their hands on a rare manuscript.

Unfortunately for her, she was one of those.

From what she had seen, she would rather reason with the wizard than with the robed figures, which made the wizard, for the moment, her new best friend. Even if she had to fight or rob him later, one person was easier to take on than two. Especially if one of those two was throwing power around with that much ease.

'Come on,' she said to Kai, pulling him back onto the sidewalk and in the direction of the fight.

He didn't know what she was up to, but he did as she asked. There was no time to explain anything now anyway.

Irene's plan, such as it was, was very loose and undefined. At least she had some things here that the Language could work with. She noted lampposts, cars and loose bits of pavements. Some of the buildings looked like they had rooftiles she could call down if the fight came near the buildings.

In the time Kai and Irene needed to get within voice range of the magic fight, Cowl had unleashed another spell, which threw the wizard against the building. Irene was close enough to hear the involuntary grunt he let out when he made contact. She winced in sympathy.

Cowl stalked towards him as the wizard was still trying to get his breath back. 'The book, boy!' he demanded. Up close his voice sounded even more unnatural than at a distance. Something about his manner reminded her uncomfortably of Alberich.

Whom she really didn't want to show up here.

They were close enough now that she could make herself heard. 'Hold me up,' she instructed Kai. He put one arm around her waist and gripped her shoulder with the other. Then she took a deep breath and spoke in the Language: ' Wind, blow the person in the black robe standing on the sidewalk into the road.'

The sudden drain of energy made her stagger, but it worked. It was a windy night already, and what wind naturally did was blow. All she did with the Language was command in which direction the wind should blow.

Cowl – if that was indeed his name – never saw it coming. The wind slammed into him and carried him from the sidewalk across the road, almost to the other sidewalk. The fact that there was a big car in the way was the only reason why he didn't. He bounced once against the car, then toppled over onto his back.

He didn't like that. He emitted a sound that was more buzz than growl and tried to get up.

The wizard didn't give him the chance. He extended his staff and snarled: ' Forzare!'

The car next to them was blown off its wheels, spun in a gentle arch and then landed on Cowl, roof first.

If there was any doubt at all remaining that this was a far more dangerous endeavour than Coppelia had made it sound, it did a disappearing act that would do a magician proud. Powerful magic on one side and then powerful magic also on the side she had impulsively chosen to temporarily ally herself with.

This wizard was not a man to cross.

Unfortunately, this was hardly the time for self-reflection, because the car moved. Cowl managed to lift it away from him.

Irene didn't need to think about what to do next: ' Car which is lying upside down, all the parts of it that can hear my voice, increase your weight by a hundred per cent.'

The car went down again.

The second robed figure moved forwards, hands held out as if in surrender. 'Stop, please.' Irene was somewhat surprised to find that the voice, although it had that same distinct buzzing quality, was female.

'Why?' asked the wizard. He was panting and leaning against the nearest wall for support. 'Don't like being outnumbered?'

The woman hesitated. 'Please, Dresden, let us destroy the book.'

Destroy it? Irene bristled at the thought. At least her first instinct about who to support had not been wrong. Not that they cut a very impressive figure. Kai still supported Irene and Dresden held onto the wall and his staff for dear life.

'No,' said Dresden, which raised him in Irene's esteem considerably.

The car moved again, but very slowly this time. The woman went to help to lift. Irene wondered if she should increase the weight again, but decided against it. It felt in many ways as if the fight was over.

This fight, anyway.

They struggled and strained until eventually they had the car lifted up far enough that Cowl could roll out from underneath it. He buzzed and growled as he pushed himself to his feet. Irene felt a sliver of unease. He was in remarkably good condition for someone who had been crushed under a car five minutes ago. He didn't even limp.

He was winded, though, because when he spoke again he had to gasp for breath after every two words: 'You will… regret this… Dresden.'

Dresden scoffed. 'I thought you liked the heavyweight division.'

Cowl made a sound that made Irene shiver. 'This isn't…'

'Oh, shut up,' Dresden advised. 'You lost. Go.'

It was something of a surprise that they did go. Irene couldn't do magic herself, but even she could feel the dark power Cowl used when he took himself and his accomplice away. The air blurred around them in a way that made Irene's stomach clench with dread and memory. When reality reasserted itself, they were gone.

'That was no mere sorcery,' Kai said, absolute statement. 'That was chaos.'

Irene tried not to remember the way Alberich had blurred reality when she fought him in the British Library not all that long ago, and failed completely. The cold she felt was in no way due to the chilly weather.

Dresden pushed himself upright, tested his balance and regained some kind of equilibrium with the help of his staff. He studied both Kai and Irene. She could tell he had a million questions. So did she, but there was one she needed to ask right away: 'Do you still have the book?'

His expression veered from puzzled to incredulous in the space of a second. 'You can't have it,' he said.

Not the answer Irene was hoping for. 'It is Die Lied der Erlking, isn't it?'

Dresden was having none of it. 'Yes, but the answer is still no.'

That would be a problem, then. But even Irene had reservations about kicking a man when he was down. It was awkward at best to first help him out and then rob him blind. She wasn't Bradamant.

Kai helped her to delay the decision: 'We should get off this street,' he said. 'I do not think we should be here when the law enforcement arrives.'

Now that he mentioned it, Irene heard the sirens in the distance.

This mission wasn't going anywhere near according to plan.

They had already lingered too long. The priority would be to get somewhere with a little more privacy and then reason with the wizard for the book. The sirens were getting closer all the time.

They were no longer alone either. An elderly man came walking down the street and called out to them: 'Are you all right there?'

'Yes, fine,' Irene called back on instinct.

'Are you sure?' the man asked kindly, still approaching. 'You don't look so well.'

He was near enough now not to have to shout. When he walked under a lamppost, Irene could see his face clearly. It was a friendly face. The man it belonged to was perhaps in his mid-fifties, with little lines caused by lots of laughter around his eyes.

But the eyes were wrong. They didn't belong in his face. There was nothing kind or gentle about those eyes. They were hungry, seeking for power, cold…

Irene had seen eyes like that before, in the British Library a few months ago. 'Alberich,' she breathed.

The mouth smiled unpleasantly. 'Hello, Ray. Now, why don't you give me that book and I won't have to kill you.'