Given the circumstances, I could hardly disagree. Anyway, by the sounds of things there soon wouldn’t be any Understream to return to.
William muttered a few words to break the salt ward then grabbed my wrist and pressed his thumb on the small red mark branded there. I felt a brief, searing heat. When I looked down, the semi-circle had vanished and my skin was unblemished.
‘I need your map as well,’ he said.
‘I don’t get to keep it as a souvenir?’
He was not amused. ‘No.’
‘It’s in my bag.’ I pointed to my backpack that lay on the floor.
He rummaged inside and his eyebrows waggled as he realised what else I was carrying. He glanced at me several times in astonishment until, thankfully, he located the map and pulled it out. ‘Thank you,’ he said. ‘Now you must leave the Understream for good.’
Penelope exhaled, although I couldn’t tell whether it was from relief or exasperation. ‘Thomas and I will escort her to the surface.’
‘No,’ William said sharply. ‘You are too close to her. Justin, Robert and Gloria are still outside. They will do it.’
She clicked her tongue but she didn’t disagree. ‘Very well.’She looked at me. ‘It has been an honour to get to know you. I mean that. I am truly sorry things turned out this way.’
Equally seriously, Thomas nodded. ‘What she said.’
Penelope stepped towards me, pulled me out of my chair and hugged me. ‘You are a good person, Kit. We can all learn something from you.’ A moment later she was gone with Thomas following in her wake.
William smiled sadly. He knelt down and adjusted the chains around my legs so that I could at least shuffle, even if breaking into a sprint would be impossible. ‘These will remain in place until you are above ground. Don’t come back here, Ms McCafferty. It will not go well for you if you do. The Glebe clocktower entrance will be sealed after your departure.’ He paused. ‘As will the entrance from Chester Longchamps’ house.’
William had been doing his homework; he must have noticed that I’d entered the Understream via Longchamps’ house when he’d been tracking my whereabouts.
I nodded, then he called for the other three vamps and explained what was happening. All three were clearly disappointed that I wasn’t about to be tortured, killed or drained of all my blood but they agreed to see me safely to the surface.
‘Sure, we’ll do that. She’ll be absolutely fine.’ Gloria licked her lips like a stage villain. Uh-oh. She was clearly itching to do far more than give me a slap.
‘You can trust them, Ms McCafferty,’ William reassured me. ‘They’ll see you safely out of the Understream.’
That seemed doubtful but I didn’t have much choice. ‘What about the worms?’ I asked. ‘Four of them are still missing. Alan told me he didn’t think the maze monster had taken them.’
‘The worms are no longer your concern.’ He nudged me gently. Given my bindings, it was enough to send me flying into the burlier of the two male vampires. ‘Goodbye, Ms McCafferty.I hope our paths never cross again.’ He nodded to the three vamps and they yanked me out of the office and into the cavern.
‘You should put her over your shoulder, Justin. It’ll be faster if you carry her,’ Robert said.
‘Then why don’tyoucarry her, Robert?’ Justin retorted.
Gloria bared her fangs. ‘Tell you what, I’ll carry her.’
I didn’t want to be carried by Gloria. I didn’t want to be carried byanyone, but Gloria was definitely the last person who ought to do it because she was thirsting for my blood.
‘I can walk,’ I told them and I started to shuffle as fast as I could. I didn’t move very fast and I didn’t get very far.
‘We’ll take a worm,’ Justin grunted. ‘It’s the best plan.’
The hapless trio nodded. As I sighed and glanced away, my eyes landed on Penelope who was standing fifty metres away. She raised her hand in farewell and I nodded gravely at her.
I was still nodding when I heard the distant scream. ‘Did you hear that?’ I asked my captors.
Gloria launched a kick at my knee. ‘No.’
‘Hear what?’ Justin asked.
There was another louder scream. Robert paled. ‘I heardthat.’
