A Witch Alone (The Winter Witch Trilogy #3) Read Online Free PDF Page A

true enemy.’
    ‘And who is the true enemy, Chair Knyvet?’ my grandmother demanded.
    A hushed silence fell over the chamber. I had the impression that everyone was waiting – waiting for a hammer to fall.
    But before Knyvet could answer, an enormous explosion shook the chamber.
    The witchlights in their sconces guttered suddenly, dwindling to threads, as if a terrible blow had been struck at the source of their power, and for a moment I heard a thunderous rush of water around us, as if the rivers were pressing very close, straining to break their chains and reclaim their powers. The chamber was a dark, flickering cavern filled with screams and whimpers.
    In the middle of the floor the Chairs jumped to their feet, gazing wildly around.
    ‘Everybody, please be calm and keep to your seats!’ Thaddeus Corax barked in a harsh voice. His words were ignored. All around, people were running.
    Miss Vane stood, biting her lip, then she put her hand firmly on my shoulder.
    ‘Anna, stay here, do you understand? Stay here until I’m back. I’ll only be five minutes but I must check – I have to find out what’s—’
    ‘Go,’ I said. ‘I’ll be fine.’
    ‘I’ll be five minutes,’ she repeated firmly. And then she was gone, clattering up the steep steps to the door at the edge of the chamber.
    For a moment I sat, my ears still ringing from the blast. Then I ran after her.

CHAPTER THREE
    T he corridor was almost deserted but from far away, deep within the labyrinth, I could hear shouts and the thunder of spells and charms. The strange feeling of an illusion worn thin persisted – I felt as if I could press my hand through the red damask wallpaper in the corridor, plunge my arm shoulder-deep into the river’s filth and silt.
    Miss Vane was disappearing at a ladylike run around the curve of the corridor to my left. I waited, pressed against the wall, until she’d gone and then I turned right.
    I hoped to God I could remember the way. The Ealdwitan’s HQ was a maze and I’d only the faintest recollection of its layout. I passed two rooms I recognized and for a moment started to feel cocky – and then I came to a dead end. There were two great glass doors in front of me; inside was a vaulted glass cathedral – a giant hothouse filled with tropical plants and trees.
    Damn, damn. I turned around, feeling sweat trickle down my back, and hearing again Miss Vane’s firm ‘Five minutes’.
    I began to run.
    After what felt like a lot longer than five minutes I found myself at the reception desk, facing the ledger I’d signed so recently. And, as I’d hoped, the desk was unmanned, the office behind shadowed in darkness and empty.
    My heart was thudding in my throat, so hard that for a minute it was hard to breathe. But I ignored it and clambered awkwardly over the polished wood of the reception desk, whacking my ankle painfully as I did so. I stifled a yelp, then ducked into the shadowed cave beyond.
    The room was dark – very dark – and I looked for the light switch before I remembered where I was.
    I stretched out my hand and drew a deep breath, trying to calm myself.
    ‘ Léohtfætels-ábíed! ’
    A cool white light flickered on my palm, illuminating the room.
    Ledgers were stacked all around me, piled haphazardly on shelves, tables, stacked upon the floor … Where to begin? ‘Five minutes’ was echoing in my head as I began to scan the spidery writing on the spines.
    Day Ledger 1808 , Day Ledger 1809 – much too old. Then 1947 caught my eye on a dusty shelf – at least that was closer. I looked further down the row …  1968  … A little further … Damn! Day Ledger 1716 . Hadn’t they heard of order?
    Sweat trickled into my eyes and the witchlight in my palm flickered and dwindled. I swore, glaring at my palm, and it blazed into light again.
    Day Ledger 1978 – OK, good! 1979  …  1981  …  1992  … and suddenly there it was. I snatched it off the shelf with eager hands and let the