Thuban stayed to listen as Moonstone continued to read aloud, rather than exit the building. He took a few experimental jabs with his new rapier -- just to get a feel for stabbing, just in case.

"Isn't that the beginning part of Dracula? All those in-text memorandum asides? I'm not even kidding -- that's ripped from Dracula."

While she was reading, Charlie examined the bed, table, and chairs a last time, to see if there was anything he'd missed. Maybe one of them was the work of the mysterious Montrose & Sons, if they were lucky.

He thought about how dark it would be outside, how long they'd been gone -- and worried about how the others were doing. Thuban didn't like that they'd been separated. They'd have to find them.