The next morning, Archie called an emergency meeting of the Alchemists’ Club. Rupert was in London but the others agreed to meet in the usual place later that evening.
When Archie arrived at the laboratory he spotted the message on the bench immediately. It was in a white envelope as before and in the same firm handwriting. But this time it was addressed to Archie Greene care of the Alchemists’ Club. He opened it and read the note inside.
Gideon is as sane as you or I. Someone wanted him out of the way. You must tread carefully. With Hawke gone, the museum is no longer safe for you and your friends. The enemy has spies inside the museum and at the Royal Society.
The Dark Flame is rising. The fate of magic is at stake. I will help you if I can, but you must help yourselves now.
FG
Archie stared at the message. Once again it was signed FG with a picture of a raven. Whoever had sent it obviously knew all about Grey’s secret laboratory and about the Alchemists’ Club. Archie wondered again if it could be Fabian Grey himself trying to help them.
When the others arrived he showed them the note and Arabella echoed his thoughts.
‘I know this sounds ridiculous,’ she said, ‘but could it be Fabian Grey? Is it possible that he’s still alive after more than three hundred and fifty years?’
‘Grey would know about the laboratory, so that part makes sense,’ reasoned Thistle. ‘But realistically my money is on Faustus Gaunt. The messages started at about the same time that he arrived at the museum.’
‘But why all the secrecy?’ asked Archie.
‘Perhaps he thinks he’s being watched?’ said Thistle.
‘We have to get a message to Rupert,’ said Bramble. ‘We need to warn him. He may not be safe at the Royal Society.’
But as it turned out, Rupert was trying to get a message to them.
*
The next day, Archie was in Hawke’s study tidying up when he noticed that the oculus was glowing with an eerie orange light. Approaching the desk, he peered into the glass orb. He was surprised to see Rupert’s earnest face looking back at him. His hair was standing up and he looked a little more dishevelled than usual.
‘Hello, is that you, Archie?’
‘Yes, it’s me,’ said Archie. ‘But how did you know I’d be here?’
‘I didn’t,’ said Rupert, smiling. ‘I heard what happened to Hawke. Everyone at the Royal Society is talking about it. I needed to get hold of you so I thought I’d take a chance.’
‘Well, it worked. But we can’t talk for long – someone could be listening on one of the other oculuses.’
‘Oculi,’ said Rupert. ‘When there’s more than one oculus, the plural is oculi.’
Archie smiled. ‘Well, someone could be listening on the other oculi. So what did you want to tell me?’
‘Yeah, right, good point,’ said Rupert, glancing over his shoulder. ‘Well, the thing is, I think there’s something going on here at the Royal Society. The other day Gloom hinted that the stolen book wasn’t the only secret kept here.’
Archie felt his curiosity growing. ‘What do you mean? What kind of secrets?’
Archie saw Rupert glance over his shoulder again as if he was worried he might be overheard. Then he leaned in closer so that the glass magnified his features, making his nose look big and his lips seem extra thick.
‘I think there’s a secret library hidden inside the Royal Society,’ he whispered. ‘There’s a reading room here with one door and no windows, and the other day I saw Gloom go into it, but when I followed him he wasn’t there. He’d vanished.’
‘He can’t have vanished,’ said Archie, his eyes wide. He remembered now that Gloom had mentioned some other books being kept at the Royal Society when he’d overheard him talking to Hawke.
‘That’s what I thought,’ said Rupert, ‘but he definitely wasn’t in the room. He reappeared a little while later carrying an old book under his arm. My guess is that there’s a secret entrance into another room. And that’s where The Book of Night was being kept.’
Archie was catching on fast. ‘So there could be other secrets stored in there as well,’ he said. ‘Morag Pandrama said there were other magical archives as well as the one at the museum. Perhaps the secret library at the Royal Society contains the book in which Fabian Grey wrote down what he saw?’
‘The only way we’re going to know is if we can get in there and have a look for ourselves,’ said Rupert.
Archie’s brain was working overtime. The latest note from FG had warned them about spies inside the Royal Society. Hawke had had his suspicions, too. It was time to find out what was really going on at the Royal Society, he’d said. That was what he was planning to do after he’d visited Katerina in the asylum. But he never got the chance.
‘Can you get us inside the Royal Society?’ asked Archie.
Rupert nodded. ‘Yes, that’s actually easy enough. But then what, once you’re inside?’
‘If you can get us into the reading room, then we can use Thistle’s curiosity compass to locate the secret entrance. If there are magic books concealed there, the compass will pick up on their power.’
Rupert ran his hand through his hair. ‘All right,’ he said. ‘I’ll find a way. Can you come down to London tomorrow night?’
Archie nodded. ‘We’ll be there,’ he said. He had another thought. He realised he didn’t actually know where in London the Royal Society was. ‘You’d better tell us where the entrance is.’
‘Oh, that’s easy,’ said Rupert. ‘It’s opposite the British Museum in Great Russell Street. There’s an antiquarian bookshop called the Inkwell. The entrance to the Royal Society is inside the bookshop. Just tell Matilda the password.’
Archie raised his eyebrows. ‘Password?’
‘Oh, don’t worry, it’s easy. It’ll be written on the blackboard. And make sure you come at seven because everyone will be at dinner so we’ll have the place to ourselves.’
Archie grinned. ‘Good, that’s a plan then. I can’t wait to tell the others. And Rupert …’
Rupert’s chiselled features peered back at him from the oculus. ‘What?’
‘Be careful,’ said Archie. ‘There are spies inside the Royal Society. If they find out you’re spying on them it could be dangerous for you.’
‘Spying on the spies, eh?’ grinned Rupert. ‘Don’t worry, they won’t suspect a thing. I’m too careful for that.’
Archie hoped Rupert was right. But he knew that his friend had already taken a big risk by contacting him with the oculus. Perhaps he’d be more careful from now on.
*
When Archie told his cousins about the plan to go to the Royal Society they were as excited as he was. Bramble and Thistle both agreed that if there was a secret library there then they had to investigate. But Arabella had reservations.
‘What if we get caught breaking into the Royal Society?’ she said. ‘We could get expelled from the museum and have our apprenticeships revoked.’
‘It’s a risk we have to take,’ said Archie. ‘Time is running out – and besides, we’re not breaking in, we’re visiting Rupert. But first there’s something we need to do in the archive.’
*
Archie approached the glass case containing the Torchstones. Bramble and Arabella were just behind him. Thistle was acting as lookout by the door.
‘I’ve never seen them before,’ said Bramble, looking over Archie’s shoulder. ‘They’re beautiful!’
Archie opened the case and carefully grasped one of the golden orbs. It was cold to his touch. He could feel its magical energy sending a tingling sensation up his arm. The two protective bands of silver gleamed in the light from the overhead lanterns.
‘What happens if someone realises there’s one missing?’ asked Arabella, gazing at the Torchstone in his hand.
Archie shrugged. ‘The only people who come in here are Hawke, Gaunt and Pandrama,’ he said. ‘Hawke’s locked up in the asylum and I think he would approve anyway, and the other two are far too interested in the texts to notice.’
‘What about Rusp?’ asked Thistle. ‘You said he has been helping out. He has it in for you. He’d love to get you into trouble.’
‘That’s true,’ said Archie. ‘But it’s a chance I’ll have to take. As long as he doesn’t catch us redhanded. Now, come on.’
He slipped the Torchstone into his pocket and headed back towards the door followed by Arabella. Bramble was still gazing at the second Torchstone in the case.
‘Hurry up, Bram!’ urged Archie over his shoulder. ‘We don’t want to be caught in the act.’
‘I’m right behind you,’ called Bramble. ‘We can’t afford to leave any obvious clues that Rusp might notice.’
Archie opened the door and the two boys and Arabella slipped out.
Bramble appeared a moment later.
‘All done,’ she said, smiling.
‘Good, now let’s get to the Word Smithy.’
*
When they reached the Aisle of White, the bookshop was closed up for the night. Archie let them in with his key and they made their way down to the mending workshop.
Old Zeb used a glove when handling the Word Smithy. It was on the bench so Archie slipped it on and opened the door. The Flame of Pharos was burning low.
‘It doesn’t look very healthy,’ said Bramble, peering into the furnace.
‘I know. It’s been like that for a while,’ said Archie. ‘Even more reason to activate the Torchstone.’
He held the egg-shaped object between the thumb and forefinger, as Hawke had done, and gently squeezed. The case sprang open to reveal the hidden chamber within. Bramble gasped with delight.
Archie reached inside the Word Smithy with his gloved hand and took out a glowing ember. Very carefully he tipped the embers into the hollow compartment. Then he recited the spell engraved on the silver casing.
‘I carry the flame
To light the dark
Let shadows flee
My sacred spark.’
As he did, the two halves of the Torchstone snapped shut. It felt suddenly warm in his hand and the amber-coloured crystal gave off a golden glow.
All four of them gazed at it for a moment and then Archie slipped it back into his pocket where it nestled warmly against his leg.
‘Right, let’s get of here,’ he said.
Arabella moved to open the door to the workshop and she and Thistle stepped out into the passageway.
Bramble was still staring at the Flame of Pharos in the Word Smithy.
‘Come on,’ said Archie. He was used to seeing the Flame every day. But he knew how mesmerising it was to watch. He took off the glove and gave it to Bramble.
‘Don’t forget to close the furnace,’ he said gently.