"Don't like this," Mab called back. "There's water ahead. Smells bad. Don't look safe at all…"I squeezed forward next to Alice so that we could see over Mab's shoulder. I'd expected to see running water -maybe a stream or underground river that she couldn't cross. Instead the tunnel widened out to form an oval cave, which contained a small lake. The water almost reached the sides of the cave, but to the left was a narrow muddy path, sloping down toward the water. It looked very slippery. The lake worried me. It was murky, the color of mud, and there were ripples on the surface; something that you'd expect on water agitated by wind. But we were underground, and the air was still and calm. I also had a feeling that the lake was very deep. Was something nasty lurking under the surface? I remembered what Mab had sniffed out-"something wet and dead." Was it a wight, as I suspected?"Ain't got all night, Mab," Alice called out cheerfully. "Don't like the look of it much myself, so the sooner we're past it the better!"Looking more than a little nervous, Mab transferred the black candle to her right hand and stepped out onto the muddy path. She'd only taken a couple of steps when her bare feet began to slide.

She almost lost her balance and had to put out her left hand to steady herself against the wall. The candle flickered and almost went out."Easy does it, girl!" Alice said, the mockery strong in her voice. "Ain't a good idea to fall in there. Need a good pair of shoes, you do. Wouldn't like the feel o' that slimy mud between my toes. Make your feet stink worse than ever!Mab turned back toward us, and her lip curled in anger once again. She was just about to give Alice a good earful when something happened that made my heart lurch right up into my mouth.Faster than I could blink, a big hand, pale, bloated and bloodless, came straight up out of the water and grasped Mab's right ankle. Immediately she lost her footing and, squealing like a piglet, fell sideways onto the mud, the lower half of her body splashing down into the water. She began to scream in terror, and as I watched, she started to slide farther down into the lake. Alice was between us or I'd have held out my staff for Mab to grasp. To allow the wight to take her was too horrible.Mab -was still holding on to the candle, but she was flailing her arms about and it looked sure to be plunged into the water at any second. If it went out, -we'd be in the dark, unable to see where the threat was coming from.

As if she'd read my thoughts, lithe as a cat, Alice leaped forward and snatched the candle from Mab's hand, then stood back and watched her slowly being dragged under."Save her, Alice!" I cried out. "Nobody deserves to die like that!"Alice looked reluctant, but then, with a shrug, she leaned forward, grasped Mab by the hair, and started to pull her back.At that, Mab screamed even louder-it now became a painful tug of war. Something beneath the surface was trying to drag her under; Alice was resisting and trying to pull her back. Mab must have felt like she was being torn in half."Jab it with your stick, Tom!" Alice shouted. "Give it a good poke and make it let go!"I stepped onto the muddy path next to her and aimed the point of my staff toward the water, looking for a target. The water was churning with mud now, big waves lapping at the edge of the path, and I couldn't see a thing. All I could do was aim at a point somewhere just below where Mab's feet should be. I jabbed hard two or three times. It made no difference, and I was aware that Alice was losing the battle: The water was almost up to Mab's armpits.I tried again. Still no luck.

Then, on my eighth or maybe ninth attempt, I made contact with something. The water heaved, and suddenly Mab was free and Alice was dragging her back up onto the path."Right, Tom, we ain't finished yet. Here, take the candle. Stand by with your staff in case it comes again!"I accepted the candle and held it as high as I could so that it illuminated the whole surface of the murky lake. In my left hand was my rowan staff, ready to jab at the wight.Alice suddenly got Mab in an armlock and, with her left hand still knotted in her hair, forced her into a kneeling position and pushed her head down until it was almost touching the water."Give me what's mine!" she shouted into Mab's left ear. "Do it quick, or that thing down there will rip your nose off!" For a moment Mab struggled, but then the water began to heave as if something big were swimming to the surface."Take it! Take it!" she cried out, fear and panic in her voice. "It's round my neck!"Alice released Mab from the armlock and, still gripping her by the hair, used her free hand to tug something out from inside the neckband of her dress. It was a piece of string. Alice bit through it with her teeth, pulled it from Mab's neck, and held it out toward me."Burn it!" she shouted.As I held the candle under it, I saw that the string was knotted about a twist of hair; the lock of hair from Alice's head that placed her in Mab's power. The candle flame ignited the string, and it flared up with a whoosh. There was a faint smell of burning hair, and then Alice allowed the charred remains to fall into the water.That done, she tugged Mab to her feet, gripped her arm, and pushed her along the path toward the far side of the lake. I folio wed cautiously, trying not to slip, eyeing the water fearfully.

As I watched, something big floated up to the surface. In the shadows, close to the far wall, a huge head emerged, the hair knotted and tangled on top but billowing out beside it. The face was white and swollen, the eyes empty black sockets, and as the nose emerged, it sniffed loudly like a bloodhound seeking its prey.But moments later we had reached the safety of the far tunnel, and the immediate danger was over. Mab looked wet and bedraggled, all her former confidence gone. But since we'd arrived in Pendle, I'd never seen Alice look happier."We need to thank Dead Maggie for that!" Alice said, giving me a wide grin. "Whispered what I needed to know. A wight, that was, and easy enough to sniff out. Always guards that path. Trained it well, they did. Wouldn't touch anyone with Malkin blood in their veins. I'm a Deane by name, but I'm a Malkin half through. That's why I made you walk farther back, Tom. Mab here was in the biggest danger." "It's not nice to be tricked!" Mab said. "Still, I'm not complaining too much. Just as long as I get my trunks."Got my lock of hair back, so I'm not complaining either," Alice said with a smirk. "And if you want those trunks, first we need to find Tom's family, safe and sound. So no tricks-that's if you know what's good for you!"I won't be tricking Tom," said Mab. "Happen he just saved my life, jabbing that wight like that. I won't forget that in a hurry."Oooo, happen he saved my Life," mimicked Alice. "Happen I did too, not that you'd notice," and she got a new fierce grip on Mab's hair and forced her ahead along the tunnel.I felt sorry for Mab. There seemed no need to treat her so roughly, and I said as much to Alice.She let go of Mab's hair reluctantly and was just about to answer me back when we were both distracted. Another thirty or so paces had brought us to a wooden door set in stone. It seemed that we'd reached an entrance to Malkin Tower.There was a latch with a lock underneath.

I gave Alice the candle to hold, and she pulled Mab to one side while I grasped the latch and lifted it slowly, trying not to make any noise. But when I pulled, the door resisted. It was locked-though that was no problem when the Spook's brother Andrew was a locksmith. Alice gripped the candle in her teeth and held out my special key. I took it from her, inserted it into the keyhole, turned it, and had the satisfaction of feeling the lock yield."Ready?" I whispered, handing the key back to Alice.She nodded."And please, no more bickering, girls. Just keep the noise down until I've found my family and we're out of here," I said."And I've got my trunks," added Mab-but Alice and I ignored her, and I lifted the latch again, slowly opening the door.Inside it was jet black, but there was a strong stench of rot and decay that made me heave. The air was tainted with death.Alice wrinkled her nose in disgust and brought the can- dle to the open door. Ahead of us was a passageway with cell doors on either side. Each had an inspection hatch of iron bars about head height. In the distance was what looked like a much larger room with no door. Would my family be in one of those cells?"You watch Mab," I told Alice. "Give me the candle and I'll check each cell."At the first cell I held the candle close to the bars in the door. It seemed to be empty. The second had an occupant, a skeleton covered in cobwebs and dressed in ragged breeches and a threadbare shirt, its legs and arms fastened to a wall by chains.