Chapter Text
The Society meeting is done for the month, and the room is almost empty. Everyone left in a hurry because of a coming storm, and Childermass had to rush Segundus out so he has enough time to reach Mr Honeyfoot's home safely.
He, on the other hand, stays in the inn for the night and doesn't have to go anywhere until morning. Brewer is safe in the stables, and Vinculus... He has no idea where Vinculus is, otherwise he would make him clean up the wine bottles, generously provided by the innkeeper as a gesture of gratitude for the regular influx of clients, though Vinculus causes enough problems to pay for it. Anyway, the Book is sensible enough to stay inside.
Childermass looks the room over to see if he missed anything — magicians are often a forgetful kind of people, and he's seen all sorts of things left behind, mostly fancy pencils and notebooks. The only things he sees are his hat on the hanger, and someone else's overcoat on the peg next to it. No one would venture out in a weather like this without an overcoat and he doesn't remember anyone leaving without one, so there must be someone here in the room with him whom he hasn't noticed.
He feels a presence behind him and turns to see whom he should bid goodnight, but only sees a shadow in the corner, formed by a very familiar spell.
"Sir," he tells it, suddenly but understandably anxious, "what are—"
The window opens with a loud crack, and he somehow feels that it isn't caused by the storm, however strong the wind is now. A human form steps out of the shadow, taking enough shape for him to see its hand making a definitely magical gesture in his direction. Next, he can't really see anything, with the room spinning around him and growing in proportion with incredible speed.
He blinks. It's weird. He makes a step. Fails. Tries to recover his balance. Fails.
He doesn't have arms now.
He swears. Only a croak comes out.
He's alone in a giant room. The window is open.
He knows what happened. He doesn't know how.
It's a problem. He needs to solve it.
He knows a way.
He knows the way.
He choses his direction. He takes off.