Sugar & Spice

"Okay, we're one Librarian down," Eve said, pacing the floor. "But that's okay, it's okay."

"It is?" Cassandra said, confused.

"No, it isn't," Eve snapped.

"Yeah, Ezekiel's trapped in a dolls house and life is wonderful," Clara sing-songed, before suddenly rounding on Eve. "So what do we do, Guardian?" she spat. "Any plans up that tailored sleeve of yours?"

"At least I'm not whinging please don't leave me," Eve retorted, confusing Clara.

"Stop bitchin', okay?" Jacob said, giving Clara a reproving glance. "We need to focus."

"We need to find my friends!" Kate wailed.

"And we will," Eve said hastily, "but Stone's right, we need to concentrate," she said to the others. "This is a combat scenario - hostile theater, hidden enemy, stealth attacks. There's - there's a pattern" -

An old fashioned gramophone started playing, the strains of long forgotten music filling the room, making everyone whirl around. As the record went round, its handle being cranked by an invisible hand, Clara struggled to make out the words being sung in a whiny child's voice, only for the sentences to separate, suddenly becoming clear. What are little girls made of, what are little girls made of, sugar and spice, and all things nice...

"Okay, that wasn't there before," Cassandra said, backing away.

"Definitely not there before," Jacob agreed, brandishing his crowbar at it.

"Where's the dolls house?" Eve asked suddenly, glancing around, trying and failing to find it.

"It's gone," Cassandra said, picking up a poker. "It's goddamn gone!"

"God, I'm so sick of this house!" Clara snapped, suddenly rushing at the gramophone. Before Jacob could stop her, she grabbed its handle, only for a flash of light to explode from it, sending Clara sprawling.

"Hartley!" Jacob yelled, running over to her.

"I'm alright, I'm alright," Clara said blearily, staggering to her feet, Jacob helping her.

"I've got you, kid," he said quietly, holding her close to him. "I've got you."

Clara just nodded, leaning her head against his shoulder.

"Get away from the wall!" Eve suddenly bellowed, springing forwards, hauling them away. As they whirled around, it was just in time to see Kate's name being burned on the wall above their heads, the flames fading into oblivion.

"Me?" Kate whispered, backing away. "It wants me?"

"Not on my watch," Eve said, turning round to face her.

"What do we do then?" Jacob asked, still not letting go of Clara.

"Cassandra, I want you to take Kate back to Jenkins in the Annex," Eve ordered, Cassandra instantly rebelling.

"No, I want to stay and help Ezekiel," she argued, waving her poker like a wand, "we're Team Library, remember?"

"We are not a team," Eve said, "you are the Librarians, I am the Guardian, and Kate is a civilian, and I am ordering you to do your duty and protect the innocent by getting Kate the hell out of this house, savvy?"

"You're not sending Stone away," Cassandra said coldly, "or cute Clara, even though she's away with the fairies half the time."

"No, I'm not," Clara flared up.

"Yeah, you are," Cassandra said, "but out of the two of us, when Eve's dithering over who to send home to Momma, she always picks me over you because of the brain grape."

"I'm not weak," Clara snapped.

"Yeah, you are," Cassandra repeated, "but I'm weaker."

Clara just stared at her, wrongfooted.

"Fine, I'll go," Cassandra said, turning to Eve, "I know when I'm not wanted."

"You're not needed," Eve corrected her. "Your skills don't apply here."

"Oh, I forgot," Cassandra said, holding her finger to her mouth, "I'm Math-Girl, only fit for fits of loopiness and reading maps." And then she was gone, Kate trailing at her heels, head bowed.

Madness, madness, they call it madness
Madness, madness, they call it madness
I'm about to explain
That someone is losing their brain...