Inside the great open chamber, the walls stood upright and untouched and the ceiling was free from signs of assault or damage. The marble floor was dusty but unmarked. As though the enemy had never come here. But still the damage had been done. The great auditorium was empty, deserted; just a room. There was no trace of the marvellous rose red light that usually suffused the chamber when Ethel was manifesting her presence. The light that could soothe and rejuvenate the most hard-used spirit. Ethel, the other-dimensional entity I d brought to the Hall to replace the corrupt Heart to be a new source of power for the Drood family. A source of new, strange matter armour.

Ethel! I said her name as loudly as I could, so harshly I hurt my throat. My voice echoed in the great open chamber and then died reluctantly away. There was no response. Ethel? I said, and even to me my voice sounded like that of a small child asking for its mother. I stood alone in the Sanctity and no one answered me. I heard Molly behind me, at the door, but I didn t look around.

If she was anywhere, anywhere in the Hall, she d hear and answer you, said Molly. You know that. She s gone, Eddie. Gone, like everyone else.

If she were anywhere in the world, she d hear me, I said. No wonder my armour s gone.

I can t believe there is anyone or anything in this world that could destroy or even damage an other-dimensional entity like Ethel, said Molly, moving cautiously forward to stand beside me, careful not to touch me. Except perhaps another other-dimensional entity, and what are the odds of that?

They could have driven her away, I said.