Claribel looked like she was in deep thought for a few seconds. Finally, she responded to his question, sadly shaking her head. “I can’t, sorry. The old guy’s doing this thing in a few hours. If I don’t stop him-”

She stopped talking when she heard a quiet thud, looking alarmed and checking around her to be sure something dangerous wasn’t nearby. Claribel looked relieved when she realized that it was just a book that had fallen out of one of the bookshelves. After taking a breath, she continued what she was saying, this time in a whisper.

“Dad and everyone else will die.”