16
‘You’ve found the Spire?’ echoed Val in disbelief. ‘The actual building itself?’
‘The actual one.’
‘Where is it?’
‘I don’t know, but we are sitting on it.’
‘…that’s the roof you’re stuck on?’
‘Right.’
‘And you don’t know where you are?’
I told her about the cottage, and the secret barn, and the window we had climbed out of. ‘I cannot tell if we are in Dappledok Dell anymore,’ I concluded. ‘I see a valley below with a lagoon in it, the latter having weird iridescent water, and I don’t remember that from the Dell. I’ve a glimpse of sea, more normal colour. And that’s it. No houses, no settlements, no sign of habitation whatsoever.’
‘Can you get down?’
‘No. Not without calling Adeline, and for one thing I am not sure she could make it to wherever we are. For another, I don’t fanc
