Cryptic Spaces (Book Four)

As forces of Light and Darkness gather for a final confrontation, Willoughby is haunted by the memory of Sydney-her piercing eyes, the clink of her bracelets, the brush of her satin skin. Her fall from the cliffs of Sumela raises a painful question: was it betrayal or sacrifice?

With the demon lord Beelzebub threatening to destroy all he holds dear, Willoughby must lead a desperate mission across the globe in search of answers. From the rain-slicked streets of London to the forgotten jungles of Brazil, from Kubla Khan's ghost fleet to the sky caves of Nepal, ancient secrets stir and the lines between past and future blur.

The team splits to confront trials of their own. James Arthur and Hauti follow a mysterious alchemist to an ice fortress and a valley of giants. T.K. and Antonio fall into the clutches of time-traveling vampires and the King of Dragons. Meanwhile, Willoughby faces an uprising of zombies-and a dangerously evolving AI named Sam.

As time itself begins to fracture, only one hope remains: the elusive Fifth Friend who holds the key to the final battle. But can they reach them in time? And even if they do, will it be enough to heal a world on the brink of collapse?