Free Key the Steampunk Vampire Girl and the Dungeon of Despair (9780989878531) by Becket

by itself. Key had no idea how this was happening. It was as if the little book was willing itself to draw closer to her outstretched hand, as if perhaps by magic. Then she remembered all the things she had seen floating throughout the dungeon, and she remembered the castle servants – the ghosts. With this in mind, Key had a sneaking suspicion that one of the ghosts, although still not appearing before her or speaking with her, was at least helping her.
    The little book slid right up to Key and she hurriedly snatched it up, a little fearful that it might wander off by itself. Clutching it, she observed how it was so small that it fit right in the palm of her hand. But it wasn’t the size of the book that mattered, just how she read it. And she would indeed read this great gift. After all, one good book in Despair can be worth a hundred friends with kind words, although one act of kindness for someone in Despair can be worth a thousand books.
    Had Warhag given it to her? She didn’t think so. Then who?
    The cover was purple velvet with gold lettering. The title was Wanda Wickery’s History of the Necropolis - A Small Book With a Big Story .
    Key decided that it must have been a ghost servant who had slid the book closer to her. So she looked up into the invisible air and she spoke to this ghost, this friend in the dark. “I don’t know who you are,” she said, her voice choking with gratitude, “and I know you can’t speak with me, but thank you. Thank you so very, very much.”
    There was no response from the ghost, but Key did not need one. She opened the book and was about to begin reading, but she saw a little note inscribed on the first page. It read: A little light in the darkness. Mr. F .
    Key did not need to think about who this mysterious “Mr. F” was, for she knew it must have been Mr. Fuddlebee. He had promised to come back, but if some reason prevented him from returning, then the least he could do was send this book. Key was very glad for his thoughtfulness. This was a precious gift indeed.
    But then Key wondered aloud, “How did he convince Warhag to deliver it to me?” After thinking about this for a long moment, considering how Warhag did not appear to be a creature who would do many favors, Key came to the logical conclusion that some mysteries must remain unsolved for the time being. With her curiosity at least satisfied at present, she opened the little book to the first chapter, and she began reading.
    Key would not have needed much light to read the book in the dark, as her vampire eyes could see much, even at the bottom of Despair. But she did not need her vampire sight for this book because, while it was indeed quite small with very tiny font, the words came alive with lights and shimmering dust. And as she read, the words leaped from the page and swirled around her and formed into shapes of the characters and things she read about.
    She began reading about how the Necropolis started off as catacombs for a small group of Mystical Creatures – only one vampire, one witch, one werewolf, one ghost, and one zombie. After Key read this, the bright words leaped from the page and shaped into shimmering images of the story of how those first five Mystical Creatures were buried in an underground chamber.
    Key turned the page to read the story of the first undertaker, Skulk, while more shimmering words swirled around her, making shapes of his work. She was not surprised to read how Skulk the undertaker struggled to keep those five Mystical Creatures in their graves. Some nights he was successful, preventing the Dead from leaving their coffins and causing mayhem. But most nights he was not successful at all. At least one of the five Mystical Creatures escaped nearly every night.
    Yet they always returned to their graves before sunrise, usually bringing with them one new Mystical Creature, for the vampire made more vampires, and the zombie made more zombies, and the werewolf made more werewolves,