‘Do you think that Goodwill Saltmire trusts you?’ Iryn Moonsdaughter said.

‘He asked for my help, so I suppose that he must.’

‘And the map – do you think it is genuine?’

‘I’m beginning to believe that it’s best if it isn’t,’ Ysbel said carefully.

‘Mother has asked us to find out everything we can about it. Its history. Its authenticity. And we think that you can help her. You seem surprised.’

‘I didn’t realise that this was a job offer. I thought that I was in trouble.’

‘Quite the opposite,’ Iryn said, and set down her coffee bowl and leaned forward. ‘Are you willing to help us, Ysbel? Are you willing to help Mother?’

Ysbel was terrified and excited all at once. She knew she was about to make a commitment that might change her life. And also knew that she had no choice. Mother had grown increasingly remote from human affairs since First Contact and the establishment of the colony in the Gathering Place, but she was still a Power. How could anyone refuse an invitation from the procreator and protector of humankind?

‘Of course I am,’ she said.

‘I’m glad. And Mother will be pleased.’

‘Will I be working for Special Operations, or for the bureau?’

‘Given the sensitive nature of this matter, we prefer to make this an informal arrangement,’ Iryn Moonsdaughter said. ‘We will provide sufficient funds and a line of communication to one of Mother’s little helpers, but unofficially you will be on leave, volunteering to help Goodwill Saltmire out of personal interest. He is presently in Concord. You will arrange to meet him there. Have you shared any of your findings with him?’

‘Not yet.’

‘It’s best if you don’t tell him about locating the site of the city associated with that contentious figure. Say that you’ll help him get hold of this map, and do your best to find out everything he knows. What he has been doing and what he plans to do, who he has been talking to, whether anyone else has been helping him, and so on.’

‘Whether or not this involves separatists who want to stir up trouble,’ Ysbel said, remembering Mitkos’s suspicions, thinking that she knew why Special Operations wanted to keep this informal. If there was any trouble with separatists or the native authorities, they could disown her and minimise blowback.

‘That too,’ Iryn said. ‘If there’s any hint that this involves bad actors, you can choose to disengage. If not, you should offer to purchase the map from Joyous Hightower. Everything has its price for someone like him, and we’ll be happy to meet whatever he asks. And if he refuses to sell, I am sure that you and Goodwill Saltmire can devise some other way of securing it. I hope you understand why I’ll leave that up to you.’

‘And if we manage to get hold of the map – what happens then?’