‘Tell me more,’ said Mogget encouragingly. He tilted his head in interest, and Clariel had to stop herself from instinctively reaching down to scratch under his chin. As she half extended and then pulled back her hand, Mogget stood up on his hind paws, pink nose sniffing.

‘Interesting …’ he said.

‘What?’ asked Clariel.

‘Oh, the scent of the outside world,’ said Mogget. ‘So you’re a prisoner?’

‘For my own protection, or so I am told,’ said Clariel. She bent down to pick up the dropped book, keeping a careful eye on Mogget. She was trying to remember where she’d heard the name before, or some part of it … and then it came to her. Bel, talking about books in the Abhorsen’s House, and someone called ‘Mog’, his voice trailing off with the name incomplete …

‘Do you know Belatiel?’

‘Ah, the delightfully enthusiastic Bel,’ said Mogget. He was looking at the book, whiskers twitching. ‘So keen, so unencumbered by experience. Yes. He is one of the few members of the extended family who come here, and even then I think he has to sneak away to do it. You are … familiar with Bel?’

‘He’s a friend of mine, if that’s what you mean,’ said Clariel. ‘From Belisaere.’

‘So Belatiel has been in Belisaere,’ said the cat. ‘How appropriate. It has been long since I visited the city. Long indeed. So you come from Belisaere.’

‘Only most immediately, before that I was …’ said Clariel. Her voice trailed off and she shook her head. ‘Why am I telling you anything? I can see you’re a Free Magic creature.’

‘But not the first you’ve met,’ said Mogget slyly. ‘Or held, by the faint trace I discern upon your hands. But have no fear! You’ve seen my collar, proving my … utter faithfulness to the Charter that binds me. I am but a slave of the Abhorsen, currently your grandfather, and thus by extension of you. You have but to command me and I will obey.’

‘You will?’

‘Possibly,’ answered Mogget, yawning to show his very sharp white teeth. ‘It all depends. I do have to obey the Abhorsen and the Abhorsen-in-Waiting, but as neither has given me any orders for such a long time I fear I am out of practice. You could ask me nicely. Promise me a fish.’

‘You can show me the rest of the house to begin with,’ said Clariel. ‘Please.’

‘If we converse along the way,’ said Mogget, ‘that would be acceptable.’

He sidled out of the library, tail high.

‘I suppose we could,’ said Clariel cautiously.

As they wandered upstairs she found herself telling Mogget about her life in Estwael, the move to Belisaere and the events of the last week. But she gave a highly abridged version of her encounter with Aziminil, very light on details, specifically not mentioning her mental conversation with it or how she had let it go.