Back in the Abhorsen’s House, there came a great pounding on the gate. The guard sending hastened to open it, to admit Bel, fully armed and armoured in helmet and gethre plate hauberk. He was even paler than ever and clutched his left shoulder. A message-hawk was asleep on his right shoulder, its head tucked under a wing.

‘What in the Charter’s name is going on?’ asked Bel. There was still smoke billowing up from the now-extinguished fruit trees in the orchard, a drift of it gathered about the House, pale under the moonlight. A line of sendings holding buckets, bowls and even a firkin stretched from the orchard to the pump in the rose garden. ‘What’s this about Clariel and Mogget? Where are they?’

The guard sending gestured downwards, and made several quick signs, Bel watching his flashing fingers.

‘They went down and out through the waterfall?’ asked Bel sharply. There was none of his amiable chatter now, no hint of any smile in his mouth or eyes. ‘Both of them?’

The sending held up four fingers, then slowly made four signs, one of them a claw.

‘Two Free Magic creatures!’ exclaimed Bel. He bit his lip and groaned. He guessed at once that one must be the creature in the bottle he had brought from Belisaere. Kargrin had warned him not to let Clariel touch the bottle, that her previous contact with the creature could have made her crave more. But another one as well? It had to be one of the chained, and that was beyond bad news.

‘Clariel, what have you done?’ he said, tears starting in his eyes. But he wiped them away immediately, for there was no time for tears. He had to do something. But what was there he could do?

A sending tugged at his elbow. Charter marks from its fingers flowed through those in his armoured coat, warming the skin beneath. Bel looked at the cowled figure, who inclined its head and offered him an ink-stained piece of paper. He took it, held it up to the moonlight and read it. For a moment he felt relieved that at least Clariel had written a note.

But something had happened below, for the sending reported two Free Magic creatures gone … and there was Mogget. Out of the House without permission, and unrestrained …

Bel took a deep breath, and stood as tall as he could.

‘Ready a Paperwing to launch as soon as possible from the platform,’ he said, desperately hoping the sendings would obey. He was not the Abhorsen, nor the Abhorsen’s heir, but surely they would recognise that he was the only one who had the spirit of an Abhorsen?

‘Bring me the sword Cleave and … and a set of bells.’