But Sebastian just laughed and laughed until the doors slammed behind him.

For a while, none of us in the Sanctity said anything. We were all shocked, for our various reasons. Freddie came out of his corner, his face pale and drawn, looking at us as though we might have some answers for him.

“He was my friend,” he said. “We worked together. How could he be infected, and I couldn’t see it? How could he pretend to be Sebastian so closely that I couldn’t tell?”

“The touch of the Loathly One corrupts,” said the Sarjeant. “Part of him was still Sebastian, and wanted to collaborate. But by the end there, Sebastian was probably just a coat the drone could put on and take off.”

I looked at Molly. I still didn’t say anything.

“We need to know exactly when he was infected,” said Harry. “So we can figure out just how long he’s been spying for the enemy. How much he might have told them. How much of our plans and intelligence are compromised.”

I glared at him. “I ordered the Armourer to work out a test, to determine who among us might be infected!”

“So you did,” said Harry. “The Armourer came up with a test; we all went through it and we all passed. So either Sebastian was infected after he was tested . . .”

“Or the test is no damn good,” I said. “The Armourer’s worked so many miracles for us down the years that we tend to forget he does fail, from time to time. Sebastian suggested there were others like him in the family. Maybe right here in the Hall. Maybe even the original traitor, who arranged for us to bring the Loathly Ones through in the first place. And . . . he said his torc worked for him, protecting and hiding him once he was infected . . . Strange?”

“Don’t look at me,” said Strange. “It shouldn’t have been possible. I designed your new torcs and armour to exactly duplicate the properties of those provided by the Heart. I can only assume he was already infected before I handed out the new torcs, and that it was . . . affected by his infection. Remember, the Loathly Ones are just the intrusions into our reality of the Hungry Gods themselves. And they are vast and powerful and terrible enough to frighten even me.”

“We need to test everyone again,” I said. “I’ll talk to the Armourer, see if we can boost the test some.”

“Test everyone?” said Harry. “Including you?”

“Everyone,” I said. I didn’t look at Molly. “We need to know who’s who.”

“Sebastian said they were many of his kind among us,” said Freddie. “Hiding behind familiar faces, watching us . . .”

“The Devil always lies,” I said.

“Except when a truth can hurt you more,” said Molly.

“Are you all right, Molly?” said Strange. “You seem . . .”

“She’s fine,” I said.

“Yes,” said Molly. “I’m fine.”