With that in mind, I glanced at the bucket. There was a steel handle on one side of the rim which was attached by a nail. It wasn’t very sturdy. It would take some doing – and no doubt more retching – but I reckoned I could use the sharp edge of the nail to saw my way through my bonds. Once my hands were free, I could unfasten everything else. It would take a lot of time but it wasn’t as if I was going anywhere and it would give me ample opportunity to consider my next move.

In the end, it took me little more than an hour. I faced the door in case any demons appeared. My hands kept slipping and I almost knocked over the bucket on at least three occasions. Thankfully it stayed upright; the last thing I wanted was to be soaked by the contents of someone else’s bladder and bowels.

Although the rope was wrapped tightly round my wrists and the knots were cleverly secured, it wasn’t difficult to free myself. My thief background made it easier for me than it might have been for someone else, but the ease of the process gave me pause. I inspected the frayed edges of the rope; it wasn’t very well made. I pursed my lips and considered. There was still no sound from outside and I seemed to be very much alone. I was beginning to wonder, however.

Shrugging, I loosened the gag. My mouth was unpleasantly dry and I’d have been tempted to sell Bob for a glass of water. I tried to work up some saliva and began to unknot the rope round my ankles. I didn’t hurry; I had a feeling about what was going to happen once I was free. When I unwound the last loop and kicked the rope away there was a scuffle on the other side of the door and it swung open. Shite. Sometimes I hated being right.

The light was dim and the figure staring at me was difficult to make out. I tilted my head to one side and squinted. The Fomori demon spat on the ground and stepped inside. As his features grew clearer, I realised he wasn’t looking at me with fear or apprehension. There wasn’t any malevolence or sense of triumph in his gaze; he seemed simply curious. ‘Adair.’

I decided that was a question. Staying on the ground to show that I was happy to remain subservient, I nodded. ‘Yes.’

He grunted. In stilting, albeit grammatically accurate English, he asked, ‘Why did you not use magic to free yourself?’

So it was a test. What would they have done if I’d had Teleportation as a Gift? Were they prepared for every eventuality? Given the neutrality of his expression, I thought the answer was probably yes.

I chose my words carefully, wanting to ingratiate myself without appearing manipulative or sneaky. ‘One who relies on magic alone is a fool,’ I said.

The demon rolled his tongue around his sharp, yellowing teeth. I suppressed a shudder and continued to look at him as if we were having an idle chat in a café.