‘Uh Integrity! Byron’s turning round!’ Bob squealed. ‘He’s looking this way. He seems…’

I wrenched the door open and ran inside to the welcoming darkness.

‘Uh Integrity? Why are we in a cupboard?’

I twisted round, knocking over a mop. When I tried to pick it up, I hit my head against a low shelf. I cursed loudly as pain exploded in my skull and lights danced in front of my eyes. I didn’t need to worry about Aifric or Byron or anyone else; at this rate, I would inadvertently kill myself.

‘As unpleasant as it is in here,’ Bob remarked, ‘it’s no spooky dungeon.’

‘Gee,’ I said sarcastically. ‘Thanks, Bob. I hadn’t noticed.’

‘Just trying to be helpful.’ He waited for a beat. ‘Byron looked really bad.’

I stiffened. ‘In what way?’

‘Tired. Great big expensive Louis Vuitton bags under his eyes. Awful skin. He must be stressed out because his fiancée has disappeared.’

‘Yeah,’ I said sourly, ‘he must be.’ Whatever. ‘Any chance you saw another door when you were gawping at Byron? One that might lead to the dungeons we’re supposed to be heading for?’

‘Ooooh!’ Bob flounced. ‘Get you! I’m not the one who was getting drunk on magic and flitting around like the Artful Dodger on speed.’

‘Sorry. I messed up,’ I muttered. I could hardly pretend otherwise.

‘What?’ he screeched. ‘No, no, no, no, no! A Chieftain does not apologise. Have you ever heard me apologise?’

I sighed. ‘I’m not infallible just because I’ve got a poncey title.’

‘Of course you’re not. But you don’t ever let other people know that.’ He paused. ‘Are you making a face at me?’

‘No.’

‘You are, aren’t you?’

‘I already said no, Bob.’

‘Honestly,’ he huffed. ‘This is what I get for working with amateurs.’

Chapter Six

Although I hadn’t intended to hide in a bloody broom cupboard, in the end it proved rather useful. It gave me time to sort through the different Gifts I’d taken and work out what each one was. Together with Illusion – and I was already well aware of how useful that particular Gift could be – I’d taken Electrosurge, Dowsing, Animal Summoning and Apportation. I sent out tiny bolts of each one, tugging tentatively to test them and identify them while Bob crowed out the different magical names. An ancient lightbulb, long since blown, zapped back to life and illuminated the tiny cupboard until I released the magic. I sensed a string of jewels round an elegant Sidhe lady’s neck less than twenty feet away which called seductively to my inner thief. A cat meowed outside the cupboard door and scratched the wood until I hastily sent it away. I sent a mop head up to the top turret and brought it back. I flexed my magic muscles until I was satisfied that I could control each one. Candy’s life might depend on it.

When I eventually edged out of the cupboard, the large hall was as busy as before. Fortunately there was no longer any sign of Byron and no one paid me any further attention. The giggly Sidhe girls from whom I’d stolen were still hovering around, no longer looking worse for wear. As long as I hadn’t done any permanent damage, I could ignore my temporary loss of control.