Byron, seeming to sense my reluctance, slowed down. ‘Trust me, they’ll all be fine.’

‘You can’t be sure of that. And won’t someone have called Aifric and told him what’s going on? He’ll be on his way here.’

‘Which,’ he said with infinite patience, ‘is why we need to hurry.’

We reached his car and jumped in. Byron gunned the engine and careened down the road. ‘How did you get here?’

‘Car,’ I said. ‘Bob is waiting with it.’ I checked my watch. There were still ten minutes before my deadline to meet him.

Byron nodded, driving past the border and then coming to a halt. He sprang out and began using telekinesis to return both the flagpole and the slightly singed fabric to their original places. From out of nowhere, Bob’s tiny shape flew at him. ‘What are you doing?’ he shrieked.

Nonplussed, Byron batted him away. ‘I’m busy,’ he said. ‘Just hang on.’

Bob’s eyes were wild. I walked up behind him and softly murmured his name. He swung round. ‘Uh Integrity! You’re…’ he glanced at Byron. ‘You’re alive! It’s a miracle!’

Byron grunted as the pole dropped back into place. I smiled at the genie. ‘It’s alright, Bob. He knows.’

His face screwed up. ‘Well so much for that master plan,’ he grumbled. ‘Isn’t he pissed off?’

I opened my mouth to answer but the expression on Bob’s face stymied me. ‘What?’ I asked.

‘You ‒ you ‒ you had sex! You shagged him, you dolt!’ He put his hands on his hips as if it were a personal affront.

‘How do you…?’ Oops. I mentally slapped myself.

‘How do I know? How do I know?’ His voice was getting higher and higher. ‘I’m a magnificent being with powers you can only dream of!’

‘Bob,’ I said tiredly.

‘Your T-shirt’s on back to front,’ he informed me. I glanced down. Ah. ‘You’d better pray you used protection,’ he continued. ‘Who knows what nasty disease you might have caught? And what about Tipsania?’

I reached out, grabbed him and cupped him in both hands to muffle his protests. He banged around, nipping with his teeth at the soft, fleshy part of my palm. I grimaced in pain. Byron, satisfied he’d returned the border to its original state, strolled over and bent down. ‘Hi Bob,’ he said cheerfully. ‘Great to see you too.’

‘Won’t anyone notice that the Moncrieffe flag is a bit burnt?’ I asked anxiously.

Byron shrugged. ‘If they do, they’ll think it’s some old damage from years gone by. I don’t think it’s been changed since I was in nappies. I only found out that I could gain access this way a couple of weeks ago ‒ although it helps that half the Moncrieffe Sidhe are in Perth for the stag party. Those trolls were good at keeping their mouths shut.’ He gave me a sidelong glance. ‘They still are.’

Bob yelled something. We both ignored him. ‘What now?’ I asked.

‘I tie you up, shove you into the boot of my car and prevent you from leaving me ever again.’ His expression was so deadpan that for a moment I believed him. ‘Or you could find Tipsania and tell her what’s going on so I don’t have to make a show of threatening Candy to draw her out.’