In fact, the window was my chief entertainment for a time. I would watch the aircraft streak by, and peer at the horizon, where either insects or flyers duelled above the swamp. But my focus was the compound. I watched the ground crews sweep the runways, clearing rubble and wreckage. I watched the governor’s servants’ ongoing battle to maintain the creaking château. I would surge to my feet when the sirens wailed, intent as the pilots raced for their planes. All except Flight Commander Gradeolous, who seemed unwilling to proceed at anything faster than an evening stroll.

But I never saw Shard.

I had made enquiries, but the servants would not speak on the matter. In desperation I attempted to hack into the vox, but only succeeded in damaging the unit. Stylee accompanied the mechanical tasked with repairing it, glaring at me whilst they worked.

‘I do not know why you busy yourself sabotaging the governor’s facilities,’ he muttered. ‘Shouldn’t you be completing your pict?’

‘I smelled something unpleasant,’ I replied, my back half to him, staring from the window.

‘So you began fiddling with the wiring?’

‘I thought it came from the casing. There was something similar in the first room you gave me – a black mould around the power unit. It smelled like that.’

From the corner of my eye, I saw him stiffen.

‘Impossible,’ Stylee replied. ‘There are no outbreaks in the château. Certainly not at this level.’

‘I’m sure I imagined it.’

‘Yes, you did,’ Stylee replied, marching over to the mechanical and examining the vox-set. He pulled the unit clear, peering at the polished wooden wall.

‘There, you see? No sign of it,’ he insisted. ‘Now stop fussing at matters beyond your concern and complete the governor’s pict.’

‘I wish I could. But I have no means.’

‘You have your seer-skull device,’ Stylee replied, nodding to Mizar, still embedded in a section carved from Hephaestus.

‘But I cannot use it. Its systems are still integrated into the wing.’

‘That is your problem.’

‘Indeed,’ I agreed. ‘And I am incapable of fixing it. You have seen what I did to the vox. If I do not receive assistance, Governor Zanwich’s pict will never be completed.’

Stylee flinched. I wager I knew his thoughts. He would be happy for me to fail and earn Dolos’ further displeasure. But what if Governor Zanwich truly cared about the project? If he subsequently took issue with Dolos and demanded an investigation, she might choose to blame Stylee’s inaction for my failure.

He glanced to the mechanical. ‘When you are done, attend to… this.’ He waved at the wing-section propped in the room’s corner. The mechanical glanced from it to Stylee.

‘I… This is military technology, sir. I am not sanctioned to interfere with it.’

‘Just pull the damn skull out!’

‘Sir.’ The mechanical bowed, approaching the device cautiously, his arc welder shaking slightly.