‘‘If he doesn’t have any idea of who I really am, then I don’t think we have much to worry about. I’ll probably be able to fob him off one way or another. Bring me the letter, and I’ll take a look at it a little later. Right now we have to focus on the immediate task at hand. Did you call that holiday rental place for me?’’ I asked.

She perked up at the change of subject. Cyrene might be a trouble magnet, but she really did have a pure heart, and was quite happy at the thought of being of use to me. ‘‘Yes. They said the house is empty now, but people are expected in late tonight or tomorrow.’’

‘‘Hmm. We’ll have to go scout it out and see if the renters have arrived. Let’s hope not, because it’ll make life so much easier if we can use their gardens to get into Dr. Kostich’s.’’ I hoisted myself to my feet and rustled through my bag, pulling out what Cyrene called my cat burglar outfit—black pants, shoes, and shirt, topped with a leather bodice containing several inner pockets, and a small dagger that I wore at my ankle.

‘‘I still don’t see why you’re going to all this trouble when you could simply pop the quintessence thingie in the mail to Dr. Kostich,’’ Cyrene said as she plopped down on the bed.

I disappeared into the bathroom, one eye on the clock as I quickly changed clothes. ‘‘For one thing, I’d never mail something so valuable. You don’t seem to understand just how important quintessence is to alchemists—it’s the above and below.’’

‘‘Huh?’’

‘‘Everything. It’s everything to them, everything they strive for, everything they want to achieve, everything they want to know. It is the living thing that breathes life into all their processes. I didn’t actually think it existed until I saw it. Its importance demands that I replace it where I found it.’’

‘‘Pooh. I say let the mage go without it.’’

‘‘Cy, you don’t seem to understand—this isn’t just an ordinary mage. This is Dr. Kostich, the man who runs the entire L’au-delà. And let me tell you, there are a lot of other things I’d rather do than mess with the guy who leads the Otherworld.’’

‘‘He doesn’t rule naiads,’’ she said indignantly. ‘‘We’re elemental spirits!’’

‘‘And naiads are a part of the L’au-delà. Since Kostich heads up the committee that rules it, that means he has the power to affect even you.’’

‘‘Oh, how bad can he be? He’s a mage,’’ she said dismissively. ‘‘They’re all about arcane magic, and that doesn’t affect you or me.’’