‘No.’ This time my tone was short.

The Ipsissimus nodded. ‘And have you been practising since you left the Order?’

‘I didn’t leave the Order,’ I said pointedly. ‘I was booted out.’ He didn’t speak. I sighed. ‘Yes. I have on occasion used magic.’

One of the other seated men spoke up. ‘Have your skills progressed at all?’

I clenched my fists then, realising what I was doing, slowly relaxed. ‘They have. Would you like a demonstration?’ I’d turn him into a frog if that was what it was going to take.

‘That won’t be necessary,’ the Ipsissimus broke in.

Winter coughed. ‘She does have clear, well-honed abilities.’

I looked at him, surprised. He was supposed to be doing all he could to get me out of here, not encouraging this lot to keep me around.

‘You’ve seen evidence of this?’ a severe-looking woman enquired. ‘Actually watched her cast runes? Or use herblore?’

‘No,’ he admitted.

The people round the table exchanged looks. ‘You arrived after Ms Wilde’s expulsion,’ she said.

‘She alluded to what had happened.’

‘Did she now? Well, I think we all know what her skills and abilities are really like.’

There was a titter from several others. I bristled. ‘I am here, you know.’

The Ipsissimus offered me a benign smile. ‘Our apologies. And our apologies that you were dragged into this … situation. There was a mix-up with the paperwork and we didn’t realise that Philosophus Harrington was absent on Order business. The error is understandable, if not forgivable.’

On one side of the table I spotted a red-robed man whose heavy-bagged eyes and unkempt hair suggested that he was under considerable stress. He seemed to shrink into himself. No prizes for guessing whose error it had been.

The Ipsissimus continued. ‘We have looked into the specifications of the binding which Adeptus Minor Biggins created and there is some opportunity to remove the spell.’

Praise the heavens. I exhaled. ‘Good. Get it off.’

‘In one hundred days’ time, there will be a slight loosening as the magic begins to wear off. At that time, it is possible we can remove it.’

I looked at him. Had I heard that properly? ‘One hundred days?’ I asked. ‘One hundred days’ time?’

The Ipsissimus continued to smile. It was tinged with sympathy but all the same it was becoming mightily irritating. ‘Yes. I’m afraid there’s nothing else we can do.’

‘You’d better not be planning any holidays abroad,’ I muttered to Winter. I tilted up my chin. ‘So it’s settled then. Adeptus Exemptus Winter and I stay within five miles of each other and neither of us leaves Oxford. You compensate me for my future lack of earnings and in one hundred days’ time, the spell is removed.’

‘And you work with him.’ The Ipsissimus addressed Winter. ‘It’s not ideal but as long as she tags along during all investigations and occasionally helps you with your Arcane work, the terms of the binding will be met. Your forbearance is greatly appreciated but we know you will rise to the challenge. You can learn a great deal from training someone so … complex.’