Winter and I walked into their showy building in the far corner of the Order campus. As if to prove their worth, the Geomancy worker bees had gone to considerable effort to make the place look grand. Like most of the neighbouring university buildings, this one was made out of local Headington stone but it was an odd mish-mash of styles, as if each generation had sought to put their personal stamp on the structure. There were sweeping curves coupled with harsh gargoyles and perpendicular modern lines. Although it was a mess, I rather liked the way it had been put together. I particularly liked the marble floor in the entrance because it was shiny enough for me to slide across without bothering to pick up my feet.

‘How old did you say you were?’ Winter enquired.

‘Twenty-seven.’ I pushed out my arms. Perhaps if I was more streamlined, I could slide to the next pillar. I turned my head and grinned at him. ‘If you’re trying to make the point that I’m childish, thank you very much. The only reason that most adults don’t do things like this is because they’re too concerned about what others think. Or they’re so worried about their problems they can’t think about anything but themselves. Or they no longer see the wonder and joy in sliding across a floor or down a banister. I think that’s sad, not immature.’

‘Hmmm.’ Winter scratched his chin. Rather than frowning at me in disapproval, he shocked me by flinging himself forward and trying to glide along himself. He didn’t get very far. ‘This is stupid,’ he muttered.

‘Your shoes are too sensible. They probably have expensive non-slip soles. Now if you took them off and tried in your socks…’

He tilted his head. ‘Don’t push your luck, Ivy.’

I winked at him. ‘You gave me the opening, Raphael.’

For a long moment he was silent. When he spoke, I barely heard him. ‘Rafe.’

‘Pardon?’

Winter cleared his throat. ‘It’s Rafe. Nor Raphael. I’m not an angel.’

‘You just look like one,’ I said, the words out of my mouth before I could stop them. ‘I mean…’ Ah, darn it. I shrugged. ‘You’re a remarkably good-looking guy.’

He met my eyes. I thought he looked rather pleased. ‘You’re not so bad yourself.’

‘I’ll take that,’ I said cheerfully. ‘It beats being told I need to go on a diet.’

Winter had the grace to redden slightly. Before he could apologise – and end up embarrassing us both even more – I pulled back my shoulders and stopped monkeying around. ‘We should get going.’

He nodded. ‘Yes.’ Then, ‘You’re becoming a bad influence on me.’

I patted him on the shoulder. ‘Then there’s hope for you yet.’

We walked, rather than slid, towards the reception desk. A smartly dressed man without a hair out of place greeted us. ‘I’ve always wanted to do that,’ he confided in a delighted tone.

Winter, embarrassed at having been caught doing something that didn’t involve marching like a sergeant major, frowned. ‘I’m Adeptus Exemptus Winter,’ he said. ‘And this is my associate, Ivy Wilde.’