The doctor began to tremble violently as Sephrenia slipped her splinted arm back into the sling. ‘Wait a minute,’ he said as they started towards the door ‘What about that?’ He pointed at the fairy swooping through the air near the window.

‘Oh,’ Sephrenia said. ‘Sorry I almost forgot about her.’ She mumbled a few words and made a vague gesture.

The bumblebee went back to batting its head against the window.

It was dark when they emerged from the apothecary’s shop into the nearly deserted square.

‘It’s not very much,’ Sparhawk said dubiously.

‘It’s more than we had before. At least we know how to cure Ehlana. All we need to do now is to find one of these objects.’

‘Would you be able to tell if Arasham’s talisman has any real power?’ ‘I think so.’

‘Good. Perraine says that Arasham preaches every night. Let’s go and find him. I’ll listen to a dozen sermons if it puts me close to a cure.’

‘How do you propose to get it away from him?’

‘I’ll think of something.’

A black-robed man suddenly blocked their path. ‘Stop right there,’ he commanded.

‘What’s your problem, neighbour?’ Sparhawk asked him.

‘Why are you not at the feet of holy Arasham?’ the robed man asked accusingly

‘We were just on our way,’ Sparhawk replied.

‘All Dabour knows that holy Arasham speaks to the multitudes at sundown. Why are you deliberately absenting yourselves?’

‘We arrived only today,’ Sparhawk explained, ‘and I had to seek medical attention for my sister’s injured arm.’

The fanatic scowled suspiciously at Sephrenia’s sling. ‘Surely you did not consult with the wizard Tanjin?’ he said in an outraged tone

‘When one is in pain, one does not ask to see the healer’s credentials,’ Sephrenia told him. ‘I can assure you, however, that the doctor used no witchcraft. He set the broken bone and splinted it for me in the same way any other physician would have.’

‘The righteous do not consort with wizards,’ the zealot declared stubbornly

‘I’ll tell you what, neighbour,’ Sparhawk said pleasantly ‘Why don’t I break your arm? Then you can visit the doctor yourself. If you watch him very closely, you should be able to tell if he’s using witchcraft or not.’

The fanatic stepped back apprehensively.

‘Come now, friend,’ Sparhawk told him enthusiastically, ‘be brave. It won’t hurt all that much, and think of how much holy Arasham will appreciate your zeal in rooting out the abomination of witchcraft.’

‘Could you tell us where we might find the place where holy Arasham speaks to the multitudes?’ Sephrenia interposed. ‘Our souls hunger and thirst for his words.’

‘Over that way,’ the nervous man said, pointing. ‘You can see the light from the torches.’

‘Thanks, friend,’ Sparhawk said, bowing slightly. He frowned. ‘How is it that you yourself are not at the services this evening?’