I fell silent. I had only four years to run, but Tiger had nine. I looked across at him, but he was busy doing the filing.

‘I’m waiting for your answer, Miss Strange,’ said the King. ‘I am a generous man, but also an impatient one. Cash, freedom, and a title. What will it be?’

‘No,’ I said at last.

‘What?’

‘The life of a Dragon is not for sale at any price – not even for freedom. It is due to your intransigence that Troll Wars widows are reduced to begging at all. I reject your offer and will never compromise my position as Dragonslayer to assist your military conquests. Not now, not ever.’

There was renewed silence for a moment.

‘You disappoint me, my dear. I hope you will not regret your decision.’

The line went dead. I looked up. Tiger was staring at me.

‘Did you just turn down an offer from him to lift your servitude?’

‘No,’ I said, feeling a bit stupid, ‘I turned it down for both of us.’

‘Hmm,’ he said after a moment’s thought. ‘I hope this Dragon friend of yours is worth it.’

‘I don’t know,’ I said. ‘The Mighty Shandar’s recorded message told me not to trust men or Dragons. I know I can’t trust Snodd and the Earl of Tenbury. Brian Spalding is dead and Zambini indisposed. The only thing to trust is my own gut feeling, and that tells me Maltcassion is the one to follow. If I’m wrong, I apologise now.’

‘No apology necessary,’ replied Tiger cheerfully. ‘Sister Assumpta bet me a moolah I wouldn’t last the week, but aside from that, I’ll only be back where I started.’

He was taking it quite well, all things considered.

‘I need to somehow level the playing fields,’ I said, mostly to myself. ‘War can always be averted – you just have to find out how.’

‘You know what you should do?’

‘Strike Lady Mawgon on the back of the head with a cabbage?’

‘A fine idea – but I was thinking you should speak to the Duke of Brecon and tell him his army is seriously outnumbered and outgunned.’

‘Tricky,’ I said, ‘not to mention treasonous. I preferred the cabbage idea. But you’re right,’ I added, ‘the problem is, how? All the phone lines between the two states were cut years ago and the border is closed.’

‘Jenny,’ said Tiger, ‘what does a Dragonslayer care about borders?’