He nodded, his long hair falling. ‘They told you it was all illusion.’

‘But why?’ She looked up at him, face flushed. ‘I’m beginning to see some of the things they told us aren’t true. I’m not sure any more what I should believe. And then, when you were caught…’ She shrugged. ‘I just wanted to get you out.’

Galen looked at her, and something in his eyes softened.

The Sekoi squirmed uneasily. ‘Very touching,’ it muttered. ‘Forgive me for saying this but, keeper, you realise this may all be lies. She may still want us to take her to the Crow. That’s why she got you out.’

‘I do,’ Carys said.

‘Yes, but only to solve your doubts? Or might you not turn on us all when you find him? To capture the Crow would bring you a great deal of gold, no doubt.’ Its eyes gleamed yellow.

‘For myself,’ she snapped.

‘Prove it,’ Galen said quietly.

‘How?’

‘Leave your weapon here.’

She stared at him, astonished. ‘That’s madness! The city is full of dangers; we’d have no protection.’

‘Do it as an act of faith.’ His dark eyes watched her carefully. ‘Keepers carry no weapons.’

‘They do,’ she retorted. ‘Invisible ones.’

‘I have none, Carys.’

She glanced away. ‘Yes, but just to leave it here! It’s so stupid!’

‘It will show us that you mean what you say.’

She turned; for a long moment she stared at him, then at Raffi, who said nothing. Finally she pulled the bow off her back and threw it down. ‘I must be totally insane!’

Disgusted, she flung the spare bolts after it. ‘No wonder the Order’s been wiped out!’

‘It hasn’t. Not yet.’ Galen took the globe from Raffi and fingered it. ‘And it never will. Not while we have faith.’

As he said it an enormous crack burst in the sky outside, making them all jump. The Sekoi slithered to the window; as it looked out, they saw its face was rippled with red light.

‘You’d better see this,’ it hissed.

Raffi pushed in. Another whooshing sound shot up; he saw a burst of red flame high in the dark; it fell in flakes behind the high walls.

‘What was it?’

‘Watch-flares.’ The Sekoi pulled its head in. ‘They’ve found the men under the arch. We need to move.’

‘Carefully though.’ Carys followed. ‘They’ll double the patrols.’

She slid out behind the Sekoi, but halfway through the window Raffi saw her look back at the crossbow; a hopeless, bitter look. Then he climbed after her.