Now the ship sailed into a harbour stretching out from the city, its quays shifting with the same subtle shades of the buildings.

“It is like a dream…” Hawkmoon murmured.

“A dream of heaven.” D’Averc’s cynicism had vanished before the vision.

The little boat drifted to a set of steps that led down to the water, which was dappled with the reflections of the colours, and came to a halt.

D’Averc shrugged. “I suppose this is where we disembark. The boat could have borne us to a less pleasant place.”

Hawkmoon nodded gravely and then said: “Are the Rings of Myggan still in your pouch, D’Averc?”

D’Averc patted his pouch. “They are safe. Why?”

“I wanted to know that if the danger was too great for us to face with our swords and there was time to use the rings, we could use them.”

D’Averc nodded his understanding and then his forehead creased. “Strange that we did not think of using them on the island…”

Hawkmoon’s face showed his astonishment. “Ayeaye …” And then he pursed his lips in disgust. “Doubtless that was the result of supernatural interference with our brains! How I hate the supernatural!”

D’Averc merrily put his fingers to his lips and put on an expression of mock disapproval. “What a thing to say in a city such as this!”

“Ayewell, I hope its inhabitants are as pleasant as its appearance.”

“If it has any inhabitants,” replied D’Averc glancing around him.

Together they climbed the steps and reached the quayside. The strange buildings were ahead of them and between the buildings ran wide streets.

“Let’s enter the city,” Hawkmoon said resolutely, “and find out why we have been taken here as soon as we can. Then, perhaps, we shall be allowed to return to Castle Brass!”

Entering the nearest street, it seemed to them that the shadows cast by the buildings actually glowed with a life and a colour of their own. At close hand the tall towers were hardly tangible and when Hawkmoon reached out to touch one the substance of it was unlike anything he had touched before. It was not stone and it was not timber; not steel even, for it gave slightly under his fingers and made them tingle. He was also surprised by the warmth that ran through his arm and suffused his body.

He shook his head. “It is more like flesh than stone!”

D’Averc reached out now and was equally astonished. “Ayeor like vegetation of some kind. Organicliving stuff!”

They moved on. Every so often the long streets would broaden out into squares. They crossed the squares, choosing another street at random, looking up at the

building which gave the appearance of infinite height, which disappeared into the strange, golden haze.

Their voices were hushed; they feared to disturb the silence of the great city.

“Have you noticed,” murmured Hawkmoon, “that there are no windows?”