The Captive examined her nails and showed her long teeth. ‘A brave crew the three of you are. I do not know how much time has passed since I have been here. It may have been many centuries of your time. I occupy myself with making things. He cannot prevent me from doing that. My will is strong still, for some things. You saw some of them, did you not? He keeps them. He learns from them.’ She turned her gaze onto Tom and the fierceness in it made him quiver.

‘And you, Zita, the girl who can send herself. It is not often that we see a talent like that. And he keeps you all to himself.’

‘We haven’t got much time – he’s right behind us.’ Zita’s voice was shaky.

‘Know that I will kill that one,’ spat the Captive, raising her wrist with difficulty and pointing at Kit. ‘I will kill him the moment I am released. And then after I have done with him, I will have my revenge on James Swinton, and on his spawn too, and on those who have executed his will.’

The Captive held her chains out. ‘Shall you free me now?’

‘He’s coming,’ gasped Zita. The walls of the room shook, as if hit by a small earthquake.

‘One of the peculiarities of my imprisonment. I can hold him off, for a while at least.’

‘There must be another way. If we free you, won’t you forgive Kit? It wasn’t his fault.’

‘What do you have to say for yourself, Christopher?’ The Captive smiled, but it was the smile of a wolf. Tom noticed that there were marks around her wrists from where the manacles touched her skin.

A moan came from where Kit was standing, holding his head with both his hands.

‘A terrible choice. Free me and be killed. Or wait until Jack breaks through and be killed too.’

‘Shall bargain wi’ thee.’ It was Kit, his voice weak.

‘Don’t. She’ll twist it somehow!’ Zita spoke louder.

‘She will not.’ Kit neared the Captive. ‘She will not a’cause I took her. This be my bargain. I set thee free, and thou shalt kill me. Spare them. They need Jack dead. Even more’n I do.’

Kit placed his hands on the iron manacles around the Captive’s wrists. The room shook especially hard, as if Jack could sense what was happening. Kit muttered a few words and sobbed.

It was over in a second.

The chains were off.

Almost immediately the Captive snapped the irons around her legs. She stretched and yawned, stood for a second surveying the room. Tom had the sensation that here was something like a bolt of lightning or a hawk.

And then, with a movement fast and precise, she picked Kit up by the throat.