Even perfectly stock-still, the bodies looked terrifying. They were all of the exact same personifate body – it was the antlered creature that had attacked them in the forest. Edwin glanced at Prue. She suddenly recalled that he had said the creature in the forest had looked like something from the Ancient Mercia books. Prue remembered her very first weekend at the Guild, and how enthusiastic Craftsman Primrose was about Ancient Mercian myths at the library.

“Don’t look so afraid, they are merely shells, waiting to be inhabited. Come along inside.”

Primrose walked about the stag-men proudly. “It’s been quite a task getting these ready for the blood moon, especially with all the extra work at the Guild.”

“Why are they so terrible looking? Human-like bodies and skull-like faces, and why the huge antlers?” Prue said, trying to keep her voice calm.

“They may seem a little fearsome, but we need them to be. The Guild won’t just hand power over to us.” Craftsman Primrose patted one proudly as he passed it. “Don’t look so worried, Prue. Imagine if we were in control of all of Medlock and the Guild, every available technology at our fingertips. We can find a way to bring back memory. You want rights for personifates? This is the only way to get them.”

“You’re planning to bring these back too on the blood moon?” said Edwin. He kept flashing looks at Prue and mouthed, He’s mad! Prue mouthed, I know.

Craftsman Primrose paced back towards them. “Not too, but instead. Qwortzite is enormously expensive and rare, so there will only be enough for one set of a hundred. Luckily I’ve secured the code for the vault.”

Prue thought of his relationship with Master White. Was that how he knew the code?

“And what will you do with the stag-men?” Prue said, trying to keep her voice steady.

“We will harness the army together when the blood moon rises. All the most esteemed and powerful members of the Sovereign Chancellery will be at the factorium that evening. The Guild plans to start harnessing at ten p.m., but we will start sooner, at sundown. By the time they realize the qwortzite has gone, we will be finished, and they will have no option but to surrender power to the personifates. Then I take over as Governor and head of the new Guild, and you both become instant masters of a new personifate-empowered guild. You’ll have all the resources to fulfil your research and unlock the memories.”

“Right,” said Prue, “so, you just need us to help harness the stag-men so that you can grant the personifates more freedom. Except, in order to grant more freedom, you need to create an army that will imprint on you, so you will actually be in charge.” She paused. “It doesn’t sound that free for them.”