“I don’t think they’ll expect that of new apprentices. Maybe some of the older apprentices like Larkin and Sira. We’re just there in a supportive role,” said Edwin.

“Good, because I’d likely be so nervous that I’d reverse the signal and blast them straight back to where they came from,” said Agapantha.

Prue looked up. “What did you say?”

Agapantha’s cheeks flushed red, “Oh, I wouldn’t really do that. I’d honestly be very careful if I had the chance.”

“I know, but what you said about reversing the signal – is that possible?”

“Mathematically it is – you could break the loop. The signal, even though it’s harnessed within the qwortzite, is a continuous movement from this world to the spirit world. If the loop was interrupted, the qwortzite would lose the frequency for ever, and let’s face it, it would be near on impossible to pick it up again.”

Prue and Edwin looked at each other aghast.

“Did I say something wrong?” Agapantha whispered.

“Ag, you’re a genius of few words, but what you say is mighty powerful.” Prue smiled. She whispered something to Edwin who nodded in agreement, then she wrote a note on a piece of paper and passed it across to Agapantha, looking around carefully to make sure they weren’t being watched.

Meet in the memory lab at lunch.

Make sure no one sees you or follows,

especially the craftsmen and masters.

Later, in the memory lab, Prue, Edwin and Agapantha sat away from the door so that no one could listen in from the hallway. Prue quietly explained everything that had happened to an aghast Agapantha.

“You’re completely stuck,” said Agapantha, eyes wide. “If you tell anyone, he’ll send a signal to the stag-man to attack your parents. But if you go along with him, you’re half responsible for bringing down the Governor and overthrowing the Imperial Personifate Guild.”

“Yes, something like that,” said Prue, her heart rate quickening at the mere thought of it all.

“Your poor parents,” said Agapantha.

Prue nodded. “What you said in the library earlier gave me an idea, but we can’t risk getting it wrong. And I’m going to need your help, both with the machine, and on the night. Ag, do you think you could create something that would interrupt the signal?”

She thought for a moment. “We could use one of the GODAR machines and connect it to each stag-man.”

“But I’m not sure we’d be able to do them one at a time without them, you know, killing people,” said Edwin.

“So, we’ll need to transmit the signal to interrupt the loops of the stag-men, then focus it at the same time,” Prue suggested,

“We could use a parabolic reflector to target an area!” said Agapantha.