'Yes, master,' Nai replied, 'and you had missed Chalem's Experiments with Fire so I took the liberty of bringing that as well.'

Purn sniffed. 'The loss of any book is a waste, I suppose.' He pointed past Amber and through the high empty reception rooms. 'Come then, Major, that way, please. Get ready to go through one of the windows, but don't leave the building until I have joined you.'

Purn's smile faded as he touched his fingers against the splintered door frame, concentrating. He began to whisper under his breath. As Amber grabbed Mikiss by the collar and hauled him off after the brothers, they caught sight of a thin finger of flame that darted up to the ceiling and spread in all directions. By the time they had crossed the two rooms to reach the tall shuttered windows on the far side, a deep orange light outlined the doorway and Mikiss could hear the llames hungrily consuming the building.

Shart and Mikiss set to clearing away the debris below the window and forcing the warped shutters open. From outside came the sounds of magic; the fierce crackle of lightning and, suddenly, a raging wind, all overlaid with panicked cries. Despite the noise, Mikiss heard Purn's footfalls as the necromancer marched in after them, silhouet-led against the rising flames.

'Well now, chaos reigns in my wake,' Purn declared, 'so let us be off.'

He pushed past the soldiers and peered out of the window, then hopped through with remarkable agility. As Keneg and Sharl for lowed, a great chattering began in the low undergrowth nearby.

Tsatach's balls, what's that?' Shart demanded, looking anxiously at Purn.

The necromancer tugged his cloak straight. 'That? A local spirit I recruited to the cause.' Any further explanation was cut short as a shape burst from under a bush and leaped at Purn. It passed straight through the necromancer's body, skidded on the ground and slammed Into the side oi the house.

Mikiss stared down at it as the spirit scrabbled to right itself. It looked somewhat like a spider, only with four short, powerful legs, each one ending in a pair of large claws. He couldn't see the face, which was set deep into the body, but the hiss of fury it directed towards Purn was all too obvious.

The necromancer stared down at the creature, an expression of mild curiosity on his face. He said nothing, but continued to inspect the creature, until Shart took matters into his own hands and slammed his axe down onto it, cutting it in nearly in two. 'It didn't seem to like you so much,' he said, hauling his axe free. 'It looked at me for a moment, then went back to working out how it was going to gut you.' He stopped talking as a black man-like shape rose up behind Purn, claws outstretched.

The necromancer disappeared entirely as the phantom touched him. It surged forward and raked its claws down Shart's face, and he howled and collapsed in a heap. The phantom ignored Keneg, who jumped over his prone brother and attacked, but it was like trying to cut through fog. His sword was useless against the strange being.

Major Amber shoved Mikiss out the way and vaulted through the window, but before he could join the attack, a shaft of white light lanced out from inside the room and pierced the shadowy form as¬sailing Shart. The phantom reeled, shrieking, and rose up in the air, writhing and screeching, then fled over the tree tops until it dissipated in the sky.

Mikiss turned to see who had cast the spell, and was shocked at the sight of Isherin Purn, standing placidly beside his encumbered servant. He looked back: there was no trace of the necromancer on the ground.

'But? I saw it-'

'What you saw was an illusion,' Purn said.

'My master abhors the prospect of physical injury,' Nai explained, rather contemptuously. 'He sent an illusion of himself on ahead to see what was out there.'

'They are now released from my control,' Purn protested, 'and obviously some will try to kill me for imprisoning them in the first place.' He looked flustered now, as if Nai's unspoken reprimand had struck a nerve.

Nai gave a snort that seemed to indicate sympathy for the daemons outside and clambered out of the window. Mikiss gave Purn a puzzled

look, but the necromancer had regained his composure and his dark glower returned. Mikiss didn't wait to see the red glow return to Purn's eyes. He almost fell out of the window in his hurry to escape.

Shart lay on the floor, the major kneeling over him, pressing hard on his chest. Mikiss could see blood all around him.

The major's face was grim when he looked up. 'Purn, can your magic help him?'

The necromancer laid a hand on Shart's bloodied face. He shook his head. 'Your man is dead. I could have him up and walking in half a minute, but I doubt you would appreciate it.' He didn't have to go into detail.

Before anyone could move, a group of men rounded the corner of the house, weapons held low against whatever they were likely to meet. They stopped dead when they saw the Menin soldiers. The sight of six men, one probably dead, rather than a horde of daemons, left them momentarily confused.

One man said something and the rest closed ranks, in anticipation of attack. Keneg obliged with a roar and Major Amber ran to his side, followed by Nai, who abandoned his bag of books and snatched up Shart's axe from the ground. Keneg battered aside one pike-head and decapitated its owner without a pause. The major followed suit before anyone else had the chance to attack.

Then Mikiss found himself screaming a warning – a woman was sprinting around the corner after the soldiers. He couldn't work out what she thought she could achieve, for she carried no weapons… She was making straight for Keneg, who raised his sword and stood ready. The woman didn't slow her charge, but her body blurred and dropped low to all fours with astonishing speed and Keneg's blade met nothing as a huge lioness came up under his guard and slapped one razor-sharp clawed paw into his gut. The lioness buried its teeth Into Keneg's forearm and used its great weight to bear him to the ground

Major Amber rushed to join the attack, but the lioness pulled Keneg, howling in pain, out of reach, dragging him by the arm as if he were a rag-doll. Amber raised his sword, preparing to rush the lioness, when another group of soldiers rounded the corner, led by a second woman brandishing two swords.

Put up your weapons,' the woman shouted, the men behind her spreading out. On her left was a nobleman, dressed as if for a state banquet but clearly able to use the needle-sharp rapier in his hand.

'Fucking animal,' Keneg bellowed, swinging his free arm around to punch the lioness in the throat with all the strength of a desperate man.

Major Amber stood ready against the oncoming soldiers as Keneg struggled to his feet, trying to buy them some space, all thoughts of his own safety long vanished. Once upright, Keneg charged forward, swinging wildly at the lioness, who growled at him and retreated, leaving him facing the other woman. He screamed a challenge at her and rushed in, but she parried his blows with ease, her twin blades moving in perfect unison.

Finally Keneg gasped and sank to his knees, his fury gone in a shud¬der of pain. The woman hardly broke her stride as she spun around and pierced his body, heart and lung. He heaved one great hacking cough, gouts of blood erupting from his mouth, and sank to the ground.

'Gentlemen.' Yet another woman stepped forward from behind the attackers, dressed as a member of the White Circle. She carried no weapons and wore no armour, but there was a grim promise in her voice as she said, 'I suggest you drop your weapons immediately, I am in no mood to play games.'

Purn stepped forward. 'And I suggest you get out of our way or I will summon the daemons walking this place to destroy you.' Mikiss saw the deep red glow radiating from the necromancer's eyes again.