Inspector to launch his formal examination of Buate's accounts. It had used up a great deal or time, and cost far more than it would ever produce in fines. Worst of all, the clerks still hadn't found any tangible link between Buate and Ranalee's family. Of course, that didn't really matter; he was just using the tax investigation as a major irritant against Buate while the Jeavons constables built up the One Hundred list. But a proven link would have been nice.

Edeard left the merged domes of the Parliament Building behind and crossed over the delicate white-wire bridge of Centre Circle Canal. The patch of land ringed by the little canal was too small to rate as a district, people just called it Rah's garden. A small green oasis in the middle of government's commotion. He walked along simple paths lined by tall perfectly shaped flame-yews. Roses were throwing out their first blossoms of the season, releasing a gentle scent into the still air. Several freshwater ponds were joined together by small streams, crossed by small brick humpback bridges. As he went across them he could see big emerald and scarlet fish gliding around smoothly; they seemed to regard him slyly as he went by.

On the other side of Rah's garden the rear of the Orchard Palace rose before him, higher than any of the domes behind. Captain Larose was waiting for him at the bottom of the broad symmetrical perron that led up into the palace. Edeard straightened his dress jacket, though it was something of a lost cause beside the captain's ceremonial uniform.

'Waterwalker.

'Just you today, Captain?

'Fraid so, old chap. Inside the palace I'm naught but a humble guide.

'Then guide me in, please.

They ascended the three levels of the perron and went in through a high arching door. Five long cloisters led away from the hallway.

'Congratulations, by the way, Larose said. 'Kristabel's a fine catch.

'Thank you.

'I met her myself a few times. Obviously I didn't make much of an impression.

Edeard thought it best to let that one slide past.

'Did you really farsight Sergeant Chae's soul?

'Yes. Edeard had finally learned to stop sighing as he answered that question twenty times a day. It was disrespectful.

'That must put life into perspective, eh?

'Death isn't quite so frightening, but that doesn't mean that life shouldn't be celebrated.

'You are an extraordinary fellow, the captain declared as they emerged into the Malfit Hall. Edeard could well imagine the captain reading A Gentleman's Guide to Marriage and hanging off every word.

They passed into the Liliala Hall where Edeard stopped to regard the ceiling with the same astonishment as the first time he'd seen the images in Malfit Hall. The storm swirled silently above him; light flickered all around, casting strange-angled shadows as lightning bolts zipped through the clouds. Then Alakkad slipped through a breach in the scudding clouds. A smooth black ball of a world, threaded with hundreds of glowing red lines as vast rivers of lava surged along the surface.

'I never knew this was here, an enchanted Edeard said, craning his neck as he tried to see the entire ceiling at once. 'Can you see all of Gicon's bracelet?

'You know your astronomy.

'Some of it. We had a very old telescope in the Guild hall where I grew up. My Master enjoyed watching the skies. He always said he was trying to see if another ship was on its way to Querencia. I think he was actually watching for Skylords.

'Indeed. Well, if you wait long enough you'll see all the worlds in the bracelet.

Clouds surged back across Alakkad. Edeard would have loved to linger. The bracelet was always his favourite feature in the night sky, five small planets rotating around each other, orbiting further out from the sun than Querencia itself. The ancient telescope had never shown him Alakkad in such detail. He wondered how Vili would look in here, or the Mars twins.

Larose led him through into the series splendid chambers that made up the Mayor's private rooms. Owain was waiting in the oval sanctum, sitting behind the largest desk Edeard had ever seen. He wondered what on Querencia could be in all the drawers, but held back from probing with his farsight.

'Waterwalker, Owain said with a genuine smile. 'My full and sincere congratulations on this day. You're a very lucky man.

'Thank you, sir. It appeared the whole city was pleased for him and Kristabel.

Owain waited until Larose left. 'First off, allow me to apologise profusely for the episode in Eyrie.

'Sir?

'Those Lady-damned pistols. My Guild has held them in safekeeping for over a thousand years. They are perhaps our most closely guarded secret. How they came to be removed is still a mystery. Even if you managed to get them out of the vault, there are guards, locks… It should be impossible. It has been impossible, until now.

'Do you know who was responsible? Ronark and Doral had interrogated all the gang members they'd apprehended that night, but they were nothing more than couriers; no one knew the actual source of the guns, the man who was offering them for sale.

'We think we've identified the principal thief, Owain said. 'Though he has of course conveniently vanished. I'm shamed to say he was one of my Guild's senior journeyman, a man called Argian.

'I don't recall the name.

'Studious man, destined to be a Master, though perhaps not to sit on the Guild council itself. Here, Owain gifted his image.

Edeard was quite proud of the way he held his composure, shield firm, no sense of surprise leaking out. 'Argian' was the man he was currently holding in the underground cell. 'I'll let the constable stations know, the patrols can watch for him.

'Good man. Though 1 suspect he's left the city. Betraying us in such a despicable fashion carries a heavy penalty. He must have known that. I hope they paid him well.

'Yes, sir. Edeard was desperately trying to work out connections. It was inevitable that the family agents would have someone inside the Weapons Guild, and probably every other Guild come to that. It would be easy now to find Argian's family — who would never acknowledge any association, especially as they would know he was being held by the Waterwalker.

'But let us ignore that today, Owain said. 'This is your day, yes. A time to be joyful.

Edeard forced a grin.

'Don't worry, Waterwalker. This next part is just a formality. You know it's considered bad form to vote against a Consent act. We're long past such barbarity.

'Thank you, sir.

'It will be my pleasure to allow Julan to introduce it. So, are you ready?

'I think so.

'Well, I am. You and Kristabel will make a fine couple. And don't repeat this, but it never hurts to shake things up a bit. If you ask me the Grand Families are becoming somewhat jaded these days. Someone like you in their ranks is just what they need.

Edeard slid smoothly through the floor of the cell to find Argian pacing round and round the room. The man was getting jittery. He was starting to talk to himself. It had started with little mutters on the morning of the third day, progressing to full sentences. The cell walls relayed both the images and the sound to Edeard. It wasn't very revealing.

'Well, we knew it wasn't going to be simple.

'That much support, it's difficult to break.

'Should we actually let him do it?

'If he marries her, he might pull back. Lorin's said before that he's besotted. Pity Ranalee didn't succeed, that would have been the answer to everything. Stupid bitch.

As he was eating his egg sandwiches for lunch: 'Poison. Not a fast one, something that would take weeks. Months. Yes yes. Months. No one would suspect then.

'Faster faster. The election might be the killer. Riots will make them think twice. Kristabel. It all rests on Kristabel. She's young. Foolish. But she understands family. She might. She might.