'What about new guards?

'Yesterday, I thought I could trust every one of them. Today

I'm not sure of anything any more. We don't take in just anyone, they have to be known and sponsored; and like you we've got a pretty good idea who's in with the gangs.

'All right, so tell us what happened.

'The kid's nursery maid raised the alarm really early on. The first thing we did was double the gate guards, then we searched the whole mansion, every room I promise you. Not just farsight, we physically inspected everywhere. Then that bloody ge-eagle flapped down on to the tenth-floor hortus. The Master… I've never seen him so broken. She was a lovely little thing, she really was. Nothing like you'd expect a family child, none of the airs half of them have.

'Can I see the room please?

'What do you think? Dinlay asked as Homelt led them along the corridors. Dispirited staff hung their heads as the squad walked past. Edeard couldn't detect the faintest flash of guilt, they all shared the same numb horror. The three nursery maids were in their parlour next to the family rooms, all weeping openly. Even the ge-monkeys were subdued, caught up in the emotions saturating the mansion.

'The same as you, Edeard said. 'Somebody with a concealment ability. There's no other way.

'The gangs have that? Kanseen asked in alarm.

'Not the street soldiers we normally deal with, but I found out the hard way that Ivarl has a considerable psychic power.

Mirnatha's nursery room was the same size as the whole of Edeard's maisonette. The walls were draped in pink tapestries depicting colourful fairies and nikasprites and birds. Dressers and chairs were lined in streamers of fluffy pink feathers. There were two big dolls houses whose elaborately dressed inhabitants were strewn everywhere. A wooden rocking horse stood in one corner. The wardrobes were full of sweet little frocks.

Edeard found it painful just standing on the pink carpet looking round. He sniffed the air. 'Do you smell that? Something tangy? Walking round, the smell was strongest by the bed with its twee lace canopy.

'Chloroform, Homelt said. 'That's how they kept her quiet.

'What's chloroform? Edeard asked. The squad was regarding him with an expression he was staring to tire of.

'It's a chemical, Dinlay said. 'If it's inhaled it puts you to sleep. Nearly every kidnapper uses it. You soak it into a cloth and hold it over your victim's face.

'Chemicals? Edeard said. 'They used chemicals on a six year old girl.

'Yes, Homelt was giving him a strange look.

Edeard took a final look round the nursery and pushed the glass doors open. The section of the hortus directly outside was mainly laid with grass, with some ornate yew trees in urns standing along the silver-grey balustrade. He stood with his hands pressing down on the rail and looked down. Each of the terraces in the ziggurat was laid out below him, forming a series of horticultural steps down to the ground. Now spring had truly arrived, the plants formed a blaze of colour as their flowers opened to greet the warm days. Mirnatha's hortus faced east. Away to his left, the Great Major Canal stretched out in a perfectly straight line to the Lyot sea in the distance. People were just starting to appear along its side, claiming their position in readiness for the festival. He let his farsight expand along it, past Forest Pool and Mid Pool down to First Pool which formed the base of Myco. There was the House of Blue Petals, its interior impressively restored after the fire.

Ivarl stood in front of his office's oval window, stretching his farsight towards Edeard. Just for a second, Edeard was back in his room at the Ashwell Eggshaper Guild, searching the towers of the village gate for any sign of the guards, with the bandit chief watching him.

'I wouldn't have believed even you would stoop to this, Edeard informed his adversary coldly. 'She's six years old, for the Lady's sake. Six!

'I'm sorry about the girl, Ivarl replied. 'But it wasn't me.

'You're a bad liar.

'You and your activities have started to dismay some very important people in this city. And that stunt you pulled vanishing in the fire, that was impressive, even to me. They're starting to work out what you are and what you're capable of. I have a feeling myself that even you don't know your full potential yet. Not that it matters, because that potential has already made them fearful. You won't be allowed to reach it, they'll make sure of that. That's what today is about, not the girl. She's just a means to an end, but you know that already don't you?

'Where is she?

'I don't know. Nor do I know who does. If you want her you'll have to deliver the ransom.

'Is she still alive?

'I would imagine so. They need to entice you out of the city by yourself, away from any possible help. If she's dead, they lose their advantage and their ability to manipulate you. Just an observation; from someone who has a lot more experience than you in such matters.

'Who? Who has done this?

'Oh, please, Waterwalker.

'I hold you responsible.

'Really? Is the truth too great a burden for you? This is your war, and you should have considered the consequences before you began it. It's far too late now to act outraged when it goes against you. And you can't back out now. You're the only one who can save her.

'Will you negotiate for me? I'll go to them in Owestorn if they let her go.

'You really are that stupidly noble, aren't you. Dear Lady: youth and its virtue. This city will be doomed if you ever sit in the Mayor's chair at Council.

'Will you talk to them?

'They don't want a martyr, Waterwalker. Your death alone is not enough. It is how you die that is important.

'She's only six years old,

'There is nobody left for me to talk to; my oldest and dearest friends no longer hear me. You should have chosen your opponent with more care. As you are to the constables and the shopkeepers and merchants, so I am to my people. And I'm losing the battle. It's not just money you've cost me, it's my authority; and out of the two that is going to prove deadly.

'If she dies, I swear you will too.

'You don't really think either of us will see tomorrow's dawn, do you? Ivarl shook his head and raised a hand in farewell before going back into his study.

Edeard snarled in frustration, and slammed his hand down on the rail.

'You're the Waterwalker, aren't you?

'Huh? He turned round to see Kristabel standing underneath a pergola entwined with a thick emerald vine. First impression, which he always felt dishonoured by, was big wild hair and stick insect legs. Equally shaming was the accompanying thought. She's nothing like as pretty as Macsen made out.

Kristabel was tall with a long thin face that with her current mood made her appear incredibly melancholic. A slender body was wrapped in a loose white cotton nightdress. Like her father, she'd been crying. Her hair, which was actually gold-brown like her sister's, was threaded with lighter streaks. She'd been rubbing it or raking her hands through it, twining it into stringy strands which stuck out badly.

Edeard remembered his manners and bowed. 'Yes, Mistress, that's me.

'Mistress! She smiled, which turned into a grimace as she fought back tears. 'I'm mistress of nothing. Our family is a giant curse, a joke. How could the Lady allow this to happen?

'Please don't give up hope. I will do everything I can to ensure your sister's return.

'Everything you can. And what's that? She winced. 'I'm sorry. She's my sister. I love her so much. Why didn't they take me? Why?

'I don't know. Edeard desperately wanted to put his arms round her, to offer some comfort. She was younger than him by a year or so, he decided. And her pain, swirling out of an unshielded mind, was humbling.