“But...” Lirael said, “how will you get them over the Wall? It is a barrier to the Dead and all such things. You won’t be able to get the hemispheres across the Wall.”

“Rubbish!” exclaimed Nick. “You’re as bad as Hedge. Except that he at least is prepared to try, provided I let him do some mumbo jumbo first.”

“Oh,” said Lirael. Obviously Hedge – or more likely his ultimate Master – had found a way to get the hemispheres across the Wall. It had been a vain hope anyway, because Lirael knew Hedge had crossed more than once, and Kerrigor and his army had crossed years ago. She’d just hoped the hemispheres would be prevented.

“Won’t... ah... won’t you have difficulties with the authorities in Ancelstierre?” Lirael asked hopefully. Sam had told her about the Perimeter the Ancelstierrans had built to stop anything from entering their country from the north. She had no idea what she could do if the hemispheres were taken out of the Old Kingdom.

“No,” said Nick. “Hedge says there won’t be any trouble he can’t handle, but I think he was a bit of a smuggler in the past, and he does have rather unconventional ways. I prefer to work within the law, so I got all the usual customs permits and approvals and so on. Though I admit that they’re not for things from the Old Kingdom, because officially there is no Old Kingdom, so there are no forms. I also have a letter from my uncle, granting approval for me to bring across whatever I need for my experiment.”

“Your uncle?”

“He’s the Chief Minister,” Nick replied proudly. “Seventeen years as CM this year – with a three-year break in the middle when the Moderate Reform lot got it. The most successful CM the country has ever had, though of course he’s having trouble now, with the continental wars and all the Southerling refugees pouring in. Still, I don’t think Corolini and his ragtag bunch will get the numbers to unseat him. He’s my mother’s oldest brother, and a damn good chap. Always happy to help a deserving nephew.”

“Those papers would have burnt in your tent,” suggested Lirael, clutching at another hope.

“No,” said Nick. “Thanks to Hedge again. He suggested I leave them with the fellow who’s meeting us over the Wall. Said they’d rot, which in hindsight is absolutely true. Now – are you going to let me go?”

“No,” said Lirael. “You’re being rescued, whether you like it or not.”

“In that case I shan’t tell you any more,” Nick proclaimed petulantly. He laid himself back down again, rustling against the rushes.

Lirael watched him, thoughts churning in her head. She hoped Ellimere had received Sam’s message, and at this moment there might be a strong force of Guards riding to the rescue. Sabriel and Touchstone might also be rushing north from Corvere. They could even be about to cross the Wall.

But all of them would be heading for Edge, while the hemispheres that held the bound thing slipped away – into Ancelstierre, where the ancient spirit of destruction could gain its freedom, free from interference by the only people who understood the danger.

Nick was watching her, too, she realised, as those thoughts clamoured in her mind. But not with puzzlement or enmity. He was just looking, tilting his head on the side, with one eye partly closed.

“Pardon me,” he said. “I was wondering how you knew Sam. Are you a... um... a princess? Only, if you’re his fiancée or something, I thought I should know. To... ah... offer my congratulations, as it were. And I don’t even know your name.”

“Lirael,” Lirael replied shortly. “I’m Sam’s aunt. I’m the Ab— Well, let’s say I sort of work with Sam’s mother, and I also... was... a Second Assistant Librarian and a Daughter of the Clayr, though I don’t expect you know what those titles mean. I’m not at all sure myself at the moment.”

“His aunt!” exclaimed Nick, a flush of embarrassment rather than fever colouring his face. “How can you be – I mean, I had no idea. I apologise, ma’am.”

“And I’m... I’m much older than I look,” Lirael added. “In case you were going to ask.”

She was a little embarrassed herself, though she couldn’t think why. She still didn’t know how to talk about her mother. In some ways it was more painful thinking about her now that she knew about her father and how she had come to be conceived. One day, she thought, she would find out exactly what had happened to Arielle and why she had chosen to go away.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” replied Nick. “You know, this sounds stupid, but I feel much better here than I have for weeks. Never would have thought a swamp could be a tonic. I haven’t even fainted today.”

“You did once,” said Lirael. “When we first took you from the tent.”

“Did I?” asked Nick. “How embarrassing. I seem to be fainting a lot. Fortunately it tends to be when Hedge is there to catch me.”

“Can you tell when you’re about to faint?” asked Lirael. She hadn’t forgotten the Dog’s warning about how long the fragment would be subdued, and she was fairly certain she could not quell it again by herself.

“Usually,” said Nick. “I get nauseous first and my eyesight goes peculiar – everything goes red. And something happens to my sense of smell, so I get the sensation of something burning, like an electric motor fusing. But I do feel much better now. Perhaps the fever’s broken.”

“It isn’t a fever,” Lirael said wearily. “Though I hope it is better, for both our sakes. Sit still now – I’m going to paddle us out a bit further. We’ll stay in the reeds, but I want to see what’s happening on the lake. And please keep quiet.”

“Sure,” said Nick. “I don’t really have a choice, do I?”

Lirael almost apologised, but she held it back. She did feel sorry for Nick. It wasn’t his fault he had been chosen by an ancient spirit of evil to be its avatar. She even felt sort of maternal to him. He needed to be tucked in bed and fed willow-bark tea. That thought led to the idle speculation of what he might look like if he were well. He could be quite handsome, Lirael thought, and then instantly banished the notion. He might be an unwitting enemy, but he was still an enemy.

The reed boat was light, but even so it was hard work paddling with just her hands. Particularly since she also had to keep an eye on Nicholas in case of trouble. But he seemed content to lie back on the high prow of the reed boat. Lirael did catch him looking at her surreptitiously, but he didn’t try to escape or call out.

After about twenty minutes of difficult paddling, the reeds began to thin out, the red water paled into pink, and Lirael could see the muddy lake bottom. The sun was well and truly up, so Lirael chanced pushing the boat to the very fringe of the reed marsh so she could look out on the lake but keep hidden.

They were still covered overhead because of the way the reeds leant into one another. Even so, Lirael was relieved to discover that she couldn’t sense any Gore Crows about. Probably because there was a strong current beyond the reedy shores, combined with the bright sun of morning.

Though there were no Gore Crows in sight, there was something moving out on the surface of the lake. For a second Lirael’s heart lifted as she thought it might be Sam, or a force of Guards. Then she realised what it was, just as Nick spoke.

“Look – my barges!” he called, sitting up and waving. “Hedge must have got the other one – and loaded already!”

“Quiet!” hissed Lirael, reaching out to drag him down.

He offered no resistance but suddenly frowned and clutched his chest. “I think... I think I was counting my chickens before—”

“Fight it!” interrupted Lirael urgently. “Nick – you have to fight it!”

“I’ll try—” Nick began, but he didn’t finish his sentence, his head falling back with a dull, reedy thud. His eyes showed white, and Lirael saw a thin tendril of smoke begin to trickle from his nose and mouth.

She slapped him hard across the face.