For a moment, it seemed as if Fontagu was going to choke on his wine.

‘And that is why, as of half an hour ago, the curse over Skulum Gate began to lift. We magicians are going to need as much help as we can get.’

Amelia’s eyes were wide. ‘Will all the magicians from Skulum Gate come back?’

‘We hope so, Amelia,’ Stelka replied. ‘We can’t restore life, but we are fairly sure we’ll be able to reverse the artificial aging process.’

‘And Torby?’ Philmon asked.

‘He has to start healing all over again,’ Stelka said. ‘Seeing the Archon die was such a terrible blow for Torby, especially since he had to carry that knowledge around. But we hope for the best.’

‘That’s good,’ Amelia sighed. ‘Poor Torby. Imagine that, solving a great mystery without having to say a word.’

‘A very great mystery indeed,’ Verris said.

There was a long pause around the stage as the friends drank, and thought, and reflected.

Suddenly the silence was broken by the sound of a sob, and everyone looked. Fontagu was crying into his hands. ‘Oh, my big break, my great opportunity to make it back into the industry, and the third act is interrupted by high treason. Oh it’s true – my career is cursed.’

‘Well look at it this way,’ Verris said. ‘Everyone present tonight will remember your production of The Gimlet Eye.’

‘I suppose so,’ Fontagu agreed, sniffing loudly.

‘And with a couple of notable exceptions, no one went home disappointed.’

‘But what if the treason and the attempted murder are the only things they remember?’ Fontagu wailed. ‘How about the acting, the direction, the writing, the stagecraft? From what you saw, how did it stack up? Be honest, now.’

Amelia was the first to speak. She stood up, walked across the stage to where Fontagu sat with his elbows on his knees, his head hanging low. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and hugged him. ‘Fontagu Wizroth the Third, tonight, when I heard you dedicate that play – Florian’s birthday play – to Tab, I thought you were very brave.’

He looked up at her with bloodshot eyes. ‘Really? Brave?’

‘Oh yes, Fontagu. Brave, stupid, and truly magnificent.’