m sticking my neck out,he admitted, I believe you are innocent. That wont be enough for my superiors. Im new at this. While mages know we must listen to and rely on what our instincts tell us, the regular arurimi are quick to tell me Im a newborn babe in this business of the law.

The clerk ducked her head to hide a smile.

Ll wait for a truthsayer. If yours doesnt come, Ill pay for one out of my own pocket. Will that satisfy you?Nomasdina asked Tris.

She smiled sweetly. ll wait until I actually see a truthsayer, thanks all the same,she replied.

grieves me to find one so young who is this cynical,Nomasdina said to no one in particular. let me ask you both something.He hefted the globe in his hands. Kethlun here isnt the Ghost and this globe isnt a confession, then it is a way to see the future, maybe. The time the clerk said the lightning faded and he could see the image was close to the time th e dead woman was left in the Forum, or the time we were meant to find her. What if you made another of these, and tried to clear it of lightning immediately?

Keth scratched his head. would I want to go through that again?he asked, not unreasonably, he thought. youre accustomed to death and murder, Dhaskoi Nomasdina. Im not. I got into glassmaking because I love beautiful things.

Nomasdina drew himself up, his face taking on that lofty, distant, proud cast that it had worn when he came to Jumshidas house to arrest Keth. you a citizen of Tharios?he demanded.

Keth replied.

Nomasdinas face quivered. A smile made him human again. true. Look, Koris Warder, I can understand you dont want to face this pollution, even with gl ass between you and it. But consider: you might save another yaskedasu from death. Better, you might give us a look at our murderer. You can be cleansed after.

Keth sighed. dont know how I did it.

Nomasdina looked at Tris. might consider making such globes as teaching him his craft.

Tris was not attending to the conversation. She sat up straight, her eyes on the door. It swung open.

Do not appreciate learning that guests have been taken from my house without my leave.

Keth recognized that haughty voice: Jumshida Dawnspeaker. In she swept, dressed for the most elegant circles in a bronze silk kyten with beaded hems, heavy gold earrings set with pearls, and a matching bronze stole. Niklaren Goldeye came behind her, dapper in a white silk overrobe, white shirt and white trousers.

The silver barrier around Keth vanished. He saw threads of it stream back into Triss hands.

Jumshida looked at the soot-streaked arurim dhaskoi, who grimaced and bowed to her, then at Nomasdinas captain, who had followed her and Niko. well for you he hasnt been tortured,she said sharply. Warder, did you murder the woman who was found tonight?Niko shaped signs in the air with his fingers.

Keth said wearily. just appeared in that glass bubble I made.

Soft white light radiated around him, the sign that he told the truth under a properly applied truth spell.

you kill any of the Ghosts victims?asked Jumshida.

Keth answered.

Once more the soft light shone.

captain?Jumshida asked. She didnt even wait for the answer, but looked at Nomasdina. If we may have the documents for his release? And next time, I recommend more caution, should you attempt to set a truth spell on someone whose magic is rooted in an unpredictable source, such as lightning.

Ill require Dhaskoi Goldeyes signature,Nomasdina said. His brown cheeks were flushed under the soot that marked him when his truth spell went wrong.

way,the captain said, bowing. understand we must interrogate all suspects in this so delicate a matter. . .Jumshida, Niko, Nomasdina and the clerk followed the man out of the room. The door closed gently.

Keth sighed in relief, and dropped on to the stool Nomasdina had vacated. He looked over at Tris. The girl slo uched in her chair, her spectacles near the end of her long nose, running her fingers along one of her thin braids. Silver glinted over every hair of the braid. Sparks followed her grasp.

Dont do that,Keth said nervously.

Her grey eyes flicked over to meet his. She thrust her spectacles higher on her nose. what?

Keth pointed, then dropped his hand before she saw that it shook. the braid. The lightning thing. Youre sparking.

Tris frowned, then looked at the braid in her hand. she asked, scraping the lightning from her hair. s nothing.She closed her hand, then opened it to reveal a tiny ball of lightning.

The hair on Keths arms and at the back of his neck rose, prickling against his shirt. put that away.

She pursed her lips and ran the ball of lightning over the braid it had come from. It vanished. you wont get very far like this. You have to overcome your fear of lightning.

I wont,he retorted. d understand if it made a cripple out of you and then turned your world on its ear.

Dont suppose its occurred to you that you may be immune now,she offered.

Keth said flatly. will you drop the subject?

She did, but only because Jumshida had returned. s settled,the woman told Keth and Tris with satisfaction. Kethlun. Where do you stay? Touchstone Glass?

Live at Ferouzes, on Chamberpot Alley, in Khapik,he replied.

Jumshida asked, startled. live in Khapik?

is cheap in Khapik,explained Kethlun. its safer than in Hodenekes.

Jumshida raised her eyebrows. surely they steal from you. Yaskedasi are born thieves.

Keth shook his head. the ones I live with, dhasku, he replied. everyone knows that if Khapik is the best you can afford, you dont have anything worth stealing.

I wont hear of your going back to lodgings in Khapik,Jumshida told Keth. brought chairs to ride in - you must be exhausted. You need a proper meal and rest, and you and Tris have things to settle tomorrow. Come along.