They perform?asked Keth. He was trying to manipulate the lightning inside his creation, without result. He only felt as if he simply pretended to have magic.

Dema said, sinking on to the bench next to Tris. t ask. Ive seen them try. They wont get any customers with music or dancing.

About weapons exhibitions?asked Tris. s entertainment for kings and emperors up north.

Dema rubbed his lips with a knuckle. might work for some of the more hopeless ones. Ill suggest it.

Keth handed the globe to Dema. lightnings not so bad, but the insides as clouded as ever.

Ll take this back to the watch commander at the aruritnat Dema said. ll watch it while I look our yaskedasi over. Thank you, Keth. He got to his feet, looking old. To both Keth and Tris he said, not to kill yourselves, whatever youre doing. It makes the city look bad.He left them, the lightning globe cradled in his hands.

Instead of following the Street of Glass straight to Khapik when they finished for the day, Keth asked to stop by the Elya Street arurimat, to se e how his globe fared, though his head ached thunderously. When they walked in, the arurim present gave them a wide berth. Only one, a hard-faced woman in charge of the main desk, didn t inch away from their small group, Keth saw, but perhaps she felt safe behind her wooden barrier.

Ll tell Dhaskoi Nomasdina youre here, Dhaskoi Warder,she said.

Keth started. It was the first time hed been given the title of mage. He started to say, m only a student,but caught himself in time. After facing the pr ospect of torture in this building, it was very pleasant to be treated with respect and a little fear.

youd like a seat, dhask? the woman asked, indicating the benches against the walls.

Keth and Tris sat gratefully. Once settled, Keth leaned over to Tris and murmured, from my last visit.

She smiled back, her eyes busy following some movement Keth was unable to see. too. Chime, how many times have I told you to stay out of the ashes?she asked as the dragon hiccuped and expelled a cloud of dust. don t care if you like it, you dont seem able to digest it.She looked at Glaki. you catch her at it, dont let her eat ashes.Glaki nodded. She pressed close to Triss side and took the older girl s hand. Keth was surprised at her apparent affection for the redhead. The Glaki hed known in the company of Iralima and Yali had been shy.

Tris! Hello, little one,Dema said to Glaki as he walked into the waiting room. He held the lightning globe in his hands. The surface bolts were gone; shapes and colours were dimly visible inside. m about to ride uptown so we can be close when it clears, since uptown seems to be where our kakasoi is headed. Do you want to come?

Keth was eager to go. He wanted to catch this beast, not just tell others where to find him. He glanced at Tris, who frowned. me,she replied. m not going to leave Glaki by herself. She pursed her mouth, then looked directly into Keths face for the first time since she had meditated that morning. you sure that you feel up to this?she asked sharply. Because you have maybe a pinch of magic left in you, no more than that. My experience is that when youre that drained of magic, your bodys on the edge of exhaustion, too. You may collapse before too muc h longer, no matter how good you feel right now.

m fine, Keth said testily, through the pounding in his head.

Tris shrugged. yourself. Glaki and I are going to Ferouzes.She looked at Dema, her face serious. hope you catch him,she said quietly. luck. She levered herself up from her bench, gathered up dog, dragon and girl, and left the arurimat.

Dema turned bright, eager brown eyes on Keth. re going to ride. Come on lets get you a horse.

Progress up the Street of Glass towards Assembly Square and Heskalifos was annoyingly slow. Time after time Keth wanted to shout for people to get out of the way, but with the globe s contents still shrouded in lightning, it made no sense to hurry. The press of humanity on the streets was loud and colourful, a constant irritation to Keths nerves. He also didnt like it that Dema kept sneaking looks at him.

At Apricot Street skodi, Dema halted at a street vendors for small eggplants stuffed with lamb and rice, a Sotaten dish that was popular in Tharios. He bought enough for everyone, and ordered Keth to eat. Keth bolted the food: he hadn t realized how very hungry he was. Dema paid another vendor for skewers of grilled kid marinated in olive oil, cinnamon and onion, and a third for plum juice. They moved their horses to the side of the street to devour it all, licking their fingers when they were done.

The thickest crowds were bound for Khapik, but even headed uphill there was plenty of traffic as the citys shopkeepers, clerks and merchants turned their faces towards home. The First and Second classes would not venture out for their evening s entertainment until dark, Dema told Keth. Their servants ran last-minute errands at the skodis, doing business at a trot that made their hobnailed sandals strike sparks from the stones of the roadway.

Dark drew down slowly. Torches were lit at eating houses, other shops that stayed open late, and inns. Foot traffic began to thin out, replaced by horses, chairs and litters. Keths headache eased after hed eaten, but now he was dizzy. He bit his lip, determined to say nothing to Dema.

They halted at Akaya Square, where the Ghost had left Yalis body. At an open-air eating house they bought dishes of olives, dates, liver patties, dried apricots and flatbread, along with a pitcher of grape juice, and settled down to wait. The globe held the place of honour at the centre of the table, drawing attention from diners and from passers-by. Keth and his companions watched as it cleared inside, the lightnings fading.

Keth couldnt eat a thing once they were seated. He tore a piece of flatbread into the tiniest of crumbs, to the approval of the pigeons who came to forage by torchlight. It was unfair to wait for his own device to reveal something in its time, not Keths. Magic, he thought ruefully, is more the master than the pet dog. In his mind he heard Tris say scornfully, told you it was anything else?