shes beautiful, protested Glaki. should show off.

Tris smiled. like a yaskedasus daughter,she said. on. Maybe Keth caught the Ghost.Her pride would suffer if he did, but her pride wasnt important. Sending that murderer to a place where he could kill no more was.

Two hours after he left the arurimat, Keth returned to Ferouzes. To his considerable surprise, Dema was there with Tris and Glaki. The older man stared gloomily into a cup of water. can hear it from me,he told Keth. We found her in a rubbish bin, in Perfume Court. We tracked him to the temple of the All-Seeing, where it looks like he vanished into thin air. Of course, the place is hip-deep in cleansing spells, enough so that they stick to you when you come out of it. Hes gone, and we lost him.He got to his feet. Keth. You did all that work, and we failed you.He walked out without even saying goodbye.

Keth sat down hard. I did was stop for supper on the way,he complained. a bath. And this Ghost killed and escaped. Maybe he is a ghost. Maybe we need an exorcist, not mages.

Tris shook her head. s just a man who knows Tharios from top to bottom,she told Keth. at it this way tonight your globe brought the arurimi down on him before he could even smuggle his prey out of Khapik. You get closer every day.

Keth smiled crookedly at her. wont be happy until hes in chains, and neither will you.He looked at Glaki. what did you have for supper?

They had just finished the dish washing when Tris straightened, staring at the door. is he doing here?she asked. Before Keth could inquire into identity, Tris had run out of the room. Little Bear galloped at her side, barking furiously as his tail wagged hard enough to create a breeze.

By the time Keth could reach the door, Niklaren Goldeye had stepped on to the second-floor gallery. Bear, you know better,he informed the dog as Little Bear danced around him. Just one pawprint on my clothes and I will make myself a Little Bear rug.

Keths eyes bulged as he took in Nikos appearance. Even for Khapik the mage dressed well: tonight he wore a crimson sleeveless overrobe with a gold thread subtly worked into the weave, loose black trousers, and a cream-coloured shirt. His long hair was combed back and secured with a red-gold tie.

Tris looked entirely unimpressed by her teachers splendour. She crossed her arms over her chest and scowled. arent Khapik clothes,she informed Niko tartly. are Balance Hill clothes.

Theyre Phakomathen clothes,Niko told her, allowing Chime to light on his outstretched arm. are more beautiful than ever,he told the dragon. To Tris he said, You look dreadful.

Dont feel dreadful,she retorted. know what Im doing, Niko. I dont need a nursemaid.

He raised his black brows at her. did it ever occur to you that I might need reassurance that you are well and sane?

To Keths astonishment, Tris turned beet-red. Looking at the boards under her feet, s he mumbled something that sounded like an apology. Keth stared at Niko in awe. In one sentence he had transformed Tris from a short, plump, sharp-nosed terror into a fourteen-year-old girl. It occurred to Keth for the first time that perhaps magic wasn t simply a matter of fires, lightning and power in the air, if spoken words could also create such a transformation.

Niko turned his dark eyes, with their heavy frame of lashes, on Keth next. Keth managed to meet them for a moment, before he too gave way to the urge to inspect the floor. Suddenly he remembered that Niko s magic revolved around sight, and that if he saw magic, he would know the state of Keths power. keeps telling me not to overdo,he said hurriedly, thinking Niko might feel Tris was careless in her teaching. And we try, really, we try so I dont go too far, but I need to stop the Ghost.

kind of weather magic is hard to regulate,Niko said mildly. mages have trouble building their strength up, because it all comes from wi thin them. Ambient mages suffer the opposite problem, struggling to manage a great deal of power that is drawn to them without their knowledge. Lightning, of course, only increases the levels of power that run through you.

course,whispered Keth sheepishly. He felt like an apprentice who hadnt seen the obvious.

When Niko remained quiet, Keth looked at him, and saw that the older man stood still, his hand out. Keth looked to see who Niko was trying to lure to him, and saw that Glaki was peering around the door. Slowly she inched forward as Niko s hand remained where it was, steady in the air. At last Glaki put her fingers in his. evening, young one,Niko said quietly. is your name?

whispered the girl. Irakory.

s an orphan,Tris murmured. shes staying with me, Niko.She met Nikos glance with steady eyes this time.

will discuss the details later,Niko replied. He smiled at the child. is very nice to meet you, Glaki Irakory.

He sees her magic, Keth realized. What doesnt he see?

Niko left soon after, once Keth and Tris described the things they had done since Tris left Jumshidas house for Khapik. When he stood to go, he looked as weary as Keth felt. ve started to scry for this Ghost,he said, rub bing one temple. s more useful than listening to my fellow mages blather, which doesnt mean a great deal.

you seen him?asked Keth. It would smart if someone else caught the Ghost after so much work, but not as much as it would hurt if he killed another yaskedasu. does he look like?

Tris went over to help Niko adjust his overrobe to a perfect drape while Niko smiled wryly. m sure I have seen him somewhere, in the thousands of futures that have appeared to me since I began to look,he said. I am sure I have seen him imprisoned, killed, making a successful escape, murdering others. . . All I need to do is sift through all of the futures Ive seen, in addition to all the futures that result from the next thing you do, or Dema does, or t he Ghost does. I told you it was only a little more useful than listening to my peers argue about the foreword to our text.