"'Ow the bloody 'ell should I know?" Billy replied, pushing himself up off

the

couch with an effort. "Gor', the ole geezer nearly done me in!"

"Billy!" Kira said. "You're all right!"

"'Course I'm all right, luv. 'S that fresh coffee I smell?"

"Yes, but should you be drinking coffee?" she said anxiously. "Merlin said

you

were almost in a coma!"

"Black, please, wi' three lumps," said Billy. "Lovely bird you got there,

mate,"

he said in an aside to Wyrdrune. "'As she got a younger sister?"

" 'Fraid not," said Wyrdrune.

"Ah, well, that's 'ow it goes," said Billy. "'Ere, Sebastian, where's that

Scotch ol' Mick was drinkin'? Go well in the coffee."

"It would, indeed, said Makepeace, "but you're not getting any."

"Why not?"

"Because you're not old enough to drink, that's why."

"What about Merlin? Don't he count for nothin'? 'E's several thousand years

old,

or so 'e says."

"That may well be," said Makepeace, "but he's in a body that's only about

twelve

years old."

"Thirteen," said Billy sourly.

"I stand corrected. In any case, that's entirely too young a liver to handle

an

aged single malt. You shouldn't even be drinking coffee."

"'Ey now, look, I need a proper pick-me-up after what I've just been through.

'Sides, this is my place, you know."

"It isn't, either," Makepeace said. "Ambrosius arranged all this, not you.

Still, your point's well taken. I'll allow you a tiny drop in your coffee and

no

more. What the with Ambrosius stuck inside you, you probably need a good

stiff

drink."

"That's the ticket," Billy said, holding out his coffee cup while Makepeace

poured a small dash of Scotch into it.

Something brushed against Wyrdrune's leg. He looked down and saw a boxy

little

computer come waddling past, heading toward the couch where Billy sat.

"I beg your pardon," said Archimedes as Wyrdrune scooted back his chair in