Blood moaned again. "I... I have to make a call...."

"Certainly, but it can wait," said Makepeace. "You're in no shape to go

anywhere

right now, in any case. Might as well sit down and drink your coffee. I don't

imagine you have much of an appetite." '

Blood started to shake his head and quickly stopped, realizing that even that

motion was upsetting his equilibrium. He took a sip of his coffee.

"There's whiskey in here," he said.

"Hair of the dog," said Makepeace. "Do you good. Drink up."

"Please," said Blood. "Don't say 'drink up.'" He sipped his coffee and slowly

lowered himself into a chair at the table. "I seem to remember trying to empty

a

bottle that kept refusing to stay empty," he said.

"Mmm, I've had nights like that," said Makepeace, making motions toward the

range as if he were conducting an orchestra. Flapjacks did elaborate

somersaults

in the air, turning themselves over, and strips of bacon crawled out onto the

range like inchworms committing suttee.

"You people are in a great deal of trouble, you know," said Blood, trying

unsuccessfully to ignore his splitting head. "You've not only kidnapped a

police

officer, but you're also guilty of several counts of thaumaturgical

malpractice

and—"

"Look, Blood," Kira said, "before you read us our rights or whatever it is

you

English policemen do, I think you'd better listen to what we have to say.

Otherwise I'll be forced to raise my voice and shout, and you wouldn't want

that

to happen, would you?"

Blood put his hands up to his temples. "Oh, good God, no. Whatever you do,

please don't shout."

"Right," said Kira, moving to sit next to him at the table. She held out her

hand to him, palm up. The sapphire set into her palm was glowing softly.

Blood frowned and glanced up at her.

"You're not seeing things," she said. "It's been glowing off and on ever

since

we arrived in London. It's very weak now. Look at it closer."

He leaned over her hand, staring intently at the stone.

"What do you see?" .

"There're... some sort of carvings on it," he said.

"Runes," said Kira. "This is an enchanted runestone, one of three that were

found in an excavation in the Euphrates Valley, Wyrdrune and I stole them."