uniformed chauffeur.

Wyrdrune rolled down the window and held up his hand. There was nothing in

it,

but the guard saw an engraved invitation. He said, "Thank you, sir," the

gates

opened, and he waved them through.

"Didja see that, now?" said the astonished cabbie, to whom the whole thing

had

appeared as an inexplicable mystery, since he had not seen what the guard had

seen. And then Liam recalled Wyrdrune's words and glanced up in the rearview

mirror. "Wait a bit! You did somethin' back there, didn't you?"

"Sssh!" said Wyrdrune, holding a finger up to his lips. "You'll give it all

away, Liam."

"Holy Mary Mother o' God," said Liam, comprehension finally dawning as he

took

them up the long drive to the castle. "And why would a reputable adept be

sneakin' into this high-class party? I'm askin' myself. Sure, an' a reputable

adept wouldn't. Whatever it is you're up ta, you've done dropped me in it as

well now, haven't you?"

"Don't worry, Liam," Wyrdrune said. "That guard didn't even look at you. He

only

saw a chauffeur driving a long, dark limousine. You know how many chauffeured

limos have gone by tonight? Anybody looking at this cab tonight will see a

limo.

And anyone looking at you in it will see a uniformed chauffeur. So you can

turn

around and leave as soon as you drop us off. No one will ever know that you

were

here tonight, and by the time you get back to London, you won't remember

either."

"So that's how it is, is it?" Liam said. . .

"That's how it is," Wyrdrune said. "I'm sorry."

The cabbie sighed. "I see. You're goin' ta toss this place, aren't you?"

"In a way. You might say we have a very old debt to settle with Lord Nigel

Carfax."

"Ah, it's like that, is it? An' how do you know I won't give you away?"

"We don't know that, mate," said Billy, leaning forward over the seat. "But

we

could fix it so you couldn't, see? Or we could fix it even worse, if you get

me

drift', 'ey?"

The cabbie glanced at Billy with alarm, then he looked at Wyrdrune. "Hell, is

he

one as well?" he asked.

Wyrdrune nodded "And he's real short-tempered too."

Liam sighed. "Must be a bloody prodigy to be an adept at his age. Ah, well.