Chapter Five
At midnight upon the following evening, Phineas escorted Ilsevel back to the waterfront — only to find that the night’s entertainments were not to be held in quite the same spot. There were few people present, but an inviting route had been marked out on the ground in paint that shimmered oddly in the moonlight.
Phineas eyed the coiling arrows with misgiving. ‘Why do they shine like that?’
Ilsevel did not hesitate, but followed the arrow-path with sprightly step and, apparently, high good humour. ‘This is most interesting!’ she called back to Phineas. ‘I had no notion that the thieves of England and Aylfenhame were so closely associated.’
‘The what? You cannot mean— Ilsevel, please, consider a moment—’
Ilsevel did not pause to consider, but turned the corner around a loom
