proud you've been down to the fourth, not all first-grade magicians have gone that deep.'

'But you can?'

'If needs be, in the line of duty,' Edgar admitted. 'After all, it's not necessarily the most powerful who join the Inquisition. And we have to be able to stand up to a crazy magician beyond classification, right?'

'If Gesar or Zabulon ever go crazy, we won't be able to stand up to them,' I said. 'We couldn't even manage the witch.'

Edgar thought for a moment and agreed that the Moscow Office of the Inquisition wasn't really up to dealing with Gesar and Zabulon. But only if they happened to violate the Treaty simultaneously. Otherwise Gesar would be glad to help neutralise Zabulon, and Zabulon would be glad to help neutralise Gesar. That was the way the Inquisition worked.

'Now what do we do about the witch?' I asked.

'Look for her,' Edgar said briskly. 'I've already been in touch with my people, they'll cordon off the district. Can I count on your continued assistance?'

I thought for a moment.

'No, Edgar. Arina's a Dark One. Obviously she did do something terrible . . . seventy-odd years ago. But if she was exploited by Light Ones . . .'

'So you're going to carry on sticking to your own side,' Edgar said in disgust. 'Anton, do you really not understand? There is no Light or Dark in a pure sense. Your two watches are just like the Democrats and Republicans in America. They quarrel, they argue, but in the evening they hold cocktail parties together.'

'It's not evening yet.'

'It's always evening,' Edgar replied bleakly. 'Believe me, I was a law-abiding Dark One. Until I was driven into . . . until I left the Watch to join the Inquisition. And you know what I think now?'

'Tell me.'

'Power of night and power of day – same old nonsense anyway. I don't see any difference between Zabulon and Gesar any more. But I like you . . . as a human being. If you joined the Inquisition, I'd be glad to work with you.'

I laughed:

'Trying to recruit me?'

'Yes, any watchman has the right to join the Inquisition. No one has the right to hold you back. They don't even have a right to try to change your mind.'

'Thanks, but I don't need to have my mind changed. I'm not planning to join the Inquisition.'

Edgar groaned as he got up off the floor. He dusted down his suit, although there wasn't a single speck of dust, or a crease, anywhere on it.

'That suit of yours is enchanted,' I said.

'I just know how to wear it. And it's good material.' Edgar went over to the bookcase, took out a book and leafed through it. Then another, and another . . . He said enviously: 'What a library! Narrowly specialised, but even so . . .'

'I thought Fuaran was here too,' I admitted.

Edgar just laughed.

'What are we going to do about the hut?' I asked.

'There, see – you're still thinking like my ally,' Edgar promptly remarked. 'I'll put spells of protection and watchfulness on it, what else? The experts will be here in two or three hours. They'll give everything a thorough going-over. Shall we go?'

'Don't you feel like rummaging around a bit yourself?' I asked.

Edgar looked around carefully and said he didn't. That the little house could be hiding lots of nasty surprises left by the cunning witch. And that digging through the belongings of a witch beyond classification was a job that could be dangerous for your health . . . better leave it to those who had it in their job description.

I waited while Edgar put up several spells of watchfulness round the hut – he didn't need any help. And we set off for the village.

The way back took a lot longer, as if some elusive magic that had helped us find our way to the witch's house had disappeared. Edgar was far more garrulous now – maybe my help had inclined him to talk more freely?

He told me about his training, how he had been taught to use Light power as well as Dark. And about the other Inquisition trainees – they had included two Ukrainian Light Enchantresses, a Hungarian werewolf, a Dutch magician and many different sorts of Others. He said the rumours about the Inquisition's special vaults overflowing with magical artefacts were greatly exaggerated: there were plenty of artefacts, but most of them had lost their magical power long ago and were no good for anything any more. And