But maybe that was just to get back at me." He shrugged.

'Let's face it. Like I said to him, if I hadn't come along ' 'But you did. And it was meant to be. Cadillac knows that too. He read it in the seeing-stones."

'Maybe he did. But he still needs something to help kill the pain."

'The pain was there from the moment you left us. And it is a pain that I share, for I have no wish to make him suffer. But even if we had been allowed to stay together I would have been of little comfort. Our life-threads are no longer as closely entwined as they once were. One day he will understand why all this has happened. And so will you."

'Yeah, well . . . I'm sure you're right. But I have to deal with Cadillac as he is here and now. He may not be hostile, but as long as he's within reach of a bottle he's going to be unpredictable."

'So what are you going to do?"

'At the moment, that's up to Cadillac. He told me he'd run into a few problems building an engine, so . . . I offered to help him out.

Listen, it's a start. If I can get close to him, maybe I can talk him round. Between you and me, I don't want to stay here a day longer than I have to, but it's gonna make life a lot simpler if he goes quietly."

'What was his answer?"

'Well, he didn't say "yes", but on the other hand he didn't say "no".

Despite everything that's happened he still seems eager to pick my brains." Steve gave a low, husky laugh. 'By that I mean the few bits he hasn't picked already."

'Are you angry about that?"

'Nnnaahhh ... it makes things more interesting.

Thing is, I was hoping you'd be together so that you could, y'know persuade him. Make him see sense.

But . . ."

'He no longer listens to me. He is ruled by the demons inside his head."

'Yeah... ' We all have them, thought Steve. Perhaps even you have a darker side that I don't yet know about.

This... thing that binds us together, this feeling I find so hard to control - where will it lead? Will it give us the strength to go all the way to the top - or will it destroy us both?

The coverlet was seductively thin, and whenever their limbs touched it generated, a delicious electric current that made his body tingle from head to toe. Time would tell which way they were headed but, if she was to be the death of him, he could not think of a sweeter way to go.

Hey, c'mon! Pull yourself together, Brickman!

Concentrate!

He edged away and lay on his stomach, heart and loins beating in unison against the quilted mattress. When he had quelled the rising tide he said: 'Listen. About Cadillac. There's something we have to agree on.

If we can't persuade him to leave Ne-Issan of his own accord, then we'll have to make it impossible for him to stay here. D'you understand what I'm getting at?"

Pushing down the coverlet, Clearwater turned towards him and lay against his right shoulder. Steve felt her b.r.e.a.s.t.s touch his skin felt her heart beating against his shoulderblade. She ran her hand across the base of his neck, then down his spine and put her mouth close to his ear. 'Do whatever it is you have to do..."

Steve locked his thighs together, pressed his pelvis into the mattress and tried to think straight. 'I have a plan. Well, a few half-baked ideas. Whether they'll work or not depends on what happens in the next few weeks."

He broke off and gasped with a mixture of pleasure and frustration.

'Hey! Come on! Lay off a minute. This is important!" Clearwater's hand came back to rest innocently on his neck. His right shoulder was still sandwiched somewhat less innocently between her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, but as the rest of her body from the tibcage down was still under wraps, Steve was just about able to keep his mind on the real reason for his midnight swim.

Pretending not to notice what her tongue and teeth were doing to his ear, he told her about the offer made by the Man in Black: her life in exchange for the death of the Consul-General. The ear nibbling stopped abruptly.

And when he got to the details of how Toh-Shiba was to die, she shrank away.

Steve hoisted himself up on to one elbow and looked down at her.

During his swim across the lake the moon had been tiding high in the night sky, skimming the silvered edges of coal-black, scudding clouds.

It had been bright enough to cast a grey shadow in front of him as he moved stealthily towards the house, but inside the room it was too dark to see her face clearly.

'Does the thought of his death upset you?"

Her arms reached out to hold him. 'No. It is your life I fear for.

When the time comes, let me kill him for you."

'No,' said Steve. 'That could put you in danger. If something happens to me, you'll still be able to help Cadillac get away. But if we lose you it'll ruin everything. None of us wIll have a chance."

'But nothing will happen! Was I not born, like you, in the shadow of Talisman? Mr Snow told Cadillac and I that we were his sword and shield. His power runs through me!" 'I know. That's what I'm counting on. But it's vital we use it at the right time." He kissed the tip of her nose. 'I appreciate the offer, but I'm going to have to do this the way they want." His voice hardened. 'Besides which, it'll make me feel a whole lot better."

Clearwater caressed his face. 'Oh, cloud warrior, you have no reason to be jealous of any man. Not even Cadillac has shared what we have known! The Iron Master has possessed my body - not my heart and soul.

I have been an empty vessel, bereft of all feeling - yet he tells me I am the woman of his dreams. And that is what I am for him, a dream nothing more. Most of what he does with me takes place inside his head."

Steve listened keenly as she explained how she had used her powers to warp the mind of the Consul-General.

It seemed like the break he was looking for. He returned to his dealings with the Man in Black. 'The trouble is, I don't trust him.

That's why, when the time comes, you have to be with us at the Heron Pool. I can't tell you how, or when, but if I manage to do everything that's been asked of me, a truly prodigious amount of s.h.i.t is gonna hit the fan. And about three seconds later, the Iron Masters are gonna come down on our backs like a landslide. Your earth-magic is the only thing that can get us out from under."

'I will do whatever you ask, you know that."

'Sure. But all that's still a long way off. None of us will be going anywhere unless I can get into the Pool to start laying the groundwork.

And that brings us to the other problem. The d.i.n.ks are combing the Ne-Issan for Trackers who know how to fly - and here I am decked out like a Mute!" 'It suits you."

'Don't get me wrong. I don't have any hang-ups about it. You should know that better than anyone. I brought a bundle of those pink soap-leaves with me, but the Man in Black took them and doesn't seem too keen to hand them back. Do you have any?"

'A few - but not enough to clean your whole body."

Steve cursed under his breath. Never mind - will you let me have them?

You never know, it might just do the trick."