He was off talking to himself now.
‘Why didn’t it work?’ asked Dot.
‘Hm?’
‘The spell,’ said Dot. ‘It shot you straight back out again. Did you make a mistake?’
‘No,’ he said, tartly. ‘Theodora has simply barred me from every one of her establishments. How in heaven’s name am I going to reach her?’
He put his hands on his hips. Then, his expression changed.
‘Theodora might have barred me from using her portals,’ he said, ‘but she has not barred you.’
‘I’m not sure—’
‘Nonsense. You wanted to meet her, didn’t you? There’s a spell you’re after? I’ll help you through the portal and, in return, you can deliver her a letter.’
‘Surely, I should not trust you,’ said Dot, retreating.
‘Why ever not?’ asked the charming young man.
‘You broke into the cathedral,’ said Dot. ‘You’ve no licence and you’ve walked all over the holy floors in your shoes, even though the signs clearly say not to.’
‘I only broke into the cathedral out of desperation,’ he said. ‘The throne is a powerful object of magic, you see. I was hoping that if I drew the rune right onto the holy dais, I could use it to amplify my portal. The past weeks have exhausted me. You watched the outcome of this just now. Even though I used my chalk, even though portalsare my talent, I failed spectacularly. So, I ask for your kindness and your help, Miss. Ineedto see the witch who calls herself Theodora.’
Still, Dot hesitated.
‘Didn’t you say that you had tried everything else?’ asked the young man gently. ‘What other choice have you?’
Dot looked down at her bitten fingernails.
‘What is your name?’
‘Dorothy Walcott.’
‘I’m Lio.’
‘Have you no surname?’
‘Why would you need to know it?’
‘If you don’t trust me enough to tell me your surname, I hardly think I should trust you.’
‘Good lord,’ said the man. ‘Fine. My name is Robert Liutprand Lashkari and I’ve never liked it. “Robert” is stuffy and “Liutprand” is archaic, so I go by “Lio”. Is that enough for you to trust me, Miss Walcott?’
He held out his hand.
She thought for a long moment and then said, ‘I suppose,’ and shook it.
Fifteen minutes later, a letter was penned on conjured paper, the rune was redrawn in chalk and Dot stood on the carpet of the holy dais before the throne of Saint Penelope.
‘I really believe we should get my shoes.’
‘Once again,’ said Lio, ‘you will alert the monks if you open that door.’
‘Couldn’t you conjure the shoes for me?’
‘That would be worse than opening the door, much like trying to solve a jigsaw puzzle by setting it on fire. You’ll have to meet Theodora in your socks.’
