Lady Blackfeather leaned on the closed door and sighed.

“I’m sorry, Mother,” Djaren said.

Jon and Anna emerged again and joined the party in the sitting room.  The mad glow in Jon’s hand was just beginning to subside.  Tam took his brother’s hand and examined it, worried.

“I’m sorry, Tam,” Jon said.  “There’s something up with them.  Whenever they’re around, this happens.”

Anna and Tam exchanged a frown.  “That can’t be quite right,” Tam said.

The Professor studied the fading lines of silver in Jon’s palm.  “Did it begin glowing when Pumphrey’s people arrived, or later, when Chauncellor came to the door?”

“I don’t know.  It was all rather fast, sir.”

“It’s quite all right.  But next time your hand glows, let us know and we’ll see if we can pinpoint what has triggered it. It may awaken in the presence of demonic power.”

Jon looked down at his palm and made a face.  “You mean my hand sees demons?”

“Speaking of demons, and artifacts and possessions and things,” Djaren said, “do you think Chauncellor really meant to say he’d had the Seal of Kesh and lost it?  It rather sounded like he did.”

“Oh dear,” Lady Blackfeather said.  “That’s very worrying.”

“Jon, when else did your hand glow?” Tam asked.

“Around Pumphrey,” Jon said, “and that once on the train.”

“When only Kara was there,” the Professor said, setting down a volume he’d picked up from the shelf.

“She stole the seal,” Djaren’s eyes widened.  “But when?  Was Chauncellor on the same train you came in on?”

Tam scratched at his neck.  “The train guards were looking for a thief, before Kara came by.”

“But Chauncellor was only robbed the day we were at the gallery,” Anna pointed out.  “A full day later.”

“Or that’s just when he went to unpack,” Djaren said.  “Remember it took me two weeks to work out she’d taken my spectacle case.”

“So Kara had the seal of Kesh,” Lady Hellin said. 

The Professor rubbed at his temples.  “I think that qualifies as the wrong hands.” 

“I told her what it was,” Djaren said. “In the library, there was a picture in my book, and she asked what it was, and backed away.  She didn’t like it.”

“Then she didn’t have ought to go stealing it,” Tam said.

“The question is, who hired Kara to steal it?” Lady Hellin said.  “We know her last employer was more sinister than the usual antiquities dealer.  Who is she working for this time?”

“You don’t suppose,” said Jon, frowning, “that one of the Pumphrites is possessed?”

“What, with the seal of Kesh?” Djaren asked. “They wear some fairly gaudy jewelry, but I’d think we’d have noticed that.”

“I really couldn’t think much of any demon who would possess a Pumphrite,” Ellea said.

“They don’t strike one as the most powerful champions of the age,” Djaren agreed.

“How do I fight them, though?” Jon asked.  “I mean, if one of them really is possessed?”

“With great care and planning, and never alone,” the Professor said.  “That’s what our research is for.  Different powers have different idiosyncrasies.”

“If they’re all bodiless, I guess you have to wait until they’re in a person.  Then can you just whack them on the head with a mallet?” Tam wanted to know.

“But can’t you cure someone of possession?” Jon asked.  “You must be able to make them right again, somehow.  I don’t want to hurt people.”

“It’s somewhat complicated,” the Professor said, “and the person has to want to be cured.”

“Well, I aim to bring a mallet along with me just in case I see someone not right in the eyes,” Tam said, buttoning his jacket.

“I really must advise against hitting strangers in the head,” Lady Blackfeather said firmly.  “We should rely on more evidence than odd looks to determine who is behind all this.”

“Maybe I can learn something at the Berdrach, from Varden,” Anna said.  “But I really can’t learn anything if we don’t go now.  We’re going to be late, Tam.”

“Oh, right.”  Tam scrambled for his new gumboots.

“You’re still going?” Djaren asked.  “But no Chauncellor is going to want anything to do with any Blackfeathers.”

“Unless it involves strangling,” Ellea added.

“I’m not a Blackfeather.  I’m Anna, who happens to be staying at the same hotel.  You were the one seen consorting with a thief.”

“The Chauncellors are thieves!”

“Children!”  Lady Blackfeather interrupted their argument.  “Anna, Tam, go along to the collection.  I’m sure it will be a good educational experience for you.  I will trust you to be very careful.  Don’t go surrendering your own good sense.  Djaren, I think you and Ellea had both better stay out of trouble.  I know you admire Kara, but her inadvisable actions could create unpleasant consequences for everyone near her.  You’ll be staying in the hotel today.”

“Mother!”

“We cannot afford to be expelled from the Society.  I won’t have it.  Not because of that . . . fool, Chauncellor.  We shall have to be carefully above reproach.”

“Mother—”  Djaren looked miserable.

“At least until this mess is over, dear,” Lady Blackfeather said.  “Besides, I’ll need both you and your uncle to research exactly what might happen if the seal of Kesh is awakened by amateur hands, and how to fight it.”

“Oh,” said Djaren.

“What about me, Ma’am?” asked Jon.  “I can help research.”

“I am counting on your help, dear.”  Lady Blackfeather smiled at him.  “That hand of yours is a shield and a warning against evils.  Of all of us, you will probably be able to do the most good if things turn unfortunate.”

“Really?”  Jon’s eyes lit, and he swallowed.  Ellea took and held his other hand with a little smile.  Anna thought they looked adorable.

“I am going to send word to Corin,” Lady Blackfeather said.  “If the seal of Kesh is here, he needs to be told at once.”

Jon looked at her carefully.  “Your pardon, ma’am, but what exactly do you mean by sending word?  Isn’t he hundreds of miles away?”

“Yes, and so in this case, words will have to travel by telegram.” She smiled at him.  “We’ve been sending on our relevant research that way, about the location of the inner temple, the things said to guard it, and so on.”

“So he’s been having all the adventures up till now,” Djaren said.  “It will be good to have Father back.”

“I hope he can return soon, but hundreds of miles are just that.  Eabrey, would you mind picking up a few useful things just in case?”

“Of course.”  Eabrey nodded.  “I’ll go at once.”

Lady Blackfeather handed him a velvet bag.  “These should cover the expense.”

The Professor begged his leave, and went out.  Tam had his boots and buttons in order now, and he opened the door for Lady Blackfeather, who had gathered her bag and hat.  She paused at the door, looking back at her son. “And, Djaren—”

“Yes, Mother?”

“Please don’t answer the door.”

“I’ll remember, Mother,” Djaren sighed.

Tam shuffled his feet in his new gum boots.  “Well, let’s face it then,” he said to Anna.  He looked like a young man on his way to a funeral, not an art gallery.