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we get to Sherwood, and that’s the only reason I decide to talk to Tarian. I’m still angry with him, but it’s better than talking to Steele.
    ‘So, you must be new at court,’ I say. ‘I haven’t seen you before.’
    I see him make an embarrassed face in the gloom. ‘I’m not really at court, as such. My family’s not... well, we’re not that important. Nobody cares about Finders, normally. I’ve only ever done small-time stuff before, finding people’s lost jewellery, runaway pets, that sort of thing. They called me in to find you... I thought they’d send me away as soon as I was done. I thought I’d be on my way back to Wales by now.’
    I’ve never been to Wales. I’ve almost never been anywhere.
    ‘I hear it’s beautiful there,’ I say.
    He nods. ‘It is. My house is on the side of a mountain. When I wake up every day, the first thing I do is open the curtain and look out at the valley spreading out below me, with the morning light spreading over it.’
    Even in the semi-darkness his face is animated as he talks about his home. He tells me about waterfalls and forest paths and mountains covered in golden gorse that almost glows in the sun. He talks about winter snows that cover everything in sight, making the wild mountain ponies come down the hillside for shelter. He has a storytelling voice, it makes me want to listen to him forever while he tells me anything, anything he likes.
    The car swerves violently, with a piercing whine from the wheels.
    ‘What the hell?’ I say.
    Steele glances over his shoulder at me. ‘We’re being chased. Didn’t foresee that, did you, Oracle?’
    ‘That’s not how it works and you know it,’ I say. ‘Who’s chasing us? How many?’
    ‘I’m not sure,’ he admits. ‘At least one car... and I’m guessing they’re our friends from the North...’
    I squirm around in my seat to look behind us. There’s another car on our tail and the wheels are glowing - they’re spelled too. No way to know whose spells are better.
    ‘We have to do something,’ I say.
    ‘I’m open to suggestions!’ Steele yells, weaving around the oblivious traffic almost faster than I can see.
    ‘Don’t we have any defensive spells with us?’ I ask.
    ‘I know a few,’ says Steele, ‘but I can’t cast and drive at the same time, one of you will have to take over driving.’
    ‘I can’t drive,’ I say to Tarian. ‘Can you?’
    He grins. ‘You wouldn’t ask that question if you’d seen the state of the buses where I come from.’
    He unfastens his seatbelt and climbs into the front beside Steele.
    ‘Take the wheel,’ Steele says. ‘I’ll keep the pedals for now.’
    Tarian leans over and starts steering, while Steele leans out of the window and starts aiming spells at the car following us. He’s good - even I can tell, with my limited knowledge of these sorts of spells. He mutters an incantation and sends a burst of light towards the other car that leaves it swerving and slowing. Steele whoops and thumps the dashboard.
    ‘There’s another one!’ I yell.
    I’m still looking out of the rear window and from a sliproad another car approaches, glowing with magic just like the first one was.
    ‘Damn,’ says Steele. ‘Finder, swap seats.’
    There’s a sickening moment of bumping confusion as Tarian slips into the driver’s seat and Steele climbs over him into the passenger seat. We sway and slow and I hold my breath, but then we’re driving again. Steele opens the sunroof and hoists himself up so that he’s standing half out of the car.
    ‘Come and get it, you bastards!’ he yells.
    ‘Steele, this isn’t an action film!’ I call up to him. ‘Just stop them!’
    He swears at me. I ignore him and keep looking out for our enemies. Behind me I hear Steele making another incantation and after a moment the second car bursts into flames, still rolling forward until it slows.
    ‘How many people were in that car...?’ I wonder aloud.
    ‘Doesn’t matter,’