-FORTY YEARS EARLIER-

The first to arrive through the doorway was an elderly and portly Aelf, dressed in desert robes with his head wrapped in scarves that concealed the points of his ears. His nose and mouth were small, but his eyes were twice the size of any human's, and his face carried the odd triangular shape that was typical of the Aelfir. Ebril, Ambassador to House Mirage, shielded his large eyes from the sun, and a toothy grin split his impressive grey beard.

'The Giant's Hand,' he whispered, and then bellowed at the pink sky. 'Home at last!'

He dropped to his knees and kissed the rock.

The rest of Ambassador Ebril's entourage emerged from the doorway: five younger Aelfir, three women and two men, all dressed desert-fashion. The last and youngest of them was Ebril's daughter Namji. A petite Aelf, her face had more of a subtle heart shape than the typical triangular appearance. The long plait of her black hair hung over her shoulder like a snake. As Namji breathed in the desert air, her soft green eyes gazed at Van Bam for a moment. They filled with tears and she mouthed the words 'thank you'. She then laughed happily at the sight of her father kneeling upon the floor, lips pressed to the Giant's Hand, before sharing excited hugs with the rest of the Aelfir.

Ebril and his entourage had been conducting diplomatic business in Labrys Town when the war against Spiral began, and the use of the portals leading in and out of the Great Labyrinth had been revoked for all. Two years they had lived in exile from their House, refugees of the war, and their joy at returning home was infectious.

'You should be careful,' Angel whispered to Van Bam. 'I think Namji has a thing for you.'

Van Bam nodded distantly as he watched the celebrations. Namji was a young Aelf – only fifteen, sixteen at the most – but the illusionist had already been warned that she was a slippery customer who was not to be trusted.

With a groan, Ebril got to his feet and bowed to the Relic Guild agents. 'My friends, we are in your debt,' he said, and then turned to his entourage. 'Come, let us announce our return.'

From around his neck, Ebril removed a thin chain connected to a small gold pendant that had been cast in the shape of a teardrop. Van Bam and Angel stepped aside to allow Ebril through as he marched up to the bell of red glass. He pushed his hand up into the bell, and began running the pendant around its interior. The bell emitted a tinkling that seemed to spread rather than grow in volume. It continued after Ebril had stepped back.

Van Bam gained the impression that the bell was calling out to the desert.

The air shifted and wavered.

'You might want to catch this show,' Angel said, nudging Van Bam forward.

He stepped closer to the edge of the Giant's Hand and gazed down onto the desert.

Fifty yards from the rock sentinel a wall began to form, like a great veil of water that glistened beneath the scorching sun. Beyond it, dunes began to collapse, one by one, their sand running away to lie flat on the desert floor. Blocky shapes formed, shadowy movements whispered across the levelling landscape; all of which was soon hidden as the veil thickened into the hard golden-red stone blocks of a high wall. Beneath the bleached sky, a mighty citadel revealed itself.

'Behold,' Ebril said proudly. 'The House of Mirage.'

It was said this citadel was home to more than one hundred thousand Aelfir, and Van Bam could well believe it. To the left and right, the wall stretched away into waves of heat. He gazed up at the turrets and crenellated ramparts. Armed guards, looking small at that distance, stood sentry, gazing down at the new arrivals, their rifles in hand. Flags struggled to flutter in the weak breeze, each bearing the House symbol of Mirage: a simple castle shape beneath the circle of a desert moon. There were no window slits cut into the mighty wall of the citadel, but almost directly opposite the Giant's Hand, across a gulf of hot air, huge wooden gates had appeared.

'Impressive, is it not?' Ebril said, standing alongside Van Bam.

Van Bam agreed. Even his skill with illusions had not enabled him to see through the magic that had kept this House invisible. He looked at Angel; she didn't seem any less impressed for having witnessed this spectacle before.

They said, in Mirage everything was hidden.

Finally, a stone bridge materialised between the citadel's gates and the fingertips of the Giant's Hand. Once the bridge had fully formed, the gates swung open and an Aelf marched out with eight armed guards following him.

The lead Aelf was dressed in crimson robes. His head was swathed in scarves, and his hand rested on the hilt of a decorative sword sheathed at his hip. Each of the eight guards, marching in sync behind the leader, wore robes of light blue but no headdress. They held their rifles diagonally to their bodies. Despite the searing glare of the desert sky, the violet thaumaturgic glow of power stones could still be seen. These weapons were primed and ready for use.

'Trusting lot, aren't they?' Angel muttered, as the militia marched closer.

'Living in a desert as harsh as Mirage, it is in our nature to be cautious,' Ebril said with a smile. 'Please, do not take offence.'

He stepped ahead of the two magickers and his entourage, stopping where the bridge began, to meet the armed welcoming party. Van Bam felt a presence standing close on his left. Namji had taken the space her father had vacated beside him. She gave the illusionist a dazzling smile; she appeared young and innocent. Beautiful. Van Bam moved his hand away as hers brushed against it.

The leader of the guards came to a halt a few paces from the end of the bridge. His face was clean-shaven, old and weathered. He scrutinised the group behind Ebril whilst his guards stood stiffly to attention.

'Ambassador Ebril,' the leader said with a nod. 'Mirage welcomes you home.'

'Thank you, Captain,' Ebril answered brightly. 'It is very good to be back.'

The Captain then nodded to Van Bam and Angel, and said, 'High Governor Obanai also welcomes the delegates of the Nightshade to his House,' in a humourless sort of way.

Van Bam and Angel shared a look.

The captain addressed Ebril again. 'The High Governor has asked me to relay his apologies. He wished to greet you personally, but affairs of state have tied his hands. The days in Mirage are never without duty, I'm sure you'll remember, Ambassador.'

'Of course,' Ebril replied.

'Rooms have been prepared at the High Governor's house for our human guests.'

'That is most kind.'

Although Van Bam couldn't decipher details, he caught a definite intent, a hidden meaning, behind the exchange between the two. Denton had taught him long ago that Aelfirian politicians were clever, devious, and never to be fully trusted. Van Bam wondered if High Governor Obanai had just relayed a coded message to his Ambassador via the captain.

'Your families are eager to see you,' the captain said to the rest of the entourage, who stirred excitedly. 'Please, allow me to escort you into the citadel.'

Half the guards followed their captain as he made his way back across the bridge; the remaining half waited for the entourage to pass before bringing up the rear.

The bridge was easily wide enough to walk three abreast. Van Bam followed the ambassador, with Angel on his right. She seemed highly amused that Namji had decided to stay close to the illusionist's left.

'I can't wait for you to see my home,' Namji said, staring ahead at the open gates. 'Mirage is a beautiful House.'

She linked her arm in Van Bam's, and then looked behind to share a childish giggle with one of the entourage.

Angel leant into the illusionist. 'When we get home,' she whispered into his ear, 'I'm telling Marney.'

'Shut up,' he whispered back.