“Oh, dear,” Radolphus said. “I was so hoping you only had a slight chill. Because I’m afraid you’re needed up at the castle.”

“Whatever for?” Justinian muttered.

“There’s been a murder,” Radolphus said. “It’s magical. And also political. The duke asked especially for you to come and deal with it.”

“Magical how?” Justinian asked. “Was someone killed by magic? Or did someone kill a mage? Or-achoo!”

A few blue sparks twinkled through the room.

“Bother! What now?” the Maestro asked, appearing to brace himself.

“The bats,” Radolphus said, pointing to the archway between the study and the workroom, where the fledgling bats usually slept.

The bats were now brightly colored. Some had stripes.

“Oh, bother.” Justinian sighed.

“I think they look very festive,” Gwynn said. “I’ll change them back later; they’re not hurting anyone now.”

She was relieved when neither mage objected-she already had the faint beginnings of a headache, the kind you got from doing too many spells in too short a time. Or undoing them, in this case.

“I know you’re in no shape to do magic,” Radolphus said. “But-”

“We have to at least look as if we’re doing something,” Justinian said. “Put up a good show for a day or so until my powers are back to normal, and I can actually solve this.”

He snagged his glasses from the nearby table and shoved them onto his nose in a determined fashion. Gwynn realized, with dismay, that he’d apparently sat on them again, then mended them with bits of sticking plaster. Ah, well; she’d fix them for real later.

“That’s the spirit,” Radolphus said. “The duke’s manservant’s waiting in my study-shall I bring him down? He can tell you more about the problem.”

“Might as well,” Justinian said. “Just give Gwynn a few minutes to tidy up.”

Fortunately, Justinian’s definition of tidying only meant throwing an old tablecloth over the cold medicines and helping him into the velvet smoking jacket he liked to wear to impress visitors. Gwynn decided not to mention that at the moment its burgundy color brought out the chapped red condition of his cheeks and nostrils.