‘Scalpel,’ he said, holding out his free hand. Scant passed him the instrument.

Merv took a breath, held it, and made a two-centimetre incision in Opal’s flesh. He wiggled his index finger into the hole and rolled out the electronic capsule. It was encased in silicone and was roughly the size of a painkiller.

‘Seal it up,’ he ordered.

Scant bent close to the wound, placing a thumb at each end.

‘Heal,’ he whispered, and blue sparks of fairy magic ran rings round his fingers, sinking into the wound. In seconds, the folds of skin had zipped themselves together, with only a pale pink scar to show that a cut had been made. A scar almost identical to that which had already existed. Opal’s own magic had dried up months ago, as she was in no position to complete a power-restoring ritual.

‘Miss Koboi,’ said Merv briskly. ‘Time to get up. Wakey wakey.’

He unstrapped Opal completely from the harness. The unconscious pixie collapsed on to the lid of the cleaning trolley. Merv slapped her across the cheek, bringing a blush to her face. Opal’s breathing rate increased slightly, but her eyes remained closed.

‘Jolt her,’ said Scant.

Merv pulled an LEP-issue buzz baton from inside his jacket. He powered it up and touched Opal on the elbow. The pixie’s body jerked spasmodically, and Opal Koboi shot into consciousness, a sleeper waking from a nightmare.

‘Cudgeon,’ she screamed, ‘you betrayed me!’

Merv grabbed her shoulders. ‘Miss Koboi. It’s us, Mervall and Descant. It’s time.’

Opal glared at him, wild-eyed.

‘Brill?’ she said, after several deep breaths.

‘That’s right. Merv and Scant. We need to go.’

‘Go? What do you mean?’

‘Leave,’ said Merv urgently. ‘We have about a minute.’