I only have time to swing my rifle round so it’s pointing at the door before it opens.

I squeeze my trigger finger and . . . stop.

Standing in the doorway wearing a Girls Guards’ uniform is Kay.

‘King hell, Kay! I almost shot you.’

‘Blake!’ she says, coming into the room.

‘Oh, it all makes sense now,’ Ven drawls. ‘We should have realised before that your pixie friend was the perfect size for the uniform.’

‘You’ve got to get out,’ Kay says. ‘Nard sent me—’

‘We know Nard sent you,’ I say. But my brain is fumbling to work out why.

‘What the hell are you doing here?’ Ven asks. ‘Didn’t he tell you to stay in the square?’

Kay frowns. ‘No, Nard told me to get you out. He heard a thing on the guard communicators. They’re searching all the buildings around the square, but we can’t get you on the communicator here because guards listen to all communicators around here. We needed to get into the square to tell you to get out, but no one can get in without a ticket, but Nard had a ticket for a Girl Guard—’

Ven grabs his gun and stands up to go. ‘At least we don’t have to worry about a bomb any more.’

‘Wait,’ I say.

‘Blake, they’re coming,’ Kay says.

‘Nard’s not trying to blow anyone up, he’s saving our behinds,’ Ven says.

‘No, wait! Think about it. When did Nard hear the guards talking, Kay? Did you hear it?’

‘No. It was a little bit back.’

‘And when do you think he kidnapped the girl?’ I say to Ven.

Ven can see where I’m going.

‘Nard didn’t get hold of that uniform on the off-chance that he’d need to send Kay to warn us about the guards. He’s planned this. He’s . . .’ I screw up my face. I don’t know what he’s doing. I don’t even know if we should still be worrying about a bomb. ‘Kay, did he give you anything to carry?’

‘No. What’s going on?’

I look at Kay’s slight figure. There’s no way Nard could strap explosives to her without her knowledge.

Ven’s got his eyes closed in concentration. ‘Let’s think. He’s sent us Kay. Why would he do that? What’s special about Kay?’

Kay has paled. ‘He said you’re in danger, and he said it’s bad that no one knows where you are, and I . . .’ She glances at Ven because of course she’s not supposed to know where we are. I wasn’t supposed to tell her, but Nard was banking on me not being able to keep my mouth shut. ‘. . . I said I know where Blake is, so Nard said I have to come to you because I’m the only one who knows where you are.’

Below us, the door crashes open.

Ven sucks in his breath. ‘I don’t think you’re the only one who knows where we are any more.’