“Fair enough,” says Pal, who really can’t argue with any of that. Sure, he’s itching to prove that he does know her, to lay out the evidence and get her to help him solve the mystery of the girls with the skull-painted faces who keep showing up in his memories. But that line of inquiry is getting them nowhere. For now, at least, he has to set it aside.

“Look, we seem to have gotten off on the wrong foot in at least four different ways. Can we start again?” He holds out his hand to her. “I’m Palamedes Sextus, necromancer, formerly of the Sixth House, and now of,” he makes a vague gesture, “this mysterious and decidedly irritating pocket universe. It’s very nice to meet you, though I wish the circumstances were better.”