There was a sense of suddenly being very much out of his depth, rather like the moment before falling through an open manhole. Not that Barnaby had ever done that a second time.

"Good day to you, Field Commander," he said neutrally, ignoring the now-familiar instinct to flee. He thought for a moment that he heard someone, but before he could make it out it was gone.

"Was there a convention planned in the library?" He indicated the other two behind Michael, both of whom looked decidedly harassed. "I must have missed the memo."