Felix did not like the way the merchant’s men were staring at Max. It would not take much to drive these people to violence, he realised. And that would not do them much good either. If anything, Max was even more dangerous than Ulrika.

“I have trained at the Imperial College of Magicians in Altdorf,” said Max. “I am merely telling you what any competent magician can tell you about these things. If you are so suspicious of the art that you believe that I could be a follower of Chaos, then more fool you.”

Very good, Max, Felix thought. Very diplomatic. That will help solve everything won’t it? Felix wondered what had come over the magician. Did the presence of Ulrika really affect him so badly? Was he really so desperate to impress her? He seemed unable to think clearly when she was around. Normally he was a very mild mannered and diplomatic man. There were mutterings from the throng in the watchtower. Felix wondered if Max had any idea how close he was coming to provoking these people to violence. They were scared and afraid, and they were just looking for someone to vent their fear on.

And they had every right to be afraid, Felix realised. That army out there was enough to terrify any sane person witless. Felix had seen such forces before, when he had flown over the Chaos Wastes, but there was a huge difference between that, and knowing that he was in its path and that there was no escape. As he stood there, he felt a growing sense of claustrophobia. Until that very moment, the whole situation had seemed slightly unreal. In his mind, he had known what they faced, but emotionally it had not quite registered. Now, it was as if he felt the jaws of some great trap slamming shut round about him. Even as he watched, more and more Chaos warriors flowed into position around the city. Behind them came those endless ranks of beastmen.

He knew now he was trapped. There was no escape from Praag, unless the Spirit of Grungni returned, and even then it might not be possible to get away. There was no way out of Praag unless that mighty force down there was defeated, which meant, most likely, there was no way out of Praag alive. Judging from the spreading silence all around, he was not the only one to have come to this conclusion.

The fat merchant and his bodyguards stared at Max as if trying to decide what to do. They might want to burn him at the stake but he was a magician and none of them had any real idea of what he was capable of. He might be able to blast them to cinders with a wave of his hand or turn them into some sort of loathsome beast at a whim. Felix knew Max could do the former.

“I ought to have you horsewhipped,” said the fat merchant.

“And how are you going to do that with your fat head separated from your shoulders?” asked Gotrek. His tone was conversational but his expression was serious. Clearly he was no more pleased than Felix to have one of his comrades threatened. The merchant’s guards looked distinctly queasy now.

“Why are you taking this Chaos lover’s side?” stuttered the fat man.

“Are you suggesting that I would side with any follower of the Dark Powers?” Gotrek asked.