Glokta turned and shaded his eyes with his hand. Dagoska was spread out before them, almost an island. The Upper City sloped away, neat grids of neat houses with long, straight roads in between, speckled with yellow palms and wide squares. On the far side of its long, curving wall lay the dusty brown jumble of the slums. Looming over them in the distance, shimmering in the haze, Glokta could see the mighty land walls, blocking the one narrow neck of rock that joined the city to the mainland, the blue sea on one side and the blue harbour on the other. The strongest defences in the world, so they say. I wonder if we shall be putting that proud boast to the test before too long?

'Superior Glokta?' Harker cleared his throat. 'The Lord Governor and his council will be waiting.'

'They can wait a little longer, then. I am curious to know what progress you have made in investigating the disappearance of Superior Davoust.' It would be most unfortunate if the new Superior were to suffer the same fate, after all.

Harker frowned. 'Well… some progress. I have no doubt the natives are responsible. They never stop plotting. Despite the measures Davoust took after the rebellion, many of them still refuse to learn their place.'

'I stand amazed.'

'It is all too true, believe me. Three Dagoskan servants were present in the Superior's chambers on the night he disappeared. I have been questioning them.'

'And what have you discovered?'

'Nothing yet, unfortunately. They have proved exceedingly stubborn.'

'Then let us question them together.'

'Together?' Harker licked his lips. 'I wasn't aware that you would want to question them yourself, Superior.'

'Now you are.'

One would have thought it would be cooler, deep within the rock. But it was every bit as hot as outside in the baking streets, without the mercy of the slightest breeze. The corridor was silent, dead, and stuffy as a tomb. Vitari's torch cast flickering shadows into the corners, and the darkness closed in fast behind them.

Harker paused beside an iron-bound door, mopped fat beads of sweat from his face. 'I must warn you, Superior, it was necessary to be quite… firm with them. A firm hand is the best thing, you know.'

'Oh, I can be quite firm myself, when the situation demands it. I am not easily shocked.'