“Friendly,” Sajaam was all smiles at the surprise he’d pulled, “this is an old friend of mine, name of Murcatto. You’re going to work for her a while, if you have no objection.” The man shrugged his weighty shoulders. “What did you say your name was, again?”

“Shivers.”

Friendly’s eyes flickered up, then back to the floor, and stayed there. Sad eyes and strange. Silence for a moment.

“Is he a good man?” asked Murcatto.

“This is the best man I know of. Or the worst, if you stand on his wrong side. I met him in Safety.”

“What had he done to be locked in there with the likes of you?”

“Everything and more.”

More silence. “For a man called Friendly, he’s not got much to say.”

“My very thoughts when I first met him,” said Sajaam. “I suspect the name was meant with some irony.”

“Irony? In a prison?”

“All kinds of people end up in prison. Some of us even have a sense of humour.”

“If you say so. I’ll take some husk as well.”

“You? More your brother’s style, no? What do you want husk for?”

“When did you start asking your customers why they want your goods, old man?”

“Fair point.” He pulled something from his pocket, tossed it to her and she snatched it out of the air.

“I’ll let you know when I need something else.”

“I shall tick off the hours! I always swore you’d be the death of me, Monzcarro.” Sajaam turned away. “The death of me.”

Shivers stepped in front of him. “My knife.” He didn’t understand the fine points of what he’d heard, but he could tell when he was caught up in something dark and bloody. Something where he was likely to need a good blade.

“My pleasure.” Sajaam slapped it back into Shivers’ palm, and it weighed heavy there. “Though I advise you to find a larger blade if you plan on sticking with her.” He glanced round at them, slowly shaking his head. “You three heroes, going to put an end to Duke Orso? When they kill you, do me a favour? Die quickly and keep my name out of it.” And with that cheery thought he ambled off into the night.

When Shivers turned back, the woman called Murcatto was looking him right in the eye. “What about you? Fishing’s a bastard of a living. Almost as hard as farming, and even worse-smelling.” She held out her gloved hand and silver glinted in the palm. “I can still use another man. You want to take your scale? Or you want fifty more?”

Shivers frowned down at that shining metal. He’d killed men for a lot less, when he thought about it. Battles, feuds, fights, in all settings and all weathers. But he’d had reasons, then. Not good ones, always, but something to make it some kind of right. Never just murder, blood bought and paid for.

“This man we’re going to kill… what did he do?”