‘Pig. Wild pig. Strong. Dangerous.’

‘I know what it is. But I’m fighting a pig?’

‘No, a boar.’ Stanislav ignored Pigface and walked slowly back to Dalip. ‘They are difficult opponents. Their vital organs are deep in their bodies, under many layers of fat and muscle. A knife will not be enough to kill it.’

‘But a pig?’

‘It will open your belly and root around in your guts if you let it. It has teeth like razors and is angry, always angry. It is your opponent and you must treat it with respect.’

Dalip conceded the point. ‘Okay. But if a knife’s too short, what do I use?’

‘In old times, a spear. Big one, broad. With something to stop the boar pushing down the shaft and attacking you, even as it dies.’ Stanislav raised his eyebrows. ‘You see?’

‘Right.’ It wasn’t a pig, then, all pink and squealy.

‘A knife is all you get, lion man,’ said Pigface, pushing past.

He ended up pressed against the wall again.

‘Find him something longer,’ said Stanislav.

‘I’m not allowed,’ he grunted. ‘She said so.’

‘What else did she say?’ Stanislav tightened his grip. He had no hesitation in inflicting pain on the man. ‘Tell us.’

The confusion that washed through Pigface’s little button eyes almost provoked sympathy from Dalip. It wasn’t supposed to be this way, with prisoners assaulting their guards with impunity.

‘The knife is all he gets. Ever. She wants him to be afraid. Terrified. That’s what she wants.’

‘Why?’

‘I don’t know why. “Make him afraid,” she told me. “Make him think he’s going to die,” she said. She’s not going to tell me her plans, is she?’

Stanislav let go, and deliberately wiped his hands on his boilersuit.

‘The man that is with her. The one with the silver cane. Who is he?’

‘He’s …’ Then Pigface checked himself. ‘I don’t answer to you.’

All it took was for Stanislav to take step closer, and the guard brought up his club to defend himself.

‘Who is he?’

‘He does everything for her.’

‘Does he have a name?’

‘He’s the steward. We just call him “sir”.’

Stanislav sighed. ‘I expect you do, you worthless pig-faced coward. Go. Go and do what you have to do.’

Pigface shuffled away, and they watched him go to the end of the corridor, turn right towards the guard room.

‘Why does she want you scared?’ asked Stanislav.

‘Because I stood up to her. Now she wants to break me.’ Dalip squared his shoulders. ‘I …’