‘I can imagine a lot,’ she said, thinking back to the jeweller’s window with its bright lights and pretty stones. She watched Crows’ own fingers flex. Would he fight her now? Did she care enough to want to avoid that?

‘Is it enough for six?’ she asked.

‘More than enough,’ said Crows. ‘But …’

‘Mary,’ said Luiza, ‘we cannot trust this man.’

‘I know, I know. I know what it’s like to pitch up in an unfamiliar place with no friends. Better make them quick or you’ll get thrown to the wolves. In our case, that’s literally what happened. What we should do is ditch him and find someone who won’t screw us over the first opportunity they get. The problem is, where do we get them from? Everyone here is on the make, or working for someone who is.’

‘If it will help, I apologise for my past actions, and look to make amends in the future.’ Crows bowed low to them all.

‘You serious, girl?’ said Mama, stepping forward to examine the man minutely. ‘This weasel? He hung you out to dry, and we don’t know exactly what happened between him and that woman Bell, either, that let him get her maps too. Something shifty, I don’t doubt. Isn’t that right, Mr Crows?’

‘Madam, I want to explain.’

‘Oh, save your explanations. I don’t believe a single word that comes out of your mouth, and neither should anyone else.’ She jabbed him in the chest, just in case there was any doubt who she was referring to.

Crows stayed silent as Mama circled him, grunting with disapproval.

‘So what do we do?’ asked Dalip. ‘We’ve got his maps. Do we need him too?’

Mary gnawed at her knuckle. If only Crows wasn’t such an inconstant bastard. She liked him despite that, despite everything, but it wasn’t up to her. Crows could be useful to them, if they could tame him and stop him from trying to steal the maps back at every opportunity.

‘Okay,’ she said. ‘Where are we going now?’

‘This White City,’ said Luiza. ‘The maps, and your sight, will tell us which direction to take. We do not need him.’

‘Crows: where were you going?’

‘The White City,’ he said.

Mary pursed her lips. If they were all going in the same direction, then why not travel together? There were still five of them to one of him.

Dalip sat up and drummed his heel on the side of the crate. ‘It’s not any of us who are really going to White City. It’s the maps that are going: we’re just accompanying them. Who actually owns them is … Look, if we can get paper and ink we can copy them, as many times as we want.’

‘No, no, no,’ started Crows.

‘Shut up,’ said Mama. ‘Go on, Dalip.’