“Those people are still alive, just suspended.” Frost crisped and blued the bodies’ skin. Looking at them tightened cords in Cat’s chest. She slid past Aev into the hold and touched a sleeping woman’s shoulder. The flesh was softer than if she were frozen. A hundred, perhaps, lay on racks. When Cat drew back her hand, it was chilled beyond her blood’s power to warm.

“Who would let this happen?”

“Let doesn’t have much to do with it,” she said. “They’re indentured, people who’ve mortgaged themselves away, suspended their own wills while the body works to repay their debt. It’s cheaper than raising a corpse, if you believe that. Dead stuff decays, you know. These people live without any choice but to do what their contract holder tells them, until the indenture’s done.”

“Slaves,” Aev said.

“Zombies. Craftwork isn’t supposed to let people become property, but there are ways to treat the one like the other if you’re a sick kind of clever, and no one catches you. Which is why people like Varg deal dreamglass: every price is a negotiation, and nothing skews negotiations like addiction. You hook people, then raise the loan rates until indenture’s their only option. And if they don’t have the resources to hire a good Craftswoman, the indenture deal can be pretty bad.”

“This is allowed?”

“Not in our city,” she said. She didn’t say, but we can only stop it when we find it or but who knows how people make the fortunes they invest with us or but you won’t find one port in the world this business doesn’t pass through. Aev’s claws tightened on the doorjamb, leaving deep grooves in the wood. “Come on. Let’s get up top.”

Raz met her on deck with a blanket for her shoulders. She accepted it with a nod and stood shivering by the wheel for reasons that had nothing to do with the night air.

“More down there than we thought,” Cat said. “I bet Tara can wake them.”

“We’ll figure something out,” he said. And then: “That was a brave dumb thing you did, catching the bolt for me.”

“I saved your life. Maybe.”

“I’m not exactly alive. And the golem could have killed us all if not for Aev.”

“And I brought her along. So, you’re welcome.”

“You should have let her take the shot, I mean, instead of letting the sailor reach the gong.”

“The Suit agreed with you, for what it’s worth.”

If he understood, he didn’t acknowledge it.

Aev joined them, and faced homeward toward the horizon candelabra of Alt Coulumb. Her lips peeled back to bare teeth, but no sound escaped her throat.

“Something wrong?”

“The city,” she said. “I am too late.”

“What do you mean?” Cat asked. But before Aev could answer, the moon opened.

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