Aelyn said nothing, only slid in on the bench opposite him. The interior of the coach was roomy and lantern-lit, its benches padded. Hendrick, Aelyn, Eleanora and Borik climbed into one coach, Romilla, Bartiman and Olt into a second. Hendrick found himself also sharing the space with a pair of watchmen, as well as the captain, who placed herself next to Aelyn and gave Hendrick an appraising stare. Thuds and creaks came from the outside of the coach and it settled more heavily; additional watchmen clambering onto the running boards, Hendrick assumed.

He heard the whicker of a lash being plied, then they pulled away with a lurch.

Streets and buildings passed by in a rain-grimed blur as the carriages sped deeper into the city. Hendrick stared out into the gloom for a few moments, watched the spark-lamps drifting by like will-o’-the-wisps, then turned back to find Captain Morthan still watching him.

‘Where did your comrade hear those words that she shouted at our walls?’ asked Morthan.

‘Why did you believe us when the men up there so clearly didn’t?’ he countered. Morthan turned her attention instead to Eleanora.

‘Name?’

‘Eleanora VanGhest.’

‘Where did you hear those words, Miss VanGhest?’ asked Morthan. ‘And why are you dressed like an Ironweld engineer?’ she added with a slight frown.

‘I heard them from Varlen as he was dying,’ replied Eleanora. ‘They were his last words, so I remembered them because last words are important. And I’m dressed like an Ironweld engineer because I am an Ironweld engineer, second cog-circle and–’ she halted mid-flow as Hendrick held up a hand to forestall her.

‘Thank you, Eleanora, but Captain Morthan doesn’t need to hear all of it.’

Eleanora nodded, counting rapidly off on her fingers, right then left.

Morthan blinked, then turned her attention back to Hendrick. The carriage lurched over an arching bridge, shaking them all in their seats.

‘What am I to make of you all?’ she asked Hendrick. ‘Humans, a duardin, an aelf of the Wanderer tribe if I’m not mistaken, a lady engineer, supposedly… that was a wizard and a priest that got into the other carriage together, yes? And whoever you’ve got stashed away under that bloody great cloak. And you, ragged band that you are, turn up shouting about a warning, though what you’re warning of seems a trifle vague. Then she,’ the captain jabbed a finger at Eleanor, ‘comes out with squirming beasts, and eyes looking into your soul, and dark omens…’

‘You recognise some of this, don’t you?’ said Hendrick, realisation dawning. ‘That’s why you let us in instead of ignoring us out of hand.’

‘Part of me fears you are complicit, the other part believes you may be the very thing I need to sway the regent militant,’ she said. Hendrick could see fierce calculation going on behind her piercing green eyes.