Dogman had always found Carleon a good bit too built-up. This was downright ridiculous. He dropped back a way, found he was walking next to Shivers. He lore the loaf and held one half out.

'Thanks.' Shivers took a bite out of the end, then another. 'Not bad.'

'Ain't nothing quite like it, is there? That taste o' new bread? Tastes like… peace, I guess.'

'If you say so.' They chewed together for a while, saying nothing.

Dogman looked sideways. 'I think you need to put this feud o' yours behind you.'

'What feud's that?'

'How many you got? The one with our new king up there. Ninefingers.'

'Can't say I haven't tried.' Shivers frowned up the road at Logen's back. 'But whenever I turn around, there it is beside me.'

'Shivers, you're a good man. I like you. We all do. You got bones, lad, and brains too, and men'll follow you. You could go a long way if you don't get yourself killed, and there's the problem. I don't want to see you start up something you can't put a good end to.'

'You needn't worry then. Anything I start I'll make sure I finish.'

Dogman shook his head. 'No, no, that ain't my point, lad, not at all. Maybe you come out on top, maybe you don't. My point is neither one's a victory. Blood makes blood, and nothing else. My point is it ain't too late for you. It ain't too late for you to be better'n that.'

Shivers frowned at him. Then he tossed the heel of bread away, turned his big shoulder and headed off without another word. Dogman sighed. Some things can't be put right just with talk. Some things can't be put right at all.

They came out from the maze of buildings and onto a river. It must've been as wide as the Whiteflow, only the banks on each side were made of stone. The biggest bridge the Dogman had ever seen spanned it, railings made of curly iron, wide enough to drive two carts across side by side. Another wall stood at the far end, even bigger than the one they came through first. Dogman took a few gawping steps forward, and he looked up and down the gleaming water, and he saw that there were more bridges. A lot more, and some even bigger, standing out from a great forest of walls, and towers, and soaring high buildings.

A lot of the others were staring too, eyes wide open like they'd stepped out onto the moon. Even Grim had a twist to his face that might've been surprise.

'Bloody hell,' said Shivers. 'You ever see the like o' this?'

Dogman's neck was aching from staring round at it all. 'They've got so much here. Why do they even want bloody Angland? Place is a shit-hole.'