‘Question is, girlie, how you survived at all.’ Prozor touched her free hand to her scalp. ‘Messed me up pretty good, she did. But Bosa didn’t know about that plate I already have screwed into my skull. Knocked me out, I suppose. Can’t say I remember too much. But there ain’t a living scratch on you and that don’t sit well with me.’

‘I hid.’ I reached up slowly and drew the blade away from my throat, fighting the strength in her at first, then overwhelming her. ‘Garval helped me. Adrana helped her get loose, and . . . worlds, Prozor, I was just in the middle of signalling Jastrabarsk!’

‘In league with him, are you? Setting us up for a call from Bosa, then arranging to split the leftovers with Captain Jastrabarsk?’

‘No, nothing like that! Were you listening to what I just said? Garval showed me a hiding place, a panel in the wall. I got in there and kept quiet until Bosa was gone. It’s been two days, and now I’m chancing a message to Jastrabarsk’s ship. That’s it on the sweeper. It’s coming our way, as fast as they can make sail. That’s the end of it. Bosa has my sister. If I’d cooked up a plan, do you honestly think that’d be any part of it?’

The line of her lips tightened into something hard and judgemental.

‘You were tight, both of you.’

‘Yes. It’s called being sisters. Prozor! I wasn’t in league with anyone and right now all I care about is finding a way to get Adrana and Garval back.’

‘What did she want with the screamer?’

‘Garval said she was going to put herself up in my place, make Bosa think she already had both Bone Readers. I know, it never stood a chance of fooling Bosa for long. But if she hadn’t done it, they’d have picked the ship apart looking for me. Garval saved my life, and I owe her.’

There was one last long, appraising look from her, then she put the blade away.

‘If a word of this turns out to be anything but gospel, girlie . . .’

‘You’ve seen the bodies, Prozor. Do you think I made them up, or did those things to them?’

After a while she said: ‘They’ve got Bosa’s look about ’em. But you could’ve . . .’ She shook her head. ‘No, you ain’t got the spine for cruelty. Not like that.’

‘Thank you for that ringing endorsement.’

‘You made sure Bosa’s out of the scene, before you started blabbing all over the squawk?’