‘She ain’t dead, you dope. Just stunned. I was anticipatin’ bother and she didn’t let me down.’

‘You’ll pay for this.’

‘No, girlie. I’ll be paid for it. Crucial difference. And now you’ve seen what I can do – what I will do – you’ll come quietly, won’t you? Well, maybe not. But we’ll see about that.’ He dug into another pocket and threw a black bracelet onto the table. ‘Clap that on yourself, dearie, or I’ll give Prozor another dose for her troubles.’

‘No.’

He aimed the slug-gun at her and seemed about to follow up on his threat. I hissed in anger and snatched up the bracelet. It hinged open. I slid it over my wrist – my left wrist – and snapped it shut. The bracelet tightened onto me and some lights flashed under the black. ‘Doctor Morcenx gave me that little beauty,’ Quindar said. ‘But don’t worry. I won’t be using it to put any nasty medicine into you. It’s just to keep tabs on you, if you was to try giving me the slip again. It says you’re under my guardianship, see, so don’t even think of trying to sneak your way off Trevenza Reach without me.’ Quindar relaxed his hand and the slug-gun oozed back into his sleeve. It was out of sight now, but I still sensed its bulging, malignant presence.

I stared at the bracelet, its heavy bulge making my wrist look thin.

‘What’s its range?’

‘Far enough, girlie. But stick with Vidin and you’ll soon forget it’s ever on you.’

‘I’m really sorry about this,’ Hasper Quell said, offering his hands in surrender, like he’d played no part in my woes.

I finished off the drink I’d barely touched until then. ‘Take care of Prozor when she comes round. Tell her I’m sorry I got her into this mess, but I’ll be all right. Also: tell her I haven’t changed my mind.’

Hasper Quell looked at me with his chimneys-for-eyes. ‘About what?’

‘She’ll know,’ I said.

THREE

THREE

MAZARILE

11

11

On the tram back to the docking port I’d been meaning to keep up a surly silence, not feeling the need to make him feel any more welcome. But something had been building and building in me and there came a point when I couldn’t bottle it in any longer. ‘This isn’t going to work, Quindar. You think you know me but you don’t.’

‘You’ve gone off and had yourself a little adventure, girlie. But that don’t change what you are, and what you ain’t.’

‘It does. And every second you keep me your prisoner, you’re storing up trouble for yourself.’

‘You can take that up with the legal gentlemen,’ Quindar said.