She lapped this up as if it was just any matter-of-fact business between sisters. I suppose being tied up meant she didn’t have much choice but to take me seriously.

‘She did try turning me. I knew it was happening. But I thought I was strong enough to keep her out.’

‘I imagine they all felt that way. We found her room, you see – the special room with all the bottled bodies she didn’t have any use for any more. I can’t believe any of them ever set out to become Bosa, but it happened, and it would have happened to you, given time. She’d settled on you as her successor.’

‘Is she really gone?’

I glanced away. ‘She’s not a concern to us, if that’s what you mean. We found her, in the end. But it was only because Prozor wanted to give Garval a decent resting place. We found Bosa injured, but still alive.’

‘And now?’

‘She’ll die. Probably before we’ve worked out how to operate this ship, and certainly before we sail for anywhere interesting. But until then it pleases me to keep her breathing. She has limits, I know, and if there’s information I feel I really need . . .’ But I pushed my darker thoughts aside with a smile. ‘It’s you that I’m concerned about, not her.’

‘You fear me?’

‘A little.’

‘Good. I’m not sure what I make of you, Fura. The glowy’s really shining out of you today.’

‘So they say.’ I used my tin fingers to stroke a knot out of her hair, as gently as I could. ‘I’ll keep it in me, at least for now. I’m not sorry about what I’ve become. Sorry about some of the things that happened, and maybe one or two of the things I had to do. But what I’ve turned into? No. I’m proud of what I am. Proud of being Fura Ness. And I’d sleep more easily if I knew my sister was on my side.’

‘I will be.’

‘I think you will, but time’s going to have to be the judge of that. I’ll know, though. I’ll know when I look in your eyes and there’s nothing left of Bosa in them.’

‘And if she doesn’t leave me?’

‘A little splinter of her won’t hurt, I suppose. In either of us.’ I went to fetch her some water, and she drank it gratefully. ‘The ship’s in a bad way, I don’t mind saying. But we’ll fix her, and maybe Paladin will help us.’

Her eyes brightened. ‘That old thing? Paladin’s with us?’

‘I brought him. The bit that matters, anyway. I know you never cared for Paladin, but there was more to him than either of us knew. He might be the thing that helps us knit this ship back together again.’