The streets were a nightmare of dark smoke. None of them were as alert as they should have been; if the Sekoi hadn’t hissed a warning, the flock of draxi swooping over the turrets of one villa would have had them.

Confused, struggling to think, Raffi found himself going back over everything that had happened, trying to see Carys as a spy – on the downs, on the ship – but it hurt him like a pain and he blanked it out, concentrating only on the streets, their crumbling names.

Behind him, Carys was silent. She was angry with herself, defiant, reckless, hot. She didn’t care what they thought. But she’d show them. Only she could get Galen out, and she’d do it, because she wanted to, because no one would bring him in except her.

In the alley opposite the Watchtower they crouched, alert. At the end of the dark lane there was light; some hanging lanterns and a great fire that blazed on the cracked paving. Men were gathered round it; shadows, talking. Behind them, the great walls of the tower rose up into darkness, without windows.

‘Now what?’ Raffi said.

Carys eased the bow. ‘I go in. By myself. I’ll tell them some story – that Galen is vital to my mission, that I have to follow him to get… well, something important. I won’t mention the Crow.’

Raffi laughed bitterly but she went on, ‘The trouble is, even if they believe me they may not let me bring him out alone. That’s where you come in.’

‘Us?’

‘If Galen and I get out, we’ll come down this lane. Hide somewhere, down under that broken arch. Let us go by, but if anyone follows, deal with them.’

‘Deal with them? We’re not the Watch.’

She grinned at him spitefully. ‘You know the Order’s secrets, not me.’

He didn’t smile. But as she walked away up the alley he blurted out, ‘Be careful,’ as if the words hurt him.

‘And be discreet,’ the Sekoi murmured.

She turned and looked at its sharp yellow eyes and laughed. ‘Oh, I will.’

Galen eased his leg a little more and felt the heavy chain clink. He was dizzy and bruised; blood had dried on his face and his shoulder was a mass of pain. He looked round, carefully.