But the Xentib didn’t know how to speak with signs and neither did the Yaloh, despite the tribes’ close relationship, and they looked at Xessa as if she was different, making her uncomfortable in her own skin as she’d never been before.

‘You nearly killed me,’ Xessa signed so angrily that Lilla took a step sideways and then came back to pat her back. ‘Never, never go near the river again. If you do, I will let them eat you.’

Tayan hesitated, but then he repeated her words aloud and Xessa watched with deep satisfaction as both Xentib nodded frantically. They signed ‘sorry’ to her, but somehow their attempt caused even more anger to burn beneath her skin, and so she squeezed Tayan’s arm in thanks and strode out of the house, straining for calm.

It was nearly time to remove the pipe from the water so the Drowned couldn’t damage it. Any distraction on her part and the encounter from earlier could be repeated – and this time with lethal consequence. It was enough – just – for Xessa to swallow the rest of her anger. Watching Ossa prance ahead of her and concentrating on the grain of her spear shaft against her palm, she stormed out of Xentibec and began the long walk back to the Swift Water.

Xessa’s house was a single room, like most houses in the Sky City, with storage in the rafters and in cool pits dug into a corner beneath the floor and mats. She and Toxte sat cross-legged inside, Xessa’s foot resting on the wooden rocker that moved when trodden on, alerting her to guests.

Ossa and Ekka lounged next to each other, big triangular ears twitching in lazy contentment. The jug of beer was cool and frothy and Xessa was laughing helplessly at one of Toxte’s jokes when Ossa raised his head and looked at the doorway a moment before the rocker jolted under her heel.

Xessa clapped twice and Tayan poked his head through the door curtain. ‘Are we interrupting?’ he signed with a sly smile and Xessa’s gesture needed no translation. Tayan and Lilla came in, and, after a pause, Dakto and then Ilandeh. Xessa’s good humour vanished as fast as the temperature in the room dropped.

‘What is she doing here?’ the eja demanded even as Toxte put his hand on her knee and gave her a crooked, encouraging smile.

Ilandeh knelt opposite her, carefully in the torchlight but not backlit so Xessa and Toxte could see her face and hands. ‘I’m sorry,’ she signed and Xessa huffed out a breath. This again. ‘It was wrong to distract you,’ she continued, ‘and it was wrong to visit the Swift Water. It won’t happen again.’