Law Parada is a wide avenue lined with cafes, restaurants, luxurious shops and law firms. Travester lawyers, in their black capes, sweep past like crows. Senior Black Marks are everywhere. There are women showing off the latest fashions of outrageous hair and ridiculous hat concoctions. It reminds me again of Emee’s aunt, and I keep an eye out for them. I’m aware of Marina’s darting glances at these women. Compared to these gleaming women, my sister must feel like a scruffy little owl, and I can sense her physically shrinking beside me, as if she’d like to sink into the ground. One woman – I can’t help staring – wears peacock feathers in a plume sticking out of an iridescent metal skullcap. Her hair, which flows over her shoulders and down her back, is dyed the deep purple hue of a bruise.

My attention is soon diverted from these strutting ladies. Up ahead, in the middle of a huge stone-paved square, rises the glass and metal structure that is the House of Law. Inside, it is said, an enormous spiral staircase goes right up to the top of the dome. Visitors are able to stand on platforms to watch and listen to the debates taking place down below.

We arrive at the outer gates with the bear insignia, where without a word a guard directs us to the right.

Marina’s lips are white. Whatever it is that has forced her to come here today with her made-up story must be urgent enough to overcome her fear, and the enormous risk she is taking. Now I really don’t want to know what it is.

We enter a walled, covered passageway that runs along one side of the square. The walls are designed to keep the queue of applicants out of sight, like a passage beside a construction site; or perhaps to prevent us from staring at the magnificent building. But there are occasional gaps, through which I can see black automobiles crossing the square, and Travesters on foot hurrying to and from the building. There are even a few Fonecian men in their distinctive red felt vests. I imagine they’re allowed access because of the goods they trade.

On the far side of the square an airship is tethered to a high scaffolding tower with steps zigzagging up inside to a platform at the top. How I’d love to climb that flight of steps and board an airship! They sail as far as the Outer Islands, I’ve heard, maybe even further, to places I can’t even begin to imagine.