Ironel sat up in her bed, which is like a boat for size, with curtains of golden chains.
She looked all right to me.
When she’d sent everyone out, she said to me, ‘I’ve never told you the reason for the Law, have I, which I must, since you’re learning so fast and so very well.’
I gulped. She’s dotty.
But she said, ‘Random blows, and insane adventures. The Law copies life.’
That was all. I didn’t understand, but just nodded, coolly, and gazed into space as if deeply thinking.
Then she made me really jump. She laughed. It was an awful old cackle, you can imagine, and those pearl teeth bouncing about in it.
‘Claidissa, dear,’ she said, when she could, ‘you may have to take over the Law very soon. I’m ill. It’s too much for me. So be ready. Get fit. Go out for a walk, Claidissa. Walk around our spectacular City. Look at the darling River. Have some exercise. Think about what I’ve told you. You will be a Wolf of the Tower. And those powerful Dice, those delicious rare books, those important boxes, by which we live.’
I was shaking. I said, ‘Yes, madam.’
Her word is Law, isn’t it. I’d have to take over. And I’d have to have a walk! (And go down the Tower again in one of those lifters.)
So I’ll do that. I’ll walk. I can do that. I can’t read the books or do the Law thing. I might as well jump in the River.
I don’t think I said, I had to wear the proper clothes now always. People were supposed to know who I was – the next WP. No wonder no one spoke to me, or looked.
These dresses are so heavy. I felt like a beetle or a lizard, all wrapped up in scales and bits of carapace. My hair too, wound up on a golden comb, and pulling. I didn’t know myself in mirrors any more. Which fitted with how I felt, pretty much.
This time, though, down in the City, I studied things with more care. I’m not sure why. Guilt maybe, because I wasn’t going to jump in the River.
The people who passed, carried in ornate chairs, or sometimes walking, with slaves pattering behind, they all looked the same. They looked like me. Overdressed, starched, and so unhappy.
Well I didn’t need to be a genius, did I, to realize why. They lived here because they felt they had to, or surely they’d have gone. And while they did, even if the Law so far had never fallen on them or anyone they cared about, four times every day they knew it still could, and probably would.
I wandered down below the Wolf Tower, and along the banks, quays, they say here, where tall grim ships are tied by chains. Then the River gets wide again, and you can’t see the far bank, which is just how Nemian described it.
Rain plished miserably.
And I noticed someone swimming in that icy grey water.
I knew who it was. Who it had to be. The one whose number I don’t remember.
Tears flooded down my face. I clenched my fists.
This was all crazy. It was a nightmare.
One of the slaves came over and offered me a hanky to mop up. The one with the umbrella I’d sent off crept close again.
I turned on them.
‘I want to be left alone.’ Their faces were flat, and told me nothing. ‘All right. Stand there. I’m just going across into that square. I’m going – to buy something. Don’t follow. I don’t need you yet.’
To my amazement, as I started to walk they didn’t. Even the guard with the rifle.
Was it so simple?
I’d never thought of this. That they’d just do what I said. Could I dodge away and make a run for it?
Where though? Beyond the City, I’d seen, was only that grey bare deserty land. And anyway, would they let me go, that is, the City itself? The House hadn’t bothered to pursue me. I knew now why. Jizania had made sure Nemian and I got away. But here it would be different, although for the same reason.
I crossed the street and went into the square. Perhaps I should still try to make some plan—
There was a group of people over at the end of the square. That surprised me. I hadn’t often seen any big group here before.
They do use money in the City. I’d been given a chest full of those blue-green notes Nemian had had. Although everyone seemed to be royal, some of the people here made things, although they weren’t very good. They sold them to each other. (Clothes and food and urgent stuff the slaves saw to, without of course being paid.)
Was someone here selling something? The crowd seemed very interested, which wasn’t usual either.
There seemed to be someone sitting on the ground. And two others lounging against a pillar. The ground here wasn’t made for sitting on, and the pillars weren’t for lounging against. It also looked as if these three odd people were slaves, too, because they weren’t sparkling.
As I got nearer and nearer, I saw there were children as well, standing staring in their awful tight jewellery-beetle clothes. But suddenly they all squealed, and there was a brilliant flash, yellow, blue, and up into the air shot all these burning stars—
Fireworks! I knew at once from what Nemian had said. The City had fireworks, but I’d never seen any before.
There were slaves standing around the back of the crowd, also watching the man sitting on the ground.
Then there was a little crack, and the children went Ooooh! like real children. And into the air rose a bird of fire. It was emerald and purple, and slowly, beautifully, it spread a fan-tail of gold—
A peacock. A firework peacock.
I’d reached the edge of the crowd. No. The three men, now I could really see them, didn’t belong in this City. They were old and filthy, their long old hair and
