Afterwards, when the Fallers had devoured everyone, the regiments would finally come and burn the whole stinking place to the ground. When that happened there wouldn’t even be a grave to bury the mounds of broken bones in.

Good!

‘Uracus, she’s got a mouth on her,’ Julias grunted.

‘You need to know not to speak to your husband like that,’ Sarara said. ‘Wives don’t.’

‘I’m not to be his wife; I’m to be his whore. Thanks to you, Mother.’

‘Shut up!’ Sarara shouted.

They drew up in front of the Hevlin Hotel on Lubal Street. Low, dark clouds were scudding across the sky. Kysandra knew that weather; the rain that was coming would last the better part of a day. She looked up in loathing at the hotel. It was a sprawling white-painted building with a wide three-storey frontage obscuring a labyrinth of ill-matched extensions at the back; it had even merged with another couple of dwellings behind. This was where Ma Ulvon lived, and ran her collection of legitimate businesses alongside a wider network of altogether darker activities.

‘Come on,’ Julias said. His teekay tipped her bag off the back of the cart.

Kysandra thought about refusing, but she could perceive several of Ma’s people in the lobby. Bulky men who didn’t give a crud that she was just a girl; they’d spill out onto the street and drag her inside, no matter how much she yelled and fought. None of Adeone’s fine residents would lift a finger to help her. So she gave Julias an evil grin. ‘Screaming as you die,’ she said victoriously as she climbed down. ‘You’ll see.’

‘You are one screwed-up girl,’ he muttered sullenly, and ’pathed the mod-horse to walk on.

Kysandra watched the cart roll past. Her mother didn’t look round as she was taken away to her promised new life above the cloth store.

‘Welcome,’ a voice said.

Kysandra jumped. The woman had been well fuzzed, so much so she hadn’t noticed her in the lobby nor coming out of the hotel entrance. Ma Ulvon was big, over a head taller than Kysandra, but without the weight her sons were notorious for. She wore a classy cream-coloured linen business suit and shiny black shoes. A strange quilted cloak was wrapped round her broad shoulders, held in place with a gold chain; the kind of garment Kysandra imagined the fancy aristocratic women of the capital would wear. Auburn hair was trimmed in a neat style that gave the appearance of a forty-year-old – though everyone knew Ma was closer to seventy. Jewellery was minimal, just a few rings and a slim diamond necklace. Kysandra glowered resentfully at her, tucking some dirty strands of hair behind her ear, and very conscious of her threadbare dress. Ma Ulvon was so elegant in comparison, the most sophisticated woman in Adeone.

‘I won’t do it,’ she snapped.

Ma Ulvon raised a plucked eyebrow. ‘Do what, my dear?’ Even the voice, so smooth and cold, was intimidating.

‘Marry Akstan. You can have the farm, I don’t care, but I won’t do that.’

‘Really?’ Ma gestured at the lobby. ‘Shall we go in, or do I need to have you carried in?’ She turned and started up the short stone steps to the glossy doors.

Kysandra considered simply running, but again doubted she’d get very far. She walked after the daunting woman.

‘Don’t forget your bag,’ Ma said.

The lobby was dark after the street outside. A rich burgundy and gold wallpaper seemed to shimmer in the yellow light of the oil lamps. Settees and chairs were all upholstered in lush velvet. Its assault on the senses announced that the Hevlin had aspirations way beyond Adeone’s provincial status.

Ma was waiting beside another woman. This one was dressed in extravagant colourful clothes, with a great deal of black lace frill. Her bodice was open halfway to her navel, showing off a lot of cleavage. Kysandra tried not to stare, but it was pretty obvious what her profession was.

‘This is Madeline,’ Ma said. ‘She’s the Hevlin’s madam.’

‘Hiya, kiddo,’ Madeline said with a wink.

Kysandra put on her best belligerent expression, not understanding what was happening.

‘So,’ Ma said. ‘You have a choice now, Kysandra. You either work for Madeline, here – you’ll be popular, a pretty young thing like you. We’ll dose you up at the start so you don’t struggle too much, then after a while you’ll be used to it. Or you marry Akstan and lead a normal life, with money, comfort and children. And believe me when I say I am very protective of my grandchildren. Nobody will mess with you or disrespect you, not even Akstan.’

‘And when are you going to tell me what the choice is?’ Kysandra sneered sarcastically. She managed to look at Ma without flinching.

Ma chuckled. ‘I think Akstan should be the nervous one.’

Kysandra tipped her head back, staring defiantly at Ma. I can afford to be bold, because you’ll be dead within a week. Eaten alive. If I can, I’ll make sure you know I’m the one who’s responsible.

With only a small flicker of uncertainty at this unexpected resistance, Ma turned to Madeline. ‘Take her upstairs and clean her up for Giu’s sake. She looks like something they dragged out of the river mud. Every girl should look splendid for her wedding day, especially my future daughter-in-law.’

Kysandra allowed herself to be led upstairs by Madeline. She was given one of the larger guest rooms at the back, with its own bathroom. The boiler at the farmhouse which was part of the range stove hadn’t worked too well for a couple of years now. She stared in guilty longing at the enamelled rolltop bath as abundant hot water poured out of the tap. Soaps and salts were added by Madeline, producing a marvellous lavender scent in the air. The water was covered by a thick layer of white bubbles.

‘Enjoy,’ Madeline said as she left the room. ‘I’d suggest at least half an hour soaking. Honestly, kiddo, you need to treat your pores a lot better. When you’re out we’ll start on the hair. It may take a while.’

When the door shut, Kysandra turned the Ysdom lock, then spun out a big fuzz, which was quite reasonable for a girl getting undressed in a public building. There didn’t seem to be anyone’s ex-sight pervading the room.

Her skirt came off. Underneath she was wearing a pair of tough denim shorts that came down to her knees. Her frilly blouse followed. The T-shirt worn below was one of Dad’s, saved from her mother’s cull; it was baggy but acceptable. This was hardly usual attire for a teenage girl, but nobody in this town would be bothered. And the docks were only a quarter of a mile away. She had five silver shillings. That was more than enough to buy her passage on some boat. She didn’t care where it was sailing to, just that it left Adeone behind.

The bathroom’s sash window slid up easily enough. She swung a leg out over the sill. It was six metres to the ground, but a drain-pipe was only a metre to one side. She grabbed it and began to shin down into the alley.

With just a couple of metres to go, the window slammed shut above her. She glanced up, but it didn’t matter. Then the fuzz in an arched doorway below faded out. Three of Ma’s people were waiting for her. Their combined teekay yanked her off the drain-pipe. She hit the ground painfully and yelped.

‘Oh, you are so predictable,’ Ma ’pathed mockingly. ‘Bring her back, boys.’

Kysandra screamed as they closed in on her, but there was nothing she could do. They were big and strong and didn’t care how much she squirmed, kicked and shouted. They picked her up and held her so tightly she knew she’d have bruise rings around every limb.

She was carried unceremoniously inside. Madeline was waiting, a small bottle in her hand. ‘Hold her down.’

Kysandra started to fight as hard as she could. It made no difference. She was shoved onto the floor and immobilized with a combination of hands and teekay. Then Madeline pinched her nose shut. Teekay expanded in her mouth like a ball that was inflating, a very prickly ball. It forced her jaw open.