It would have been a fine life indeed if he could just stop brooding about all the lawlessness haunting the streets and canals he could see. The squad had finally managed to get some convictions in the court over the last few weeks. But nothing important; some shop thieves in their early teens, a mugger who was drunk most of the time; once the Guild of Clerks sent them out to arrest a landlord defaulting on taxes. They had no impact whatsoever on the gangs who were at the heart of Makkathran's problems.

'You ready? Kanseen longtalked as Edeard buttoned up his tunic.

He pulled his boots on. New, costing over three days' pay — but well worth it. 'Coming.

She was waiting on the walkway outside, an oilskin cloak slung over her arm. 'Going to rain today, she announced.

He eyed the wide clear sky. 'If you say so.

She grinned as they started down the awkward stairs. Every morning he was 50 tempted to sculpt them into something less dangerous — write the miracle off to the Lady.

'This'll be your first winter in the city, won't it? she asked.

'Yes. Edeard couldn't quite imagine Makkathran being cold and icebound, the long summer had been gloriously hot. He'd become a good football player (he considered), with his team finishing third in Jeavons' little park league. Most taverns had seats and tables outside, where many pleasant evenings had been spent. There had even been a few days when he'd started sketching again, not that he showed anyone the results. After saving up some coinage, he and Salrana had finally taken a gondola ride around the city.

'It'll be fun, Kanseen said. 'There's loads of parties leading up to New Year. Then the Mayor throws a huge free ox-roast in Golden Park for lunch on New Year's Day — except everyone is normally so hung-over they're late. And the parks and plazas all look so clean and fresh when they're covered in snow.

'Sounds good.

'You'll need a thick coat. And a hat.

'On our pay?

'I know some shops that sell quality for reasonable prices.

'Thanks.

'And don't forget to get in an early supply of coal for your stove; the buildings are never quite warm enough in midwinter and the price always go through the roof after the first snowfall. The Lady will damn those merchants, it's criminal what they get away with charging.

'You're happy this morning.

'My sister's having her boy's naming ceremony this Saturday. She's asked me to be a nominee for the Lady.

'Nice. What's she going to call him?

'Dium, after the third Mayor.

'Ah, right.

'And you haven't got a clue who that is, have you?

He grinned broadly. 'Nope!

She laughed.

That was the way it was between them these days. Best friends. Any discomfiture left over from that night after the graduation had long faded. Which he was sort of pleased about. He didn't want them to be awkward round each other, but on the other hand he couldn't quite forget about that kiss, nor the way both of them had felt. He'd never quite had the courage to bring up what they'd said. Neither had she.

Which had left him wrestling with his thoughts about Salrana, who was always so sunny and generally lovely. It was now incredibly hard to ignore how feminine she'd become. And he suspected she knew that. Of late her teasing had taken on quite an edge.

The rest of the squad were waiting in the main hall at leavons constable station, sitting around a table finishing off their breakfast. Unlike Edeard, few of them cooked for themselves. Macsen had on a pair of glasses with very dark lenses, not too dissimilar to those Dybal wore. Kanseen took one look at him and burst out laughing. 'Were you boys out in the theatres again last night?

Macsen grunted, and scowled at her over his cup of strong black coffee.

Edeard desperately wanted to ask him what Nanitte, the dancer, was like. It must have been a fantastic night to leave him so wrecked. But friends though they were, Kanseen didn't have much tolerance for that kind of all-boys-together talk.

'Some news for you, Boyd hissed, checking round the rest of the hall's bench tables to make sure no one was paying attention.

'Go on, Edeard said as he drew up a chair. There was something almost comical about Boyd's behaviour.

'My brother Isoix is being leaned on again. They came round the shop yesterday evening as he was shutting up, and said they wanted twenty pounds to "put out the fire". They're coming back this morning to collect.

Edeard didn't like it. Three times in the last few months Boyd had told them about gang members harassing his brother at the family bakery. There'd never been any specific threat, just warnings about falling into line. Softening him up. Well, now the demand had been made. 'That's very stupid of them, he said slowly.

'What do you mean? Dinlay asked.

'They must know Isoix's brother is a constable. Why would they risk it? There are hundreds of shops in Jeavons without that kind of connection.

'They're gang members, Dinlay said. 'Greedy and stupid. This time, too greedy and too stupid.

'The ones that turn up won't be important, Kanseen said. 'Thugs who're affiliated, that's all.

'Are you saying we shouldn't help him? Boyd asked hotly.

'No, Edeard said. 'Of course not. We'll be there to make the arrest, you know that. What Kanseen is saying is that this arrest alone won't stop the problem.

Macsen hooked a finger over his glasses and pulled them down to look out over the top of the rims. 'We've got to start somewhere, he croaked.

'You make it sound like we're the ones who are going to break the gangs, Kanseen said.

'Somebody has to. I don't see the Mayor or the Chief Constable doing it.

'Oh, come on!

He shrugged, and pushed his glasses back up. They all looked at Edeard.

'Let's go, he said. 'And make sure you're all wearing your drosilk waistcoats. I don't want to have to explain casualties to Captain Ronark.

Boyd's family bakery was at the northern end of Macoun Street, not far from the Outer Circle Canal. The street was narrow and twisty with baroque buildings lined up on either side, making direct observation difficult. At ground level, the sharp turns limited the squad's farsight. The three-storey bakery itself had a central square tower with a soft-ridged mansard-style roof. Tall crescent dormer windows protruded above a mid-storey balcony, while beneath that the lower floor was reached by several flowing steps from the street leading to a wide entrance arch between two curving bay windows. Each one was filled with racks of loafs and cakes. Three ugly metal chimney stacks from the coal-fired ovens rose out of holes hacked into the tower eves, blowing thin smoke into the dampening air.

Edeard positioned his squad carefully. The gang would want a fast exit route, so Macsen and Dinlay were in a shop between the bakery and the canal. Kanseen was covering the other end of Macoun Street, wondering round the stalls of a small arcade, her cloak covering her uniform; while Edeard himself settled down in the first floor living room opposite. It belonged to a family who ran a clothing shop on the ground floor, and were close friends with Isoix. Boyd himself had returned home for the day, and was helping out in the bakery, dressing for the part in white apron and green cap. Edeard was uncertain if he should use the ge-eagle. In the end he settled for having it perch in a deep guttering furrow on the bakery's tower, almost invisible from ground level. It scared the ruugulls away, but no one else noticed it.

'At least we won't have to escort them far to the Courts of Injustice, Macsen pointed out as they started their vigil. Edeard could actually see one of the conical towers of Parliament House through the living room's balcony window.