Macsen put his arm round Edeard's shoulder, squeezing strongly. 'Now why is it, do you suppose, people you don't like always wind up getting dunked in Birmingham Pool?

'Nostalgia.

Edeard had been looking forward to the Lady's Festival of Guidance for what seemed like most of the winter. His friends, and the girls he'd encountered, were always speaking of it in enthusiastic tones. Firstly, it signalled the onset of summer which, as far as he was concerned, couldn't arrive fast enough. But the main reason was to celebrate those who had passed away in the previous year. Everybody who had lost someone made a small memorial boat out of flowers — of any and every colour except white. Mainly it was the children of a family who made them, producing elaborate and colourful boats up to a yard long. They represented the soul of the departed one.

At midday, the Pythia conducted a service of memorial in tin-Lady's church in Eyrie. When that ended all the flower boats would be placed in the city's canals. The gondoliers, bedecked in white flowers, guided them down to the port singing hymns of commemoration. Gondolas represented the Skylords, who the Lady promised would come to Querencia once again to guide the souls of humans into the welcome embrace of Odin's Sea. At the port, the gondolas would stop, and the flower boats would carry on, drifting out across the waves.

It sounded delightful; especially the evening which was one giant party. Now the day was here, and Edeard dozed fitfully as the dawn came to a clear sky, promising good weather for the festival. Chief Constable Walsfol's longtalk intruded sharply into his thoughts. 'Ugh, sir? he responded groggily as the dregs of yet another bizarre dream drained away. He hadn't known the man had such a powerful longtalk. It made sense, though. After Ranalee, a lot of things about the city hierarchy were clearer to him.

'I need you to report to the Culverit family mansion in Haxpen, Walsfol told him. 'Come at once.

'Yes sir, Edeard said sleepily. 'Er, why?

'I will meet you there and explain the situation. You'd better bring the rest of your squad, too.

Edeard rubbed his eyes. He hadn't got to bed until well after midnight. Late last evening, the Lillylight Street association had spotted a gondola with three known gang members making their way along Victoria Canal. Edeard and a couple of Silvarum constables had intercepted them at a mooring platform on Flight Canal. No resistance had been offered when the men were told to leave, but he'd still kept watch on the gondola as it made its way back down the Great Major Canal.

That was the way of his days now. Constantly alert for attempts to infiltrate racketeers into Jeavons and Silvarum. Called to shops and other businesses when unknown gang members did get through. Two days wasted in court on charges of aggravated psychic assault filed by Master Cherix, who, thankfully, in law was no match for Master Solarin.

He groaned and pushed his feet out from under the nice warm sheets. Jessile shifted round on the springy mattress. 'What? she mumbled.

'Have to go, he said softly, and kissed her forehead.

She moaned again, and curled up tighter. 'I won't be here tonight, have to be with family for the party. See you tomorrow.

'Right. Hut she was already asleep again. He ordered a ge-chimp to bring a fresh set of clothes. While he was struggling into them in the dim light he started to call the others. It was rather satisfying spreading the misery.

Edeard pulled his boots on beside the door, and gave his own flower boat a wistful glance. It wasn't much, a simple frame of card a foot long, over which he'd stuck a dozen red and yellow roses. His friends assured him it was just right, exactly what everyone else constructed. For him it was a belated memorial to Akeem, and all the others of Ashwell village.

He met up with Boyd and Kanseen on the tenement walkway outside. They weren't in the best of moods at being hauled from their beds so early. Edeard couldn't bring himself to look at Kanseen. She hadn't been alone.

'Are we waiting for Dinlay? Boyd asked as they made their way down the stairs.

'He'll join us there.

A smile spread across Boyd's face. 'You mean he was with someone?

'Not our concern, Edeard said, a fraction too sharply. Now he really couldn't look at Kanseen.

'Any idea what this is about? she asked.

'None. But if we're being summoned to the Culverit family by Walsfol himself on this day, you can bet it isn't going to be trivial.

'Julan is the Haxpen District Master, Boyd said. 'He's one of the waverers, isn't he?

'I think so, Edeard said, rubbing his hand over his brow. In truth, he'd lost track of which Master was for them. Their allegiances were very fluid. Lately he'd given up trying to follow the Grand Council machinations, and just prayed Finitan would prevail tomorrow.

Boyd opened the big wrought iron gate at the entrance to tin-tenement. Macsen was waiting outside. He raised an arm in greeting.

'Dinlay's still not over Chiaran, you know, Boyd said cheerfully.

'We all got a nasty shock over Ivarl's methods, Edeard told him as they went out into the street. 'Let's just forget about that and move on, shall we?

Boyd was clearly going to make some other snide comment, he'd even started to open his mouth when a voice cut across the empty street: 'Waterwalker, a woman cried.

She had been sitting up in the doorway of a tailor's shop opposite the tenement. Edeard's farsight had sensed her as they were on the last flight of stairs, but she hadn't been carrying any weapons. She did have three children with her, which was mildly unusual at this time of day, but not anything to concern himself over. He'd assumed she was simply bright and early for the festival. Now she came striding across the street, pulling the sleepy miserable children with her. The eldest was no more than five, while the youngest, a girl, was barely old enough to walk.

'Where do I go, Waterwalker? she demanded belligerently. 'Tell me that, eh? Where?

'What? Edeard asked, very confused. Macsen was hurrying over to them.

'How will my children eat? Ask him, Dannil, go on, ask the great Waterwalker where your next meal is coming from. The middle child, a boy in a ragged green pullover and worn grey trousers was thrust forward. He looked up at Edeard and his lip began to quake. He burst into tears. 'I want me da! he wailed.

'What? Edeard asked again.

'Eddis, my husband, the woman barked. 'You exiled him. Threw him out of his own house. We live in Fonscale Street. Now you bastards come along and tell him he's banned from Silvarum, where we've lived for seven years. He can't come home. Can't come to the house my family has lived in for three centuries. What kind of a law is that, eh? So you tell me, where do I go? How do I feed the children without their father. Eh? Answer me, you backward country shite.

Edeard just stared at her, his mind a shocked blank. Boyd groaned, and rolled his eyes up, appealing to the Lady. 'Oh crapit, he groaned.

Kanseen was having none of it. 'How did he feed them before? she asked. 'What job did your husband have?

'Go to Honious, bitch. You've done this to us. You've ruined our lives.

'What job?

'He's a good man. He put food on the table for us. He loved his kiddies.

'Yours maybe, Kanseen said. 'But he hurt other children, didn't he? Threatened them, hit them, made their parents hand over money they'd worked hard for.

'He never did. She covered the eldest boy's ears. 'Lies. That's what you speak: lies! You'll all go to Honious. Eddis worked in the abattoir on Crompton Alley. Dirty work, hard work that no genistar can do.

'You knew what he did, Kanseen snarled. 'If you miss him, then go to him, follow him to his new home. But remember this, we will wipe the city clean of his kind. After this year, there'll bi-no more of him.