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"Vael doesn't trust us," said Amnoni.

"Or hoped we were bluffing," added Pekkary with a grim satisfaction.

As Vael approached along the artery, Chesperl moved in beside Reogus and squeezed his hand. Two guards, the usual quota for a work crew, chittered to each other in Vael's wake. But for the moment, they kept their distance.

Vael stopped before he reached the Phazel group and eyed them with distaste. No swagger today. His jacket was still torn at the shoulder, but the cord had been cut away.

Pekkary stepped forward. "Well? Does the Process send us its greetings?" he mocked.

"You're lucky," said Vael. "The Process was angry when it heard your demands. But I dissuaded it from making a more aggressive response."

"Meaning what?"

"I wouldn't like to find out. It was very angry. As it is, just be grateful there's no change to its original decree. It wants that section of the City searched."

"He didn't even tell it," muttered Reogus. "Too scared of going in there himself."

"Reogus Teleem," reprimanded the Captain.

Vael's smile had grown a frozen curl. "Do you want to argue with the Process, Reogus? Please, go ahead. Let's see where your diplomatic prowess gets you."

Reogus scowled. "You'd like that, wouldn't you? But I'd find a way to beat it. And you'd be the first to suffer!" He pushed away Chesperl's quietening hand in anger.

"We know where we all stand," Vael continued. "It could have been much worse."

"Who for?" interrupted the Captain. He was determined to keep these negotiations on a level basis. "You know our terms, Vael. They haven't changed either."

Vael's head ticked with nervous anger. "There will be no food until you work."

Pekkary glanced at the rest of the group. "It can't afford to let us die," he said.

Vael looked round at the two guards. "You won't," he said, and it was more than a threat.

The two creatures moved forward, chittering as they came. Their shiny rustred beetle heads sat immovable on their spindly biped bodies, human parodies encrusted with growths like scabrous armour. Only their eyes twitched, clusters of twelve red optic nodules set on either side of each head. In their claws they gripped their coiled whips.

The Phazels quailed before the inhuman menace that they exuded. Impassive embodiments of Vael's own cruelty. Or the creature they were all forced to serve.

Looking past them, Amnoni fancied she saw something move on the corner of an alley. A small shadow that darted for cover into a doorway. She found herself praying that Shonnzi would not try anything foolish.

"I'll settle this nonsense," said Vael. He walked slowly towards the arcade entrance, staring into its gloomy depths as he advanced. "There's nothing evil in there. No curse. It was driven out long ago."

Under the first arch he stopped and turned to the guards. "Inside," he instructed.

The guards chittered and moved forward.

Under threat, the Phazel crew shrank together, but the creatures marched steadily past. They advanced on Vael, who stood aside to let them through.

Into the forbidden arcade they went, across Amnoni's trigger line, crunching through the fallen glass and rubble, violating the shadows, kicking up a haze of dust as they moved.

"Stop," called Vael.

The guards halted and waited. Dust settled on their twitching eyes. Above them, the massive stone hand hung from the domed grid of the atrium like a marble cloud.

Silence.

Vael stood at the entrance, smirking at the Phazels. "Nothing," he scoffed. "Nothing there."

"Now you," said Reogus.

"Why not?" Vael spread his hands in a gesture of sneering confidence and walked into the arcade. The regular shadows of the grid flowed over his shape as he receded.

"Still nothing," he shouted as he went. "What were you afraid of? Shadows?"

Pekkary felt the sudden cold chill of presentiment that they still sometimes shared. He turned and saw that the others felt it too.

"Idiot!" yelled Reogus after Vael. "Don't disturb it!" He started to run into the arcade.

"Reogus!"