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‘Only if that’s what you want. Just because you have a gift, it doesn’t mean you need to use it, Verca.’

‘What if it could help defeat Scion?’

‘You’ll have to square that with your own conscience, like I did. Scion forced my hand when they arrested me. I had no choice but to resist.’

‘Yes. I will have to think.’ Verca propped her cheekbone against her knuckles. ‘My own gift aside, what this Council of Kassandra wants to achieve is quite something, isn’t it?’

‘It’s certainly not what I expected to find here.’

‘Now I see why Sala has put so much into the Forum Project. She wants voyants to be acknowledged, respected.’

‘Do you think the Council might be willing to stand up to Scion?’

‘They certainly have the funding and influence, though much of their money has clearly been spent on the Forum Project itself, which is frustrating. I’m sure you and your allies could have put it to much better use,’ Verca said. ‘Some of those who financed it are voyants whose precognitive abilities have allowed them to amass significant fortunes.’

I nodded. ‘Jaxon told me.’

‘Maria despises Jaxon. I was surprised to see him,’ she said, her brow creasing. ‘Did he not work for Scion?’

‘Jaxon Hall has been involved in just about every dirty scheme you can imagine. I recommend you stay well away from him, for your own sake. He needs … specialist handling.’

‘All right.’ She paused. ‘Do you think Carter is lying about not being able to contact Sala?’

‘I’ve a hunch, but even if the Council of Kassandra knows where she is, they have no particular reason to trust me. If I have to stick around and persuade them that I want to help, so be it. It’s not as if we have any other leads,’ I said. ‘In the meantime, could I ask a favour?’

22

GODS ON EARTH

The next morning dawned crisp, though the sun was just as bright. The last thing I wanted to do was start my day by seeing Jaxon Hall. He was clearly about to smooth-talk me, but I was wise to his ways now. And even though I despised him, he knew a lot about clairvoyance.

I wondered whether he knew about Deathwatch. If so, his knowledge could be useful – useful enough for me to make nice with the bastard, for now. I knew how to grit my teeth and bear him.

I’m going to see Jaxon, I wrote to Arcturus.If I’m not back by noon, assume he’s done something heinous to me.

You ought not to be alone with him, Paige.

I’ll keep to public spaces. Even Jaxon wouldn’t murder someone in full view of the general public. I tucked my hair behind my ear.Are you able for a walk tonight?

I have no pressing engagements, to my knowledge.

It gave me hope to see that tiny flash of humour. I had been failing him for days, but if Verca came through with her favour, I might be able to do something.

It’s a date, I wrote back, and tucked my phone away.

The Maderno Fountain turned out to be twenty minutes away, in a place called the Piazza di San Pietro. I took a bridge over the Tiber and walked north with grim resolve, slowing only when the plaza came into view. Shaped like a keyhole, it was lined by a colonnade topped with sculptures, and a column knifed up from the middle. A monumental building overlooked it all, a cross atop its pale dome.

Jaxon waited by the fountain, eyeing the mass of tourists with a sort of amused contempt. He was in his shirtsleeves, holding a cane I hadn’t seen before.

‘Good morning, my wayward mollisher.’

‘Once again, Jaxon,’ I said, ‘I’m going to need you to get fucked.’

‘Yes, you ought to be irritated by my choice of location. Vatican City, seat of the Catholic Church,’ he said with disdain. ‘Look at it. That wretched Pope is sitting on my hill.’

‘Jax, it’s not even ten in the morning, and you’re already talking shite. What about the Pope?’

‘Vatican, possibly derived from the Latinvaticinari– that is, to sing out prophecies. The men who rule this circus are not voyant. I checked,’ Jaxon said darkly, tapping his cane. ‘They perch on this hill in their absurd little hats, spewing archaic nonsense about—’