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‘Tell me why you asked me here, or I’m going. I don’t even know why I came.’

‘Because you enjoy my company, in spite of yourself.’ Jaxon gave me his best look of remorse. ‘I understand why you’re upset with me – I have kept many secrets over the years – but you did take my crown and leave me to burn in Versailles. Would you not say we’re even?’

‘No. And I won’t forget what you did to Arcturus.’

‘Are youstillwhinging about a few scars on a useless Rephaite?’

‘Don’t make me punch you, Jax. Your teeth are one of the few redeeming features you have left.’

‘I see I touched a nerve. Arcturus is here, isn’t he?’

‘No,’ I said. ‘We got separated in Paris.’

‘How terribly sad for you both,’ Jaxon said, sounding as if he was on the verge of physically rubbing his hands together in glee. ‘A stroll will take your mind off it.’ He walked back the way I hadcome, and I fell into reluctant step beside him. ‘Still on alysoplasm, are you?’

‘Still not telling you why.’

Even though I walked at his side, I was ready for him to attack. I carried my revolver and all four knives.

‘This stroll will be short,’ Jaxon said. ‘Will you give me as long as it takes us to reach the Castel Sant’Angelo?’

‘If you tell me how you ended up here,’ I said. ‘That’s the only reason I’m talking to you.’

‘Carter invited me. She has been involved in the Forum since she was granted asylum in Italy, but she goes back to Scion at least once a year, to secure funding and search for suitable allies,’ he said. ‘Rackham represented her writing to Grub Street. She told him about the Forum, and he recommended me as a candidate for the Council of Kassandra.’

‘I still can’t believe the Rag and Bone Man was your damned agent.’

‘Yes, his jocular face hid an admirably cold-blooded character,’ Jaxon said. ‘Alas, he could never compel me to meet my deadlines.’ We passed a group of tourists, led by a woman with a flag. ‘Alfred was my only friend when I returned from Oxford. He made a fine business partner until he tried to have you killed. I couldn’t allow that to stand.’

‘Well, congratulations for doing something yourself. Even if itwasspilling your agent’s intestines.’

‘Only for you, O my lovely.’

In truth, Jaxonhadsaved me a lot of work by stopping Rackham. I might never have caught up to him.

‘We have just crossed an invisible threshold. Having been in Vatican City, we are now back in Italy,’ Jaxon said, running his cane along the ground. ‘This is where I began to send a portion of our earnings, after I became convinced of the merits of the Forum Project. When Carter came to meet us in London, it was to collect money. She often did this through Rackham, but on that occasion, I wanted to introduce her to my remaining Seals.’

‘Dani is a sibyl, isn’t she?’

‘Yes. Carter noticed at once. Sadly, you let her run off to Greece, but fear not. I will find her.’

‘Carter must intrigue you.’

‘A rare example of someone who inheritedbothgifts from her parents. Quite fascinating.’

We began to walk down the Via della Conciliazione. The leaves on the trees burned red and orange, fluttering loose to scatter on the cobblestones.

‘I wanted to talk to you about our mutual friends, the Rephaim,’ Jaxon said. ‘Carter holds their entire species in contempt, after our violent encounter in Trafalgar Square. When I enlightened her as to what they were, she blamed them for the Imbolc Massacre. But as you know, I have worked alongside them. I see the potential for cooperation, as you do.’

‘You worked with the Sargas. The conquerors,’ I said. ‘That’s not the same thing at all.’

‘Carter will see no difference. She would judge us both equally for our association with them. That is why it serves us both to resurrect our friendship.’

‘We were never friends, Jaxon. You manipulated me into becoming your obedient little soldier.’

‘And you loved it.’

The sad thing was that I couldn’t deny it.