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Nick poured salt around us. The Ranthen stepped out of the circle at once, approaching their enemies with just one useful blade between them. Castor sneered at Lucida.

This entire confrontation felt artificial in a way I didn’t like, down to the stage. The Rephs were the audience, and Cade and I were the players.

‘Nashira wants to make sure humans obey her rule,’ Cade said. ‘And we need that, Paige.’

I stood my ground. ‘Why?’

‘Because humans are broken. Even knowing the æther, we voyants fight and kill and torture each other for nothing. Scion has insulated you from reality, but Nashira showed me the depths. I’ve experienced it myself. I told you my family died in a house fire,’ Cade said. ‘Some bastard did it for—’ He paused, face tight. ‘He did it for fun, because humans are fucking insane. We are as monstrous as the Buzzers, and we’ll never stop. Not without gods to control us. This place fell centuries ago, and humans are still just as brutal.’

‘The Rephs use violence against innocents, too,’ I said. ‘I was only six when I saw that in Ireland.’

‘Nashira uses our methods against us,’ he said, ‘so we’ll see the folly of them. Don’t you get it by now?’

I have done nothing to you that you have not done to yourselves.

While I kept Cade talking, I tracked the others. Verca and Maria had stopped – probably waiting in a safe place – while Lesath was pausing every so often. I imagined him and Arcturus hiding from the Buzzers, waiting for their moment to approach the latent Rephs.

Cade was noticing. His gaze drifted towards the floor.

‘You talked about our names in Paris,’ I said, regaining his attention. ‘Are we related, Cade?’

‘Maybe,’ he said. ‘Join us, and I’ll tell you everything I know.’ He held out a gloved hand. ‘I can protect you from Nashira. I promise. Don’t you want a family again, Paige?’

Once, an offer like that would have tempted me. Of course it would.

But over the last four years, I had learned that family was more than blood or names. It could be chosen.

‘I can’t do that.’ I planted my boots. ‘I know about Operation Ventriloquist. I have to stop you.’

‘Stop me, and there will be more death, like there was in Dublin,’ Cade said. ‘Is that what you want?’

‘There will be death either way. You know what Scion does to voyants. And to anyone who fights.’

Another swarm of Buzzers had reached the Colosseum. I could sense that most of them were making their way underground, but some crawled over the ruined walls. Gomeisa surrounded himself with a shield of apport, while the other Rephs prepared to fight.

‘Once Nashira has the world, I promise you, she’ll stop all that. She was only afraid that we wouldn’t hear reason,’ Cade said. ‘She had to make the amaurotics fear us, to make sure they would never weaponise us against her. She had to cull our numbers so we couldn’t pose a threat.’ I huffed in disbelief. ‘But when it’s done, she’ll raise us to power. She’ll teach us to purge our human instincts, and then we’ll rule over the amaurotics, as we always should have.’

‘Cade, listen to yourself. You’re deluded,’ I said. ‘None of what you’re saying makes sense.’

‘Not to you. You’re in too deep with the Ranthen.’ His mouth thinned. ‘You really won’t listen, will you?’

‘I was never good at that.’

Kornephoros took a step forward, his gaze predatory. Terebell moved in front of me.

‘Let the dreamwalkers do battle,’ Gomeisa commanded his loyalists. ‘Do not interfere.’

I raised my eyebrows. He really had lured me here for a demonstration.

‘Defeat the dreamwalker.’ Terebell only had eyes for her cousin. ‘We will draw his protectors away.’

‘Nick,’ I said, ‘when Cade jumps, his body is vulnerable. If I can’t kill him, don’t let him leave.’

He drew his pistol. The two hulking Rephs closed ranks around Cade, who widened his stance. I could sense the æther changing as his spirit prepared to dislocate.

‘Sure you want to do this, Paige?’

‘Yes,’ I said. ‘Shall we get on with it?’