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Help me.

The psychopomp recoiled at once, but I had piqued its curiosity. I willed my body still and quiet. When I was sure it wouldn’t bolt, I spoke again, hoping my pronunciation was passable.

‘Cerco colui che si oppone al nemico.’

I seek the one who stands against the enemy.

Now my new friend was interested. It circled me again, as if it were paying close attention.

Arcturus had told me how best to speak to a psychopomp, in case I ever wanted to give it a try. It was wise to avoid names or places, or anything else that might be hard for a spirit to convey in Glossolalia. I hoped a Ranthen ally would understandthe enemyas Nashira Sargas.

‘Chiedo che venga qui,’ I said, slow and clear.

I ask her to come to this place.

‘Chiedo che venga qui il più in fretta possibile,’ I continued.I ask her to come as soon as she can.‘Dille che è una mortale che la manda a chiamare.’Tell her it is a mortal who calls her. ‘Riferiscile questo messaggio da parte mia. Ti ringrazio.’Thank you for bearing this summons for me.‘Please … tell Terebell I’m here.’

The psychopomp hesitated for a long moment. It had no eyes, no form, but somehow I knew it was looking at me.

And then it simply disappeared.

9

VENTRILOQUIST

After the psychopomp left, I tucked myself behind a rusted metal gate to sleep, but curious spirits kept disturbing me, intrigued by a living woman in the cemetery. In the end, I chose a spot on the grass and lay there to stargaze, searching for the constellation that was known in the free world as Boötes. I found its brightest star, Arcturus. His namesake on Earth.

Can you hear me?

No reply.

I’m going to find you. Just give me somewhere to start.

The cord remained inert, like a dead limb. I fastened my jacket and leaned against the nearest tomb. If he was alive, I was going to kill him for worrying me.

Noemi returned at dawn. I climbed into her water taxi, stiff and tired. Once we reached the Palazzo del Domino, I closed the shutters in my room, stuck an aster patch on my arm and messaged Nick to tell him I had made it back. After that, I was out like a snuffed candle.

The white aster lay as thick as ever on my dreamscape, making my spirit too uneasy to rest for long. At some point, I stirred awake, shivering and burning up. In my feverish confusion, I thought Iwas in Paris, lying beside Arcturus. I imagined him back into my arms, so I could almost feel the comforting warmth of his body on mine, encircling me. I touched myself where he had touched me, fingers tracing my hot skin.

Then I saw the line of yellow light across the ceiling, needling through a crack in the shutters. I sat up and groped for the lamp, not sure if my face was damp from sweat or tears.

I want to spend my life with you. I want a future with you.

Why had I never told him that before he was detained?

After that, it was a waiting game. I decided to ease back into the gym and get some rest. It was sleep that fed and fortified the dreamscape, keeping its defences strong. If mine thinned any farther, my ability to deflect spools in combat would suffer, and I couldn’t afford that. If I did get a lead on Arcturus, I might well have to fight to free him.

On Saturday, I went to see the cosmetician, who had a hair salon in the Palazzo della Notte. I was starting to miss my natural blonde, but that was in all my official Scion photographs. Instead, I asked the cosmetician to lift the brown, so it was more of a honey gold.

On Sunday morning, I reported to the dentist, who pronounced that my teeth were in mint condition. She gave them a polish and sent me to the optometrist. My eyes were fine. After that, I had a few examinations and injections I had missed in Scion. Once I had done a smear and had my blood taken for testing, I visited Ducos and requested that a pocket was stitched into one of my new boots, so I could keep a knife there, the way I had in Scion.

For the rest of the weekend, I lay in bed, gazing at the wall. The longer I was alone, the more I thought of Arcturus.

Where are you?

The cord offered no answers. I burrowed into the pillows, trying to blot out the fear that it would never move again.

On Monday, a knock roused me at nine. If not for that, I might have spent the rest of the morning in bed, lapsing into hopelessness. When I opened the door, Nick held out an iced coffee.