Page 72

‘What?’

This might get me thrown to my death, but playing nice had never got me anywhere with Terebell. She might respect me a little more if I gave as good as I got.

‘I know you used to be his partner,’ I said. ‘And why you’re not any more.’

Suddenly she was inches away. I stood my ground, but my aura shrank from hers.

‘Did Arcturus tell you?’

She never laid a finger on me, but she was close enough that I would have seen myself in her pupils, had they reflected light. It took a few moments to get my tongue moving.

‘No,’ I said. ‘I can reflect his gift, through the golden cord. I saw what happened by accident.’

Terebell stared into my eyes, seeking a lie.

‘He traded his dignity for your life,’ I said. ‘He sacrificed himself to years of degradation and abuse to protect you, and you rejected him. I’d say we’re about the same.’

Her gloved hand curled into a fist. At that point, I knew I was fortunate to be alive.

‘My feelings towards you have nothing to do with my feelings for him,’ she said. ‘Past or present.’

It had been like chiselling blood from a sculpture, but I had cracked her. ‘It’s just us, Terebell,’ I said. ‘Nothing we say need ever go beyond this cemetery. Only the dead can hear.’

‘Arcturus may not be the flesh-traitor Nashira claims he is,’ Terebell said, ‘but he does sympathise with mortals, despite your faults. And you – he cares for no human more than you. You do not deserve his depth of loyalty. Nothing in you is worthy of a Mesarthim.’

For the first time, her words smarted. I had never entertained the idea that the Ranthen would accept his relationship with me, but if I had, this would have been its death knell.

‘I’m not asking you to like me, Terebell. Plenty of people don’t like me,’ I said. ‘But with you, I can’t lie – it hurts. You’ve led the Ranthen through a period of terrible indignity, and you’re still going strong, fighting back. You inspire me to do the same as Underqueen.’

It was true. I had always respected her resilience. For once, Terebell looked as if she had no idea what to say. I supposed she hadn’t banked on niceties.

‘We both care about Arcturus. I can help you find him,’ I said. ‘He looked after me in Paris. If not for him, I don’t think I would ever have been able to recover. Let me pay the debt.’

A long moment passed before she spoke: ‘Have you sensed anything from the golden cord?’

It was a small victory, but I would take it.

‘It’s intact, but I haven’t felt it move.’ I watched her pace. ‘Have you heard anything?’

‘Yes,’ she said. ‘We searched Britain for months, but we could find no trace. Then a psychopomp came from France with a message from Arcturus, seeking my assistance to escape. From the timing, we believe he seized his chance to send word on the Day of the French Republic.’

That celebration took place at the end of July. He had survived for several months.

‘He had told the psychopomp to return to him, so I could follow it to his position,’ she said. ‘The next day, we arrived in Calais. We tracked Arcturus to various rural strongholds in France, and finally, the fortified city of Carcassonne. There, we were intercepted by Sargas loyalists. Nashira had called many of her allies to her side.’A breeze wafted through her hair. ‘After our failure, Arcturus was moved to Toulon and placed on a ship.’

My heart thumped. ‘When was this?’

‘The last day of August.’

‘And what sort of ship?’

‘ADryden-class patrol vessel. We lost his trail from there.’

For the first time in a while, the corners of my mouth twitched up. That was the exact sort of Scion ship that had been seen approaching Capri a few days later, in early September.

‘I think I know how to pick it back up,’ I said.

Terebell listened as I told her everything I had learned. When I was done, she seemed to withdraw into her own thoughts for a while, her gaze distant.