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VENICE

6October 2060

Venice was a city steeped not just in water, but in shadow. There were many well-lit streets – tourist veins, lined with shops and restaurants – but behind that façade, there lay a dark maze of decaying backstreets, a step away from the souvenirs. A maze where shades and ghosts outnumbered the living, and there were doors that no longer existed, leaving only frames.

On paths like those, I felt as if I snapped out of existence between streetlamps. The streets were empty and silent, often deserted. In the maze, Venice went from a living city to a skeleton on the edge of the sea, the breath of life washed from its ribs. Nick and I would enter those intercostal spaces, only to emerge in a busy square, where sound and light returned. I had worked in the darkest layers of London, but Venice at night still unnerved me.

The rain had turned into a downpour, cold enough that I was grateful for my jacket as Nick led me back towards San Marco. All the while, I imagined what I would say to Arcturus.

Two hundred and thirteen days. Neither of us had experienced the whole separation – he had been in that coffin for some of it, while I had been wandering around with a broken memory – but somehow I still felt it.

Calle de la Verona was deserted. There was a lockbox to the right of the door. Nick used a code to open it and retrieve the key, then led me up to the apartment on the highest floor.

I took my time removing my jacket. Arcturus had seen me at my most vulnerable, in every way it was possible to be vulnerable. Now I was afraid to face him. I might yet see blame staring back.

Terebell sat alone in the parlour. The shutters were closed, leaving one lamp to light the room.

‘Arcturus is asleep,’ she said. ‘I would prefer not to wake him.’

‘We can wait.’ I smoothed my jersey. ‘Where are the others?’

‘Lesath and Errai have gone to feed. Lucida wished to take the measure of the city. I will send them back to London tomorrow, to tell the others what happened.’

‘We should be careful,’ Nick said. ‘The Mime Order isn’t impenetrable. We can’t risk Scion knowing we have Warden, or his intelligence will be worthless.’

‘I agree,’ I said. ‘Eliza and the Ranthen should hear it. Maybe the high commanders. No one else.’

‘For now,’ Terebell said.

She watched as I sat down and checked my phone. Ducos had sent a message, informing me of when I was expected for debriefing. I switched it off.

Verca and Maria soon arrived, carrying bags of food.

‘It seems that autumn has arrived in Venezia,’ Verca said, pulling off her gumboots. ‘This looks as if it could be a bad storm.’ She switched on the lights in the kitchen. ‘Paige, Nick, you really must try some homemade Italian food. I thought we could make dinner together.’

‘Come on, sweet.’ Maria steered me into the kitchen. ‘Mama always said it was best to have difficult conversations on a full stomach.’

Verca tasked me with chopping and shredding. I recognised this for the distraction it was, but handled it without complaint, trying not to notice the golden cord, or where it led.

‘Federico must have been terrified,’ Nick said to Verca. ‘Have you spoken to him?’

‘Federico is honoured to have been able to help us steal from Scion, even if he is shaken. He’s gone underground in case theErcolewas seen.’ She was melting butter in a saucepan. ‘I’ve told him to keep quiet about what he saw, for his own sake. I trust him. But we need to crack Operation Ventriloquist as soon as possible, to protect the voyants of Napoli.’

‘I haven’t seen anything on the news about us, but I don’t speak much Italian.’

‘There is nothing.’

‘You’d think it was the handiwork of expert criminals.’ Maria glanced at me as she uncorked a bottle of wine. ‘Venice will be good for Warden. Plenty of wine and sea air to refresh him.’

I nodded, but didn’t reply.

We ate at the kitchen table. I cleaned as much of my plate as I could, but my appetite had evaporated, along with my courage. Before I could think better of the idea, I drained a glass of wine.

By the time we all finished, Lesath and Errai had returned to the apartment and hung up their coats. Once we had cleared the table, we joined them in the parlour.

‘Paige,’ Terebell said, ‘I do not know how you saved Arcturus, but you have my gratitude.’

‘Yes,’ Lesath said. ‘On behalf of the Mesarthim, I extend our thanks to you for resurrecting our rightful Warden, Underqueen. Our family is small, but each of us is in your debt.’