Page 7 of The Dark Mirror (The Bone Season #5)

7

GRAPEVINE

VENICE

22 September 2060

‘Does it make more sense for me to start, or you?’ I said. ‘Our stories are going to overlap at some point.’

‘You go first,’ Nick said. ‘I imagine you have more ground to cover.’

A waitron brought us a bottle of ersatz wine, as close as we could get to mecks. Nick filled two glasses, and I began.

For Ducos, I had stuck to the points that would be of interest to her, but with Nick, I spared no detail. I started with the day Warden and I had arrived in Calais and went from there.

I was halfway through the story by the time our meals arrived. The sun had gone down while I talked, and more Domino personnel had come in for dinner, creating a background hum that made it difficult to catch individual conversations. A pianist had started to play, and his music drifted across the bar, so eavesdropping was harder still. Even inside its own headquarters, Domino was cautious.

Nick ate his cod as I described the escape from Versailles, including the silver-haired stranger who had saved me from the flood. The man I was convinced had been Jaxon.

‘How could it have been him?’ Nick asked me.

‘A few days after our escape, we found the Rag and Bone Man dying in a sewer. He’d been disembowelled,’ I said. ‘He said himself that Jaxon was the one who did it.’

‘Jax could have escaped another way. If he was the man who saved you, he must have had a dissimulator,’ Nick said, ‘and that makes no sense, because Domino asked you to assassinate him. However he got out of Versailles, I worry he has designs on London.’

‘He’ll have designs on London for ever.’

‘True.’ He drank some ersatz. ‘So you left Versailles and then went straight to hunt the Rag and Bone Man?’

I lowered my gaze.

‘No,’ I said. ‘Something else happened first.’

It took all my willpower to recount the next part, when Arcturus had been detained and I had gone rushing to his rescue. His claim that he had won my trust so he could betray me.

‘I’m sorry,’ Nick murmured. ‘It must have been terrible to hear him say those things.’

I hadn’t admitted that Arcturus and I had taken our physical intimacy a step farther, but Nick knew me well. He would be able to read between the lines.

‘You sent a warning to London,’ Nick said. ‘I was there.’

‘How?’

‘My supervisor was someone from my past. He gave me a lot of freedom.’

‘Who was it?’

‘Max.’

I raised my eyebrows. ‘Wait, the Max?’

‘The very same.’

Max Thorsell had met Nick when he moved to Stockholm. Nick had been a boy from the coast, with a rare aura and none of the knowledge he needed to protect himself. Max had taught him to fight and climb, and initiated him into a voyant gang named the Hokar.

They might have been a perfect match, had Max not thrived on danger to the point that he would go out of his way to create it, often provoking Vigiles. When he was training Nick, he had once sabotaged their handholds, just to see how Nick dealt with falling. Nick had broken his ankle. He hadn’t told me a great deal more, except that the relationship had ended when he moved to London.

‘That’s quite a coincidence,’ I said.

‘No, I don’t think so. Max had been resisting Scion since he was thirteen. Domino snapped him up. We didn’t get back together,’ Nick said, anticipating my question. ‘He wanted to, but he was never good for me. I became the medical officer of his sub-network, Docka.’

‘I take it you had an alias.’

‘Isak Tornqvist.’ He sipped his drink again. ‘In late January, we received orders to investigate a new Scion detention facility on Gotland. This site was code named Tuonela III.’

‘That’s the next Reph city. Nashira mentioned it when I was in Oxford.’

‘I suspected as soon as I heard the name. Not that the others believed me. The intelligence pointed to a town called Visby,’ he said, ‘but when we arrived, the population was still in place. I didn’t understand it at the time, but you said Tj?der had allied with Ménard.’

‘She’s refusing to host the Rephs,’ I murmured. ‘I wondered when she would move against them.’

‘I think you’re right. She’s stalling,’ Nick said. ‘Max thought I’d lost my mind, of course. I’d told him the Rephs would be there, but there was nothing. I asked him if I could visit London for a couple of weeks, to clear my head. He agreed.’

‘When was that?’

‘February. A few days after I arrived, so did Nadine and Zeke, with your warning about Warden.’

‘But the Mime Order didn’t act on it?’

‘No. Nadine told us you had a dangerous fever in Paris, and Warden was never anything but gentle with you, even when he clearly thought no one was watching. She felt certain that he must have been coerced.’

I was turning numb. Had everyone seen the truth except me?

‘Maria might already have told you,’ Nick said, ‘but I need to explain. You instructed the Mime Order to move to the shadow houses. The buildings you concealed from the Ranthen.’

‘An abandoned industrial complex in Bromley,’ I said. ‘I never even told Warden about it.’

I had made that decision in my early days as Underqueen, when Jaxon had filled me with doubts about the Ranthen. Even in Paris, as I gradually fell in love with Arcturus, I had chosen not to mention the shadow houses, just in case. Just to quieten my fear of betrayal.

‘The Ranthen refused to believe he was a double agent,’ Nick said. ‘Instead of moving to the shadow houses, we stayed put in the underground shelter. It saved us from the airstrikes.’

‘You were still in London then?’

‘Yes. In the Beneath,’ he said. ‘The bombardment of Paris was much worse. London must have been a warning shot, but they hit Tower Bridge and destroyed the Eye. Even the Vigiles were shaken, in the aftermath. If that was a glimpse of the war ahead, I’m afraid of it.’

Nick rarely admitted to fear. It disturbed me. Even now, I saw him as our fixer, the strong and logical Red Vision.

‘They all spoke for Warden,’ I said quietly. ‘I’m the one who’s meant to be his friend. The one who’s lived with him, who—’ I shook my head. ‘Nick, I think I left him to die.’

‘You had the whole syndicate on your shoulders, Paige. Thousands of lives were at risk. What could you do but take him at his word?’

It took me a few moments to collect myself.

Nick did have a point. As Underqueen, my overriding duty was to protect the syndicate. I knew I had made the logical choice – to preserve my own life and raise the alarm – but if that night had been a test of my faith in Arcturus, I had failed. Even when I’d had a chance to think, I had let my pride and pain keep me from going back for him.

And now his trail was long since cold. I might never see him again.

‘Paige, look at me,’ Nick said, softer. I lifted my head. ‘The Sargas understand exactly which buttons to press. You have to forgive yourself for responding. I know Warden will.’

‘He isn’t here to forgive me or not.’ My voice shook. ‘I’ve no idea where he is, Nick.’

He was spared from having to answer when Maria appeared. Her left arm was in a sling.

‘I say this as a pyromancer,’ she said. ‘It may be too hot.’

‘Maria.’ Nick stood. ‘You should be resting.’

‘I was hungry,’ she said. He drew another chair up for her. ‘Do stop fussing, Nicklas.’

‘It’s my job to fuss.’ He returned to his own seat. ‘You were supposed to call the concierge for a meal.’

‘Well, apologies for not knowing the school rules.’ Maria sat down with a wince. ‘And I desperately need a drink, for the agony.’ She drank from his glass, then pulled a face. ‘What in the name of the ?ther is this?’

‘It’s ersatz wine,’ Nick said.

‘What does that mean?’

‘It means it isn’t alcoholic.’

‘I remind you that we are outside Scion, and no longer bound by the Inquisitorial prohibition. I am overdue a touch of lawful damage to my liver, and I’d like some authentic Italian wine.’

‘I’ll order some,’ I said. ‘Red or white?’

‘Red. Thanks, sweet.’

Nick rubbed the bridge of his nose. ‘Maria, you just woke up from an anaesthetic. I had to pull a knife out of your arm with pliers. I’d rather you avoided drinking after surgery.’

Maria sighed. ‘Do the specific antibiotics I’m taking interact with alcohol?’

‘No, but it can—’

‘Then you can allow me one little tipple, Dr Nyg?rd. There’s no scimorphine out here.’

Leaving them to bicker, I ordered a bottle of wine and perched on a bar stool to wait. Even if Maria couldn’t drink it, I might. I asked for a second glass, just in case.

Nick had no word of Arcturus. I had been a fool to hope.

I know you didn’t betray me. I closed my eyes, concentrating on the golden cord. Help me find you .

‘Flora.’

I glanced over my shoulder. Ducos had appeared to my left, wearing a fitted linen suit.

‘You look preoccupied,’ she said. ‘Is everything all right?’

‘Fine. Just thinking.’

‘Don’t tell me that. I’ll worry.’ She signalled to the bartender. ‘My colleague in Command will see you tomorrow morning at nine. I’ve brought her abreast of the Alps incident, so you won’t have to repeat yourself. I imagine you’ve spent most of this evening telling Dr Nyg?rd.’

‘Yes. Thanks.’ My throat was sore from talking. ‘Have you worked much with Nick?’

‘Here and there. An exceptional addition to Domino,’ Ducos said. (I could only dream of such praise.) ‘Try not to be tired or hungover tomorrow.’

She stepped away before I could say another word, greeting another well-dressed woman in French. I accepted the bottle and glasses from the bartender and left Ducos to it.

‘Nick,’ I said, sitting back at our table, ‘I think it’s time you told us your side of things.’

‘Yes, please.’ Maria fanned herself with a menu. ‘You went silent on me for two months.’

‘I’m sorry,’ Nick said, ‘but I did have a reason.’

‘Let’s hear it.’

Nick had stayed in London until April. Once he was back in Sweden, Max had allowed him to pursue his own goals – one of which was to find his parents and uncle, who had been in hiding since November. By summer, Nick had tracked them down and moved them into nearby Denmark, where a Domino liaison had connected him to the Libu?e Institute. Radomír had put him back in touch with Maria, who had met him at a hotel in Copenhagen.

‘That was when I asked Maria to search for you,’ Nick told me. ‘I’d been having visions.’

‘What sort of visions?’

‘I saw you walking in the mist, with snow on your lashes and stars in your hair. I’ve never had a vision of a dead person,’ he said. ‘I knew we had to keep searching for you.’

‘Is your family still in Denmark?’

‘Domino interceded with the Icelandic government. Mamma was allowed to resume her citizenship, so they’ve moved to Bakkagerei. I’m glad they’re finally out of danger.’

‘That’s great, Nick.’

‘Yes,’ Maria said. ‘You did well to get them out.’

‘It was only thanks to Max letting me use his Domino connections,’ Nick said. ‘I’ll try to visit them before I go back into Scion. I’ve never met my Icelandic grandparents.’

‘Your parents must be terrified for you,’ I said. ‘Didn’t they want you to go with them?’

‘Yes. They’re afraid to lose their other child to Scion, but they understood why I wanted to stay.’ He topped up his glass. ‘I had orders to return to Sweden, to meet the rest of Docka in a forest called Kolm?rden. I got there late, only to find the safe house had been raided. Max was inside, bleeding out from a gunshot wound. He lived just long enough to tell me that Scion had been waiting, and the others had been taken to Rosenkammaren.’

Maria shook her head. ‘Rosenkammaren?’

‘A prison in Stockholm.’ Nick put the bottle down. ‘I’ve never known anyone to come out.’

‘Shit. Any idea who betrayed you?’

‘I have my suspicions. There was a Danish amaurotic called Sven, who doubled up as our courier and locksmith, specialising in infiltration – a lot of dangerous work. He’d been captured on assignment, but escaped. I wasn’t sure his story added up, but Max liked him, so I kept my mouth shut. Now I wonder if he cut a deal with Scion.’

Maria gave me a weighty look, and I knew we were both thinking the same thing.

‘Sven,’ I said. ‘Blond guy with a scar on his lip, big muscles, blue eyes?’ Nick nodded. ‘Maria, you’d better tell him. I don’t think I can talk any more.’

She obliged. The blue aster had kept me awake for longer than usual, but clouds were gathering in my mind.

‘Sven – Harald – is dead, then,’ Nick said, when Maria was done. ‘He must have got away with betraying us and been reassigned.’ He shook his head. ‘If he’s gone, that means I’m out of immediate danger. I was ordered to lie low until the traitor had been identified and eliminated. Command needed a resident medic, so they offered me a position here. I was told not to contact anyone outside of headquarters. That’s why you didn’t hear from me, Maria.’

‘I might forgive you,’ Maria said. ‘In time.’ She adjusted her sling. ‘So here we are, the three of us, reunited in the City of Masks. Nick, have you been called to this secret meeting?’

‘Yes,’ Nick said. ‘Is that why you’re both here?’

I nodded. ‘I also need to find out if Command wants me to fulfil the rest of my contract. And … to see if there are any leads on Arcturus.’

‘You want to go looking for him.’ Maria hesitated. ‘Paige, it’s been six months. Would Nashira not have executed him for what he’s done?’

Nick glanced between us.

‘Nashira doesn’t like to execute Rephs,’ I said. ‘She prefers to … make them see things her way. By any means necessary. And she has all the time in the world.’

‘Well, if he is alive, he’ll be in Scion.’

‘Terebell was leading a search for him,’ Nick said. ‘We need to let her know that Paige survived, and to contact Eliza. I suggest we negotiate with Command to cut our contracts short and get back to London.’

‘I will ask,’ I said, ‘but I need to keep Domino on side. In Paris, Ducos told me they might be willing to help finance the Mime Order. If we’re going to take the rebellion to the next level, we need as much coin as we can get. I’ll fulfil the rest of my contract if it helps us.’

‘Paige, you need to be in London. You’re Underqueen.’

‘And you and Eliza are my mollishers. You have the right to hold the fort.’ I reached for the wine. ‘How did Terebell react to my warning about Arcturus?’

‘I don’t want to tell you.’

‘I can take it.’

Nick sighed. ‘She refused to entertain the possibility that Warden was a traitor. She also said it was no surprise you’d turned your back on him at the first opportunity. That she’d expected no less from someone groomed and trained by a turncoat like Jaxon,’ he said. ‘I argued with her about it. I’m sure they wilfully misunderstand humans.’

I tried not to let it get to me.

‘I understand why she’s angry,’ I said. ‘I seem to be the only one who doubted his loyalty.’

‘It’s complicated, Paige. You two had a rocky start,’ Maria said. ‘I like Warden, but let’s not pretend he’s perfect.’ She switched on her cigarette. ‘Except his jaw. I can’t fault that.’

‘I agree,’ Nick said.

‘So glad you share my appreciation for a fine mandible, Nicklas.’

‘Not his—’ Nick gave her a stern look. ‘I mean that I agree with it being complicated. Paige, I know you forgave him for Oxford, but he used you once before. He admitted it to both of us. Of course you would have considered the idea that he could do it again.’

I thought back to that terrible night. Every word Arcturus had said had seemed designed to puncture our trust, hitting every weak point. He had called me by a number, not my name. He had reminded me of my insignificance, told me that touching me dirtied his hand. My natural instinct had been to slam up my defences and run for my life.

‘I’ll get us a coffee,’ Nick said. ‘It’s great here.’

He went up to the bar.

‘Thank you for today,’ I said to Maria. ‘I’d be with Scion by now if you hadn’t used that lighter.’

‘I meant what I said to Harald. You motley lot are the only family I have left,’ Maria said. ‘Don’t let Terebell get under your skin. You don’t need to justify yourself to her or anyone.’

She picked at our leftovers, letting me brood. Nick returned with a silver tray.

‘Nicklas Nyg?rd,’ Maria said. ‘Is that tiramisù I see with my own two eyes?’

‘I have no idea.’ Nick put it down. ‘I just asked for whatever dessert they recommended.’

‘Scion heathen.’ Maria pushed it towards me. ‘Paige, dig in. You’ll love this.’

I took a tiny spoonful of the dessert. It was soft and creamy, and tasted like sweet coffee.

‘Nick,’ I said, ‘Maria has told me all she knows, but what has the Mime Order been doing?’

‘Eliza decided to prioritise training and recruitment for the next couple of years, to make sure we have the numbers and skills to confront Scion,’ Nick said. ‘By the time I left, she had sent fifteen envoys to other citadels in Britain, and organisations in Cardiff and Birmingham had expressed interest in joining forces. Things were tense after the airstrikes, but now we can get them word that you’re alive. That should steady the boat for a while.’

‘Training and recruitment.’ I raised an eyebrow. ‘That’s all?’

‘This is the thing about you, Paige,’ Maria said. ‘You get things done quickly, but it’s only because you take the risks no one else considers.’

‘That’s a good thing, isn’t it?’

‘Do you feel good?’

‘I’ll let the bags under my eyes answer that.’

‘There you have it.’ She scooped up more of the dessert. ‘This is a long game. Scion is old. The Mime Order is young. It might take us years to unearth the anchor.’

‘Years in which more people die, more countries fall—’

‘If we go too fast, we’ll make mistakes, and we don’t want that. We’re up against a being who’s been around for longer than all of us put together. Nashira doesn’t rush, does she?’

I couldn’t argue.

‘I think we’ve covered everything,’ Nick said. ‘It’s late. Let’s reconvene in the morning.’

‘Nick.’ Maria pursed her lips. ‘This is the free world. We have rooms in central Venice and all night long to hit the town. Do you really want to go to bed at half past nine?’

‘After years of long shifts, living in daily fear of detection, an early night is hitting the town,’ Nick said ruefully. ‘You and Paige stay up, if you like. The bar is open until midnight.’

‘No, now you’ve infected me with sense. I should rest the arm.’

‘I’ll admit the aster is getting to me,’ I said.

‘I’m just so relieved you’re both alive and safe.’ Nick reached across the table to grasp my hand. ‘If Warden is alive, we’ll do everything in our power to find him. I promise, Paige.’

‘Promise.’ Maria placed her good hand on the pile. ‘Let’s get your straight-faced sweetheart back.’

I pressed their hands with a small nod. I might still be adrift out here, but at least I was no longer alone.

In my room, I changed out of my clothes. I hung my new ones in the wardrobe before I dimmed the lamps and lay on the double bed, long past the point of exhaustion.

I thought I would fall asleep at once. Instead, I tossed and turned, unable to find a comfortable position. Even with the air conditioning, I was too warm. All I could think was that I was in a luxurious room, safe and fed and clothed, while Arcturus was nowhere to be found.

After a while, I got up and paced the room, trying to stop picturing him in a torture chamber. I relived every time I had touched him, every small tenderness, every stolen embrace, and the fear that he was gone for good – the fear I couldn’t stop – grew stronger.

Terebell had been searching for him. She would not have given up. No matter how tense the reunion would be, I had to get in touch with her. The vaguest lead was better than nothing.

At two in the morning, I gave up on sleep. I found the gym, where I ran on a treadmill. Once my calves were on fire and I was dripping sweat, I picked up a pair of weights, frustrated by how little I could lift. I had to buckle down and get to work on rebuilding my strength.

By the time I got back to my room, I was physically and mentally spent. This time, I slept at once.

At daybreak, I woke in considerable discomfort, my muscles sore. Trying not to kick myself for going overboard, I swung my legs out of bed and prepared to face Command.

After my antics in Paris, I had to leave a spotless impression. I took a shower, put on my dissimulator and made a concerted effort to tidy my curls. When Ducos knocked, I emerged from my room in a grey trouser suit, bought for the express purpose of seeing Command.

‘Flora.’ Ducos looked me up and down. ‘Did you sleep?’

‘Not much,’ I said.

‘Veronika says she gave you blue aster. I recommend you use it.’

‘I will.’ I locked the door. ‘I don’t suppose Domino knows a way to reverse the amnesia.’

‘No. Its permanence is the point.’

‘Naturally.’ I fell into step beside her. ‘Who’s coming to the secret meeting?’

‘A number of trusted individuals from inside and outside Scion.’ She rounded a corner. ‘I’m confident you can restrain your curiosity for another few days. Until then, concentrate on this meeting.’

She led me across the enclosed walkway. We took a flight of steps to a lower floor, where she knocked on a large wooden door. I followed her into a room with blue walls, screened against the sun.

A solitary figure in a navy shirt waited at the end of a table. She had a brown and angular face, framed by a cream headscarf. I thought she was probably in her seventies.

‘Flora Blake,’ she said. ‘Do you like tea?’

The question was so unexpected, it took me a second to answer.

‘I’m more of a coffee lover,’ I said.

‘With your lifestyle, I can’t blame you. Help yourself.’

There was a sleek black machine in the corner. Its screen confronted me with unfamiliar words like cappuccino and espresso and latte. I picked one at random and hoped for the best.

‘So,’ I said to the stranger, ‘you’re Command, too?’

‘Part of it, like Ducos. You may call me Pivot. I will continue to call you Flora, despite that identity being obsolete,’ the woman said. ‘I confess, I am fascinated to meet the agent who burned down the Chateau de Versailles. Should I be concerned for this building?’

‘You’re grand. I only burn down tyrants’ palaces.’

‘Very well.’ Pivot watched me. ‘I’m relieved to see you. Widow has told me everything she knows about your return, but I’d like to go over some details with you, if I may.’

‘Widow?’

‘My code name,’ Ducos said.

‘Ah.’

I brought the foamy coffee to the table, feeling as if I was at a job interview. Ducos remained standing.

‘I understand an organisation tried to apprehend you in Poland,’ Pivot said. ‘Can you confirm its name?’

‘The Atlantic Intelligence Bureau.’

‘That organisation is, for all intents and purposes, a Panamerican equivalent of Domino, specialising in counterintelligence against Scion. Some refer to it colloquially as Tinman.’

‘Why?’

‘Lack of heart,’ Ducos said. ‘Tinman is known for being unscrupulous. Its agents will go to extreme lengths for information, have been known to spy on their allies, and rarely assist or cooperate with other agencies that oppose Scion.’

‘We have occasionally liaised with them,’ Pivot said, ‘but we report to different political interests, and do not exchange intelligence. Did any of its agents identify by themselves by name?’

‘Steve Mun,’ I said. ‘Any idea why they’d want me?’

‘Our working theory is that Eléonore Cordier and Harald Lauring were both double agents in Domino, working for separate organisations. Lauring was passing information to Grapevine, while Cordier may have been involved with the Atlantic Intelligence Bureau.’

‘So Grapevine and Tinman might have both wanted me for different reasons?’

‘Perhaps. As I say, it’s a theory. Veronika Norlenghi has agreed to fly back to Prague to retrieve our records on Lauring and Cordier, so my colleagues can investigate further.’

‘You don’t have the files here?’

‘No, and we prefer not to keep electronic records of our agents, in case of leaks or intrusions. This means they can only be transferred by hand. We operate this way in Scion, too.’

‘Harald claimed Grapevine had his family,’ I said. ‘Nick thinks he’s the one who betrayed Docka.’

‘Lauring came here for sanctuary after the collapse of Docka. He claimed to have used his skills as a locksmith to escape. The story appeared credible, so I reassigned him – a grave mistake on my part. He is at least the second agent to have been turned by Grapevine.’

‘What do you know about it?’

‘Grapevine is the network Scion uses to gather intelligence on the rest of the world.’ Pivot assessed me with dark eyes. ‘On that note, we are seeking information on a high-ranking individual known as the Suzerain. I understand that title means something to you.’

I wondered where she had heard it. Nick or Burnish, perhaps.

‘This is where I believe you can be of enormous help to us,’ Pivot said. ‘You’ve met the Suzerain, which means that you have unparalleled knowledge of Advena sapiens , as we’ve named her species. Widow believes your auxiliary in Paris was one of them. Is that the case?’

More and more people were learning about the Rephs. The secret Scion had protected for two centuries was gradually seeping out of its grasp. It was exactly what I had wanted when I paid for The Rephaite Revelation to be distributed in London, but it gave me an odd feeling in my stomach – like I was standing on the edge of a cliff, staring into a chasm, with no idea what could be at the bottom. Once we took this plunge, there was no going back.

‘Yes,’ I said.

‘Dr Nyg?rd has explained how you first encountered them.’ Pivot held my gaze. ‘Flora, this is the most inflammatory and urgent intelligence Domino has ever received about the Republic of Scion. I have not yet conveyed it to the nations that fund this organisation.’

‘Why not?’

‘Lack of conclusive evidence,’ she said. ‘More importantly, I must consider the potential repercussions. Were this information to be widely known, it would change our world irrevocably.’

I thought back to the night I had learned the strange truth behind Scion. At first, the Rephs had seemed distant and terrifying. Some of them still felt that way.

But the more time I had spent around the Ranthen, the more I had grown used to them. Living in close quarters with Arcturus had only rubbed off more of their mystery. I had seen him making coffee in the mornings, leaving the bathroom with wet hair, reading books and watching films. I had slept in his arms. To me, he was half a step from human.

All this meant I had almost forgotten how stunning a revelation it was, that humans were not the only sentient beings on Earth. I had never reflected on how deep its implications went.

I was going to have to make a quick decision on how much to reveal. My instinct was to keep the Rephs under wraps, but I was getting the distinct impression that the horse had already bolted.

‘I thought you were paid to share that sort of information,’ I said, stalling for time. ‘Isn’t that the whole point of Domino?’

‘I answer to the twenty-eight nations that fund and protect the Domino Programme,’ Pivot said, ‘but before I tell them about Advena sapiens , I need to be certain of exactly what I will be reporting.’ She clasped her hands on the table. ‘Can you help me, Flora?’

I raised my chin. ‘Were any of those nations involved in the bombings of Paris and London?’

‘I can’t confirm or deny that. What I can tell you is that King Esteban of Spain had signed a secret treaty with three other monarchies, agreeing to a principle of collective defence. Any Scion attack on those countries would be answered with a joint retaliatory assault on London and Paris,’ she said. ‘After many years of watching Scion, the free world is beginning to react to its expansionism. This is why I must ensure that any intelligence we provide is watertight.’

My nod was stiff.

‘Dr Nyg?rd has told us about the two core factions, the Ranthen and the Sargas,’ Pivot said. ‘What do they want?’

I considered my next words carefully. If Pivot could be selective about sharing, I could do the same.

‘The Ranthen have no particular grudge against humans,’ I said (mostly true), ‘but the Sargas family wants to control us – clairvoyants, particularly. They come from a realm called the Netherworld. A civil war broke out there, and the Sargas defeated the Ranthen. Not long after, they all left the Netherworld for Earth. That was two centuries ago.’

Pivot mulled all of this over with more poise than I had anticipated, but I could see the disquiet on her face. In the corner, Ducos was listening intently. She had seen Arcturus in Paris – spoken to him, worked alongside him – without ever comprehending what he was.

‘Why did they leave?’ Pivot asked at last.

‘The Netherworld started to rot. It couldn’t sustain them any longer. They’re not sure why,’ I said, ‘but one side blamed the other, hence the civil war.’

‘Is this Netherworld accessible to humans?’

‘No,’ I said. ‘When they arrived here, the Sargas chose not to reveal themselves, because they didn’t want humans to govern or subjugate them. They created Scion to ensure they could determine their own futures.’

‘The fear is understandable, to a degree. We humans can scarcely get along with one other, let alone a different species.’ She reached for a notepad. ‘Why do they hunt clairvoyants?’

Now I had to tread with care.

‘Not sure,’ I said.

‘What else can you tell us?’

Ducos came to sit beside me with a tiny cup of coffee. I took a sip of mine, gaining another moment to think.

Once, I would have been delighted to spill the Rephs’ secrets to an espionage network. But telling Pivot what I knew would arm twenty-eight nations with the ability to harm the Ranthen as well.

There was also the fact that the Rephs relied on voyants to sustain themselves. If the amaurotics of the free world knew the whole story – that we were a lifeline to creatures that posed a serious threat to humankind – there was no guarantee that they would treat us any better than Scion did. For now, I would stick to a skeletal version of the truth.

‘The Rephs have existed for a long time. They don’t age,’ I said. ‘The same ones that arrived two centuries ago are still running Scion now. They’re also stronger and faster than us.’

‘Do they have any weaknesses?’

‘Bullets slow them down,’ I said. ‘Other than that, I haven’t found a way.’

‘I see.’

I kept my expression clear, hoping she believed me.

‘I understand your auxiliary was detained,’ Pivot said.

‘Yes,’ I said. ‘I don’t suppose you have any leads?’

‘I’m afraid not.’

I had known it was unlikely, but my chest tightened.

‘As well as your intimate knowledge of Advena sapiens , you have insight into Scion operations – for example, you know Inquisitor Ménard and his spouse, Luce Ménard Frère,’ Pivot said. ‘We understand from your French allies that you brokered a truce. No executions or attacks on clairvoyants, in return for your allies leaving him alone for two years.’

‘Ménard hasn’t honoured it,’ Ducos said. ‘He never stopped the guillotines, but there may be a reason. Frère went missing exactly when you did.’

That raised the hairs on the back of my neck.

‘She wasn’t at the masquerade,’ I said. ‘I remember thinking that that was odd.’

‘Ménard has claimed she’s on an extended diplomatic trip to the newly established Scion Citadel of Lisbon, but there is no actual record or evidence of Frère having left France,’ Ducos said. ‘It is unprecedented for the Inquisitorial couple to be apart for this long.’

This did sound unusual.

‘Frère was having an affair with a clairvoyant,’ I said. Ducos gave me an incredulous look, which I pretended not to notice. ‘Ménard could have found out and killed her, but there is another possibility. The Suzerain was suspicious of Ménard, with good reason. He found out about the Rephs’ existence and resented it. He planned to turn the tables, get her under control. If she got wind of that, she could have taken Frère to ensure his obedience.’

There was a brief silence.

‘You’ve given us a great deal to ponder. Perhaps we could continue this conversation after the meeting on Monday,’ Pivot concluded. ‘Is there anything you wish to ask me?’

‘I wanted to discuss my obligations to Domino,’ I said. ‘I was told I had to work for you for up to a year, but then I was demoted, not to mention abducted by one of your own agents. Where do I stand now?’

‘We would like you to continue your contract. As you know, we risked an agent of exceptional value to liberate you. This agent lost her own life as a direct result of saving yours.’

‘Burnish.’ I paused. ‘She is dead, then?’

‘Yes,’ Pivot said. ‘Our last remaining informant in the Archon confirmed that she was secretly executed for treason in May, when she was identified as the individual who freed you.’

‘I’m sorry to hear that.’

‘We all were. Alice Taylan – her real name – was our most successful and courageous operative. She was the first to warn us about Advena sapiens , even if she was never able to provide specifics,’ she said. ‘I need to ensure that her sacrifice was not in vain. Command has therefore agreed, almost unanimously, that we must hold you to the full year of your contract. I intend to reactivate your status as an intelligence agent.’

‘Even though I burned down a palace?’

‘You are clearly not suited to the sort of meticulous and cautious espionage that needs to be carried out within Scion itself,’ she conceded, ‘but times are changing, and so are needs. There is work to be done in the rest of the world. Your ability is unprecedented, and an asset to our organisation. We simply can’t afford to waste a skill as valuable as yours.’

‘My friends agreed to your deal under duress, with my life hanging in the balance,’ I said coolly. ‘I paid off my life debt by possessing Luce Ménard Frère without pay. Do you not think I’ve done enough?’

‘Paige, I would not usually hold you to a contract made under significant pressure, but I have outlined my reasons. And I hope that it will be a mutually beneficial relationship.’

I clenched my jaw.

‘You will be promoted,’ Pivot said. ‘In Scion, you were a deuce, the starting rank for an intelligence agent. As an ace – the advanced rank – you would be granted more control over your assignments, and greater freedom to carry out your own investigative work, without close supervision. We would also increase your salary by a significant margin.’

That did sound like a tempting deal. As much as I liked Ducos, I didn’t like being managed.

And I still needed money.

‘In Paris,’ I said, ‘Ducos said Domino might be able to support my organisation, the Mime Order, and its French allies. If I work for the full agreed year, will you honour that?’

‘In part,’ Pivot said. ‘Widow has vouched for the Parisian network.’

Ducos nodded. ‘The wheels are in motion. I’ve been able to establish a fragile line of communication with the Nouveau Régime, with Léandre Rath as my key contact.’

‘England is a different matter. It’s the well-defended heart of the empire,’ Pivot said, ‘and an island, which restricts our access. Before we can persuade our benefactors to support the Mime Order, I require proof that you still have personal influence over it. You have been away from London for almost ten months. I need reassurance that this is a resistance movement, not a criminal or terrorist enterprise.’

‘It is a criminal enterprise under Inquisitorial law,’ I said. ‘All rebellion is a crime in Scion.’

‘I refer to an enterprise that engages in criminal misconduct for sport or profit, rather than necessity.’

‘I can’t really prove that unless I go back. You have me in a bind,’ I said, frustrated. ‘Its interim leader is someone I trust. Can you put me in touch with her, so she can speak to you?’

‘Audiovisual communication with Scion is difficult and dangerous. As you know, the anchor goes to great lengths to keep its denizens from interacting with the outside world.’

‘Then you could let Maria – Nina – go back to London in my stead, to get you assurances. Her supervisor said she’s free to go, so long as you don’t give her any more assignments.’

‘That is a possibility. I will discuss it with Nina,’ Pivot said. ‘Until then, you can be assured of our support for the Nouveau Régime, provided you remain with us until January, at least. Does that sound fair?’

It didn’t. Domino had coerced me into working for them, and it was maddening to be kept away from London. To not be able to search for Arcturus in Scion, where he might be imprisoned.

But Scarlett Burnish had given up her life for me. I owed her. And this was the price.

‘January,’ I said. ‘Then we’ll talk.’

‘Very well. Any other questions?’ ‘One more,’ I said. ‘You asked me to assassinate the Grand Overseer. I believe he escaped Versailles by using a dissimulator. Are you aware of a link between him and Domino?’ ‘Certainly not.’ Pivot frowned. ‘This is very troubling. Are you certain, Flora?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘I will look into it as a matter of urgency. In the meantime, I hope you have a comfortable stay.’

‘Thank you.’

Ducos left the room with me. As soon as the door shut behind us, I knew I was in for an earful.

‘You withheld information,’ Ducos said at once, like clockwork. ‘An affair between a clairvoyant and Frère, and you didn’t think to mention it to me?’

‘I only had the voyant’s word for it,’ I pointed out. ‘Wouldn’t you have wanted proof?’

Ducos withdrew into a chilly silence. When we reached the landing below, I turned to face her.

‘I need the financial support you offered,’ I said. ‘How can I prove the Mime Order is legitimate?’

‘You’d ideally need a Domino supervisor to serve as an eyewitness to their activities, as I did for the Nouveau Régime. If we could facilitate a meeting with your interim, that would be helpful.’

‘Eliza has met someone from Domino. An ally of Burnish,’ I said, remembering. ‘After I was detained, he got my friends out of Edinburgh. He could vouch for the Mime Order.’

‘Any idea of his name?’

‘Nick might know.’

‘I’ll enquire. If not, I will advocate for Command to allow Nina to leave,’ she said. ‘We can ensure she gets to London, accompanied by an eyewitness. I know it isn’t ideal, but it’s only a few months. You can make use of our resources, in the meantime.’

‘Good. I need a gun and some decent knives,’ I said. ‘If anyone comes for that reward, I have to be able to defend myself.’

‘I’ll get them for you after the meeting.’ Ducos folded her arms. ‘Even if you are rash, it is becoming clear that we need you. It’s possible that no one in the world knows more about Advena sapiens than you do, and Scion is casting its shadow farther than ever. We have to contain this war. You can help.’

After a moment, I nodded.

I belonged in London. My love for it was deep and furious as the Thames – but my reign as Underqueen had been one of the hardest trials of my life. Three months of sleepless apprehension, endangered by Senshield, stalked by Hildred Vance. Three months of waiting to be killed or overthrown. Three months of setbacks, ending in a torture chamber.

If I had to stay out here a little longer, to make the Rose Crown easier to wear, so be it.

‘I’ll do it for the Mime Order. I’m still its Underqueen,’ I said. ‘Am I free to go out?’

‘Collect a new phone from the concierge first. Keep it on so I can stay in touch with you,’ Ducos said. ‘Our devices are very secure you shouldn’t need a burner, like you would in Scion but you should avoid mentioning real names or sensitive information. We can’t be too careful at the moment, even in the free world.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘You’ll find out at the meeting on Monday. Until then,’ she said, ‘try to stay out of trouble.’