31 Persephone
VENICE
3 November 2060
My flight was booked the next morning. Sala secured me a new identity and a diplomatic passport, the best protection she could offer, and told me to return as soon as I could.
That afternoon, I recorded a message for the Mime Order, which Nick would take to London. There would be no scrimmage. I had reconciled with the White Binder, whose values now aligned with mine. I was needed in the free world, but I would send coin and support.
I hoped that they would understand. My army of criminals, bound to the underworld.
I spent my last night in Italy with Arcturus. Ducos set us up behind a screen in the bar, so he could try Italian wine. After that, we listened to a troupe of violinists playing on the street.
As night fell, we found a secluded set of steps and sat on them for a while, watching boats on the Grand Canal. Arcturus drew me into the warmth of his overcoat, so I was snug against his side, only my face catching the chill. Even though I still tensed when the water sloshed too close, I forced myself to sit there and stomach it, breathing through the nerves.
Arcturus stroked my windswept hair. His face was pensive, eyes burning low. He had avoided taking aura for a few days, to keep them dim enough for him to pass as human. His height attracted looks, but it was nothing we hadn’t been able to shake by slipping into the maze of backstreets. This city embraced those who needed to vanish.
I closed my eyes, nestling against him. He kissed the top of my head.
‘Are you all right?’
I nodded. ‘I’m just going to miss you.’
He clasped my hand, which had been resting on his thigh. Both of us wore gloves tonight, given the sudden cold.
At midnight, we returned to the apartment in San Marco. We hadn’t slept together since Orvieto, and I didn’t want to broach the subject, unsure if he would feel like it. But as soon as I had locked the door behind us, I sensed his need through the cord and kissed him.
The sling made me a little clumsy, but we took it slow, both of us craving intimacy. Later, we lay in a sliver of lamplight, the same gold as his eyes.
‘After my torture, I needed you with me,’ I said softly. ‘Now you’ve lost the most important person in your life, on top of what happened in Carcassonne. The last thing I want to do is leave you.’ I brushed his cheekbone. ‘If you want me to stay with you, I will go back to Scion with you. We can forget about Domino and Tinman.’
Arcturus turned his face into my palm.
‘I always want you with me,’ he said. ‘But remember what I told you in the chandlery.’
I thought back. ‘Our lifelines will meet when the ?ther sees fit?’
‘Yes.’ He interlinked our fingers. ‘Domino needs time to scrutinise the Stiletto Files. Jaxon needs time to establish your joint rule in London. And you need time, Paige. Time to heal, and to prepare for the crescendo of this conflict. It may drag on for many years.’
‘Eliza said the same. I need to stop taking shortcuts, whether that’s in war or with my own body,’ I said. ‘You helped me unlock my gift in Oxford, but I stumbled into all this as a criminal. Domino will give me specialist combat training between assignments for Tinman.’
‘You must find a way to practise dreamwalking.’
‘I’ve thought of one.’
‘Oh?’
‘It might not work.’ I gave him a tiny smile. ‘I’ll tell you when I get back.’
‘I look forward to it.’
I traced his features. Every time I confronted the thought of leaving him, my chest ached.
‘We have the cord,’ he said, reading me. ‘I am always with you.’ He clasped me to his chest, and I nested my head under his chin. ‘The ?ther bound our spirits. I trust that it will always find a way to reunite us.’
The next day, we returned to the Palazzo del Domino to find the others waiting, except for Eliza, who had already gone to collect Jaxon. They needed to start the journey towards the Fluke.
‘We thought we’d see you off,’ Nick told me. ‘We’re all leaving tomorrow.’
‘Yes. I will be going to Istanbul,’ Ver?a said. ‘I’ll let you know once the Stiletto Files have been analysed.’
‘Ver?a,’ I said, ‘thank you for everything. I have no idea how we would have done all this without you.’
‘I am the one who should be thanking you, for stopping the fall of Italy.’ She kissed my cheeks. ‘If there’s ever anything I can do to help, don’t hesitate to call.’
‘I will. And consider yourself a member of the Mime Order.’
‘It’s my honour. Truly.’
She walked into the bar to give the rest of us some time.
‘This feels familiar.’ Maria hitched up a smile. ‘We still haven’t decided if we’re criminals or spies, have we?’
‘I think we’ve proven we can be both,’ Nick said. ‘I can’t believe we’re about to send you off on your own, Paige. It was hard enough when you went to Paris.’
‘I’ll be fine,’ I said.
‘I know you will. Send our love to Nadine.’
‘I almost envy you,’ Maria said. ‘Part of me wants to stay out here, but Jaxon needs a few handlers, and I couldn’t be more delighted to volunteer. We can be your voice while you’re away.’
‘Thanks.’ I embraced her. ‘Don’t have too much fun without me, will you?’
‘I can’t promise that.’ She held me close, mindful of my injured arm and back. ‘We’ll make sure Warden doesn’t sink. Leave it to us, sweet.’
‘Don’t make me cry. I’ve done more crying out here than I ever did in Scion.’
She ruffled my hair and went after Ver?a. Nick hugged me.
‘Be safe,’ he said. ‘We’ll be waiting.’
He walked away as well, leaving me with Arcturus, who escorted me towards the water taxi.
‘Vindemiatrix will be ready for you,’ he said. ‘Do not let your guard down, even far beyond Scion.’ When we reached the jetty, he turned to face me, placing a tender hand on my waist. ‘Have no fear, Paige. I will do all I can to advocate for your beliefs in your absence.’
‘I appreciate that,’ I said, ‘but if you decide Jax isn’t worth it, just throw the bastard off a mountain on your way to France. Then the Council of Kassandra won’t be able to complain.’
‘I will consider it.’
I smiled, but it soon faded.
‘Sala is going to have to explain what happened,’ I said. ‘If she plans to tell the truth, it will mean exposing all of this. All of you.’ I breathed out. ‘I’m afraid of what happens next.’
‘Sooner or later, our two worlds must come together. They can never do that if one lies under the shadow of secrecy.’ Arcturus touched my cheek. ‘It has been two centuries. It is time.’
I nodded.
‘You have a phone. If you leave Scion, call me,’ I said. ‘I’ll come back as soon as I can.’ Arcturus wrapped me into a tight embrace, and I clutched him. ‘Please don’t get yourself hurt or captured again while I’m away.’ My voice was muffled by his coat. ‘You hear me?’
‘I hear. Would you extend me the same courtesy?’
‘I’ll try.’
We had fought so hard to be together. It didn’t seem fair that I had to leave him now, right as he most needed me. But we had always known that we were taking the hard road.
‘Fly, little dreamer.’ He pressed a kiss to the crown of my head. ‘I will see you in Scion.’
It had been almost thirteen years since I had last been in an airport. The sights and sounds turned my palms clammy. Ducos walked me to the right desk, and I handed over my new passport.
‘Your flight is on time,’ Ducos said as we proceeded to the security line. ‘Best of luck, Paige.’
‘Oh, it’s Paige, now, is it?’ I said. ‘Do I get to use your real name?’
‘I’ll tell you when the war is over.’
‘That might not be in either of our lifetimes.’
‘Then you’ll never know.’ She slid her hands into her pockets. ‘Steve Mun has accepted personal responsibility for your welfare. His job is on the line. I’ll give you a few days to settle in, then come to check on you.’
‘Okay. See you soon.’
She watched me go through.
Domino had put me in business class, whatever that meant. Soon enough, I was on the plane with my seatbelt fastened.
‘Good afternoon,’ a flight attendant said. ‘Would you like some champagne?’
I raised an eyebrow. ‘Some what?’
‘Champagne.’ He hesitated. ‘We also have water?’
‘I’m fine, thanks.’
He moved on, and I was left to wonder what champagne was, other than a region in France. Clearly this was going to be a long few weeks.
When the plane took off, I gripped the arms of the seat, remembering the fear of the first time. The white screen in front of me, showing the anchor. My father beside me, trying not to meet my eye, knowing his decision might have doomed us both. But that feeling of flight was a pleasure as well – a pull in my stomach, like a kite against its line. I only wished Arcturus could have come with me.
If we were going to defeat Nashira, we all needed to play to our strengths. I would do this for all of us.
And then I would go back to Scion, knowing I was ready to bring an empire crashing down.
I would have liked to sleep, but all I could do was watch the flight map on the screen in front of me, expecting the cord to snap from the strain. Arcturus and I had never been this far apart since we first met, but no matter how far I flew, it held strong. Eight hours later, when the plane landed, I took my holdall from the overhead compartment.
If the Canadian authorities were bewildered by me – a woman with an Irish accent, an Italian diplomatic passport, and the face of a Scion fugitive – they were good enough not to say anything. Steve Mun waited in Arrivals. I shouldered my holdall and walked up to him.
‘Paige. Welcome to Canada,’ Mun said. ‘We’re grateful you decided to come. On behalf of Denise Benally, our new Director of Operations, thank you.’
‘It’s fine,’ I said. ‘Is Nadine here?’
‘Right this way.’
He took me around a corner, to a busier part of the airport. When Nadine spotted me beside Mun, she grinned. She wore stonewashed jeans and a top that slouched off her shoulders.
To my surprise, Zeke stood beside her, looking much the same as he had in Scion, except for his beard and earring. They rushed towards me and enfolded me in their arms.
‘Wow,’ I said, laughing. ‘Look at you both. I hardly recognised you!’
‘I’d say the same for you, but you still dress exactly like you did in Scion,’ Nadine said. ‘Zeke wasn’t sure if you would come, but I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist a challenge.’
‘Yes. Thank you, Paige,’ Zeke said. ‘We know this must be keeping you from London.’
‘It’s all right. I came to an … arrangement with Jaxon.’
Nadine frowned. ‘Really?’
‘I’ll explain later.’
‘Okay.’ She glanced around. ‘I was expecting Warden to be with you.’ I dredged up a tired smile and shook my head. ‘I guess he would have had a hard time scrunching into a plane seat.’
‘We should get Paige to the car,’ Mun said. ‘She’s on Incrida.’
‘All right. Let’s get this show on the road.’
Nadine and Zeke draped their arms over my shoulders. I walked between them, out of the airport, towards the next stage of my reign.
Mun drove us through a snowy night, on the wrong side of the road. It took me a while to stop bracing for a head-on collision. Seeing that I was tired, Nadine and Zeke let me sit in silence, for the most part.
‘Paige,’ Nadine said. I looked at her. ‘You should know that your friend is alive. Julian.’
It took a moment to sink in. ‘Julian Amesbury?’
‘Yeah. He’s in New York with a couple of other Bone Season survivors.’
‘How did they get here?’‘A Reph helped them, apparently. Rigel, I think?’ Nadine said. ‘Julian was left behind, but he made it in the end. He’d really love to see you.’ Some good news, for once. I had started to lose hope.
When Mun stopped the car, it was right by the glowing windows of a house. Nadine led me inside and up a flight of stairs, to a tidy bedroom.
‘This is yours. Let’s catch up tomorrow,’ she said. ‘There’s a heated pool outside. I left a bathing suit and a towel in the hallway. You can swim whenever you like.’
‘Thank you,’ I said.
‘You’re welcome. Just watch out for bears.’
She closed the door before I could work out if she was joking.
Even after sleeping on the plane, I was exhausted. I unpacked my holdall, and was about to go to bed when I looked out of the window. The swimming pool was right below.
You must find a way to practise dreamwalking. No time like the present. Downstairs, I opened a sliding door and walked to the edge of the pool. The sky was so clear, I could see tiny stars reflected in the water.
Arcturus had shown me how to embrace my gift, but while the Atlantic Ocean stood between us, I had to learn to train alone, without a living target. And I thought I had a way. As I had sunk into the waters around Capri, I had felt weightless, as I did in the ?ther.
And I was finally beginning to realise why Scion had tortured me with water.
Why they used water for all the dissenters.
An anchor stood against the sea. The wild sea, full of things that people found impossible to understand.
This was how I would train.
How I would go back to Scion with my whole self in my keeping.
I stepped into the pool, sinking in up to my waist. I looked down at my own reflection, circled by the stars. The dark mirror that was the key to my recovery.
Soon, Beatrice Sala would make her broadcast to the world, and everything would change.
Until then, I could only swim.