Fated

5

I explained along the way, and carried on explaining. Luna kept asking questions and didn’t stop, long after I expected her to go quiet. It was as though now she’d finally gotten me to open up, she wanted to learn everything she possibly could.

Learning about magic’s dark side is a major tipping point for newcomers, and the way they react tells you a lot about who they are. Some freak out completely — once they realise that messing with this stuff can get them killed, they run and never come back. Others just get a bad case of the shakes and adjust bit by bit. I’ve seen the whole range — or at least I thought I had. But Luna had been near-missed by Dark mages twice in as many days, she’d just learned that they weren’t going to stop until they found her, yet she hadn’t turned a hair. Why was she so calm?

I think it was at that point I first realised just how little I really knew about Luna. I’d always focused on her curse — how it worked, whether I could do anything to fix it. I’d never learnt what really made her tick.

‘So there are lots of those spells?’ Luna was asking. ‘Could they find me another way?’

‘Easily,’ I said. We were walking up a grassy hill, avoiding the path to keep clear of people. A pair of students were throwing a frisbee off to our left, and dogs ran across the meadow. ‘But most of the powerful ways to track someone take time. If they’re smart they’ll stake out your flat while they put something together.’

‘Will my curse help?’

‘Chance magic needs some randomness to work with. If they get something that can find you reliably enough, there’s not much it can do.’

Up ahead, a family was laughing and tramping downhill on the path. We fell silent briefly as we waited for them to go by, letting Luna give them a wide berth. ‘I still don’t see why this thing with the cube makes a difference, though,’ Luna said once they were gone. We crossed over and headed for the woods on the other side. ‘Why does it matter whether I can use it?’

‘It’s more than that. I spent three hours last night playing with that thing and didn’t even get a flicker. You touched it and it obeyed you straightaway. Imbued items choose their wielder. I’m pretty sure that for anyone but you, that cube’s nothing but a piece of glass.’ I left unsaid the question of why it had picked her, mainly because I didn’t have any idea myself.

‘You said they wouldn’t know that-’

‘They probably don’t know that. But they obviously know more about that thing than we do. Maybe they know it’ll only bond with one person.’

‘Why does that make a difference, though?’ Luna asked. We’d entered the woods and were away now from the bulk of the crowds. The trees were just starting to come into bloom, and birds sang cheerfully from the branches. ‘I mean, either they’re hunting me because they think I’ve got the cube, or because they think I can use it. Either way …’

‘It means that no matter what happens, this isn’t going to be over quickly. One way or another, they’re going to keep looking for you until something makes them stop.’

Luna paused and we walked a little way in silence. ‘Okay,’ she said at last. ‘So what are we doing here?’

The two of us were standing on Hampstead Heath, the biggest park in inner London — and the most beautiful, at least in my opinion. Regent’s Park is probably more famous, but it’s a bit too cultivated for me. The Heath’s just wild enough to be interesting. On a Saturday afternoon like today, it’s swarming with men, women, children and dogs, doing everything from eating picnics to flying kites. At first glance it’s not the place you’d expect to find anything magical but, as I said, it’s wild while still being in the city. For some people, that’s a useful combination. ‘I need some clothes for a party,’ I said. ‘You need somewhere to hide. This is the only place I know we can get both.’

Even with all the people who use the Heath, it has its secrets, and we’d come to one of them. A dried-up stream had carved a ravine out of the earth, the sides rough and uneven. An oak tree grew on the top of the bank, its roots reaching down the slope. Although we could still hear the sounds of people around us, the banks and the growing trees hid us from them. Of course, the other reason no one was here was because there wasn’t anything to see.

Luna looked around at the earth and trees. ‘Here?’

I smiled. ‘Watch.’

The roots of the oak tree made a tangle in front of us. I studied them for a second, then reached out and placed two fingers on one of them. ‘Arachne?’ I said to the tree. ‘It’s Alex. Can we come in?’

There was a brief pause, then Luna jumped as a voice came out of thin air. ‘Alex, dear! Come right inside. Find a seat in the dressing room while I finish up.’

There was a rumble of moving earth, and both of us stepped quickly back. The hillside seemed to shudder as the roots of the oak tree began to move, twisting aside and up, dripping dirt and bits of dry earth across the ravine, revealing a gaping space beyond. As the rumbling quietened, the roots wove themselves into the shape of an archway. Within was only darkness.

I gestured to Luna. ‘After you.’

Luna hesitated for only a second before walking in. I followed, ducking my head, and with another rumble the roots closed behind us.

Like I said, one of the tipping points for newcomers is learning about the dark side of magic. Another is when they start meeting creatures out of myths and legends. The issue is learning not to judge by appearances.

Human beings tend to react better to good-looking people. It’s called the halo effect — someone’s attractive, so you trust them more. It’s natural, which makes it a hard habit to break, but once you start dealing with magical creatures you’d better learn to break it, and fast, because some of the most vicious things out there can make themselves look like absolute angels. Like unicorns. Don’t get me started on unicorns. For some reason everyone has this idealised image of them as beautiful innocent snowflakes. Beautiful, yes. Innocent, no. After you’ve had one of the little bastards try and kebab you, you wise up quick.

But it goes the other way, too. There are things in the dark corners of the world that look like the nightmare children of Stephen King and H. P. Lovecraft. Just looking at them is enough to make any sane person run screaming, but if you’re brave or stupid or savvy enough to stop and talk to one, you’ll find to your surprise that you can get along okay. They’re not safe, of course; nothing in the magical world is really safe. But you can talk with them and trust them as well as the humans you meet here, and often better.

I tried to explain this in a halting sort of way to Luna as we walked towards Arachne’s cave. ‘She sells clothes?’ Luna asked.

‘The best. Most mages won’t use them, though.’

‘Are they too expensive?’

‘It’s … how she looks.’

‘She’s ugly?’

‘Not exactly. Just brace yourself for when you meet her.’

The tunnel we were walking down felt dark after the sunlit heath. Now my eyes had adjusted, I could see the blue glowing spheres mounted in the corners of the tunnel that marked the path. The floor had been packed dirt at the tunnel mouth, but now it was stone, worn smooth by running water and polished to a sheen by generations of footsteps. The grey tunnel sloped downwards, twisted and opened into an oval chamber blazing with colours.

The room was filled with couches and chairs, and every flat surface was covered with lengths of cloth, from finger-length ribbons to bolts the size of rolled carpets. Dummies and hangers were mounted on the walls, and every single one held clothes of some kind, from suits to tops to full-length dresses, in every colour from red to yellow to green to blue to violet. I’ve been to Arachne’s cave dozens of times and every time I practically have to shield my eyes as I walk in. It’s like watching a flock of birds of paradise holding a fashion parade on a rainbow. Across the far end of the room, practically invisible in the riot of colour, was a translucent curtain. Rustling sounds came from within.

‘Alex, dear!’ The voice came from behind the curtain. Up closer you can just hear the clicking sound under Arachne’s voice, though it’s faint enough that you wouldn’t notice unless you knew what to listen for. ‘Where have you been? Clear off a couch and sit down … Is that a guest?’

‘This is Luna,’ I called back. I heaved an armload of clothes off the nearest couch to give Luna space. Luna was so busy staring that she didn’t notice.

‘What a pretty name. Hello, Luna, can you hear me?’

‘Um, it’s nice to meet you,’ Luna called. She moved to a chair and traced a finger down a pale green ribbon, then tested it between her fingers, looking at it curiously.

‘Are you wondering what they’re made of?’ Arachne called, and Luna dropped the cloth with a start. ‘Everyone does, you know.’

‘Um, yes.’ Luna touched the ribbon again, fascinated. ‘Is it silk? I’ve never seen anything like it.’

Arachne laughed, and again there was that odd clicking noise. ‘Almost. Not the kind you’re thinking, though … Well, then, Alex, if you’re here, I expect you want something, hmm?’

‘Yup. The ball at Canary Wharf.’

‘My, my. That’s tonight.’

‘Invitation was late. Got anything lying around?’

‘Oh, good heavens, Alex,’ Arachne said, and I could hear the exasperation in her voice. ‘Well, at least you’ve got the sense to come here. Let’s have a look.’ There was a shadow of movement behind the curtain, then Arachne emerged, and for the first time Luna got a good look at her.

Arachne is about the size of a minivan, and weighs maybe half a ton. Her body is black, with a cobalt-blue sheen that glimmers slightly when she moves, and she has eight eyes in two rows of four at the front of her head. Each one of her eight legs has seven hairy segments, ending in tips where the hairs are finer and can act almost like fingers. Two mandibles hide her fangs and rustle slightly as she talks, making the clicking sound.

In other words, she’s a gigantic spider. Arachne is quite safe — well, more or less — but she’s every arachnophobe’s worst nightmare, and even people who aren’t scared of spiders are likely to scream the house down the first time they meet a tarantula bigger than their car.

Luna didn’t scream, but the blood drained from her face, and her eyes went as big as dinner plates. ‘Alex?’ she said, her voice very high.

‘It’s all right,’ I said reassuringly. ‘She won’t hurt you.’

‘Alex, she’s a giant spider.’

‘She won’t hurt you.’

‘Alex, she’s a giant spider.’

‘I know,’ I said patiently. ‘She won’t hurt you.’

‘Well?’ Arachne said expectantly. ‘Aren’t you going to introduce us?’

Keeping a careful eye on Luna, I stepped forward. ‘Right. Arachne, this is Luna. She’s still pretty new to all this. Have you got somewhere she could sit down for a while?’

‘Oh, of course.’ Arachne scuttled sideways, and Luna jumped. Arachne beckoned down a side tunnel. ‘You look exhausted, dear. Why don’t you have a rest? Help yourself to something to eat. Don’t worry, it’s human food.’

‘Alex?’ Luna said again, keeping very still.

‘It’s okay,’ I said quietly. ‘Luna, trust me. You’re as safe here as anywhere.’

Luna gave me a look with very big eyes, then took a deep breath and edged across the room. She managed to make it past Arachne without flinching or screaming, and Arachne’s eight eyes followed her as she stepped sideways into the tunnel. She gave me one last nervous look and backed away.

‘Well,’ Arachne said brightly once Luna had gone. ‘She seems nice.’

‘Sorry about that,’ I said. ‘Like I said, she’s-’

Arachne waved a foreleg. ‘Oh, I’m used to it. Now let me have a proper look at you.’

For something so big and heavy, Arachne is a lot faster than she has any right to be. She was looming over me almost before I knew she was moving, one leg on either side of me and eight black eyes looking down from above. This was why I’d wanted Luna out of the room. No matter how well she’d managed to control herself, I thought it would be best if Luna had a little time to calm down before she saw Arachne’s way of having a chat. It’s really not as threatening as it looks; Arachne just wanted to see me properly. She’s very short-sighted, and she’s most comfortable when she can use her sense of touch, which means her favourite way to talk to someone is to have them right between her front legs, under her fangs. I sat down on one of the couches and patted one of Arachne’s hairy legs. ‘Good to see you again.’

‘And it’s nice to meet your friend at last. I’d wondered why you’d been so busy the last few months.’

Despite her looks Arachne smells nice, kind of like incense. Sitting next to her feels almost like being in a herbalist’s. ‘Well, that’s part of the reason we’re here.’

‘That’s a nasty little weaving she has. You’ve been trying to unravel it, haven’t you?’

‘You can see it?’ I said in surprise, then shook my head. ‘Of course you would. Yeah, I’ve had a few tries. Didn’t work, though.’

‘Of course not; it’s grown up with her. The spell’s woven into her pattern.’

‘Any way to take it off?’

‘Not without killing her.’

I sighed. ‘Kind of what I figured. Listen, you have to be careful not to get too close to her. The width of a room is fine, but any closer than that-’

Arachne gave a gentle hissing sound and her mandibles vibrated — her equivalent of laughing. ‘Silly child. A little weaving like that won’t hurt me.’

I looked up in surprise. ‘You can avoid it?’

‘Now, before she gets back, why don’t you tell me why you’re going to the ball? I don’t remember you being one of the Council’s favourites.’

I explained to Arachne then, telling her all about Lyle and his offer, leaving very little out. ‘And Lyle’s not the only one,’ I finished. ‘Some Dark mages want my help too, and they’re tracking Luna. I wanted to ask you a favour and see if she could stay here until I get the chance to talk to some people at the ball. If I’m lucky I’ll be able to clear things up there.’

Arachne sat in silence for a moment. Her opaque eyes looked down at me, showing nothing. ‘You’re in dangerous waters, Alex.’

I shrugged. ‘Mages always want to use diviners for what we know. It’s just my bad luck they’re desperate enough to come to me.’

‘Luck? Really?’

I looked up curiously. One problem with talking with Arachne is that it’s really hard to read her facial expressions. ‘What do you mean?’

‘It’s not luck that’s made every other diviner in these islands vanish.’ Arachne settled herself down slightly. ‘My customers have been running thin the past few weeks. Something is going on, and the careful mages don’t want to be involved.’

I had to grimace at that. ‘And I’m already involved. Great. I don’t suppose you know what it is?’

Arachne rustled a no. ‘I think you should find out. I’ll watch your apprentice.’

I laughed. ‘She’s not my apprentice. But thanks.’

Arachne tilted her head, and a moment later I heard Luna’s footsteps approaching. I got up off the couch and ducked between Arachne’s legs to see Luna enter. Her eyes flickered to Arachne, but the colour had come back to her face. ‘Um. Hi. Uh, it’s nice to meet you, um, Miss Arachne. I’m sorry about before.’

Arachne waved one of her legs. ‘Don’t worry about it, dear. You’re doing very well. Now, Alex, what sort of outfit were you thinking of?’

‘Uh …’ I said. ‘You know what, you decide.’

‘Well, at least you’re showing some sense.’

I rolled my eyes and turned to Luna. ‘I need to look up some contacts. Arachne’s agreed to let you stay here for a little while.’

Luna’s eyes widened just slightly. ‘Stay here?’

‘I won’t be long. These tunnels are warded; no one’s going to be able to find you. Right now it’s probably the safest place you can be.’

Luna looked from me to Arachne, then took a breath and nodded. ‘Okay.’

‘Wonderful,’ Arachne said cheerfully. ‘And while you’re here, why don’t we have you fitted?’

Luna looked at Arachne doubtfully. ‘Fitted?’

‘For a dress, of course. I have something I think would match perfectly with a little work. Why don’t you come over to the fitting room so I can have a proper look at you?’

Luna gave me one last anxious look, then turned to Arachne and smiled bravely. ‘Um, sure. Thank you.’ As I turned to leave, I saw Luna following Arachne through the curtain into the chamber beyond.

I came out of Arachne’s cave into the sunlight, and blinked for a while as the roots closed behind me. Now that Luna was inside, a weight had been taken off my shoulders. It might not look it, but Arachne’s cave is one of the best-protected places in London. Hidden behind the webs and wards, Luna was safe — at least for a little while. I turned and climbed uphill, coming out into the open again, then found a bench to sit on.

Most people’s idea of seeing into the future is someone in funny clothes staring into a crystal ball and reading tea leaves. They’d be pretty disappointed if they saw me. I’m not a fan of crystal balls, and I absolutely hate the tea leaf method. Tarot cards I do use, but only in very specific situations and not often. No, what real diviners do when they want to get some work done is find a quiet, secluded spot, get comfortable, then lie back and close their eyes. To the layman, this looks remarkably like slacking off, but the best diviners can find out pretty much anything you care to name without ever leaving their armchair.

Arachne’s suggestion to find out more had clicked with a stray memory from my conversation yesterday with Lyle. When I’d asked Lyle about the other diviners, he’d told me they were all busy, and mentioned Alaundo and Helikaon. Alaundo I only know by reputation, but Helikaon I knew very well indeed. And something Lyle had said didn’t fit. I’d never known Helikaon to turn down work from the Council. Why was he doing it now?

It wasn’t much, but I had the feeling it might be import ant. I wanted to talk to Helikaon, and I didn’t have time to waste looking him up. I was going to have to do this the quick way.

The technique is called path-walking. You pick out a strand of your own future, and follow it, guiding the choices and seeing what happens. My first destination was Helikaon’s flat in Kensington. I looked into the future, tracing out the path where I went searching for him, taking a taxi to his flat, walking up the stairs, knocking at his front door. No matter how I did it, there was no response. The place was empty. As I watched, the future thinned and faded to nothingness, never to exist.

Next up was Helikaon’s house in the country, where he conducts most of his business. Helikaon’s house is a modest one by mage standards, a single-storey building on the South Downs. I looked into the future and saw myself walking up the dirt path to the house at the top of the hill. The building was silent and still, the windows shuttered. There was a note of some kind on the door, something that would turn me away. The vision flickered as I circled the house, searching, finding nothing.

I could always break in. I looked into the future that had me bypassing the lock on the front door, walking inside. My future self stepped in, and-

Ouch. Okay, that I did not expect. Now I knew something was going on. Helikaon didn’t normally leave booby traps in his front hall, especially not ones as nasty as that. Maybe the back door? Around the ash trees, round to the small door on the other side, onto the porch, inside-

Jesus! That was just vicious. I didn’t know it was even possible for a body to dissolve so fast. What the hell had that been, some kind of acid?

I definitely wasn’t snooping around Helikaon’s property any time soon. As I made that resolution, the future of me going there faded completely. Shaken, I took a moment to steady myself. Watching yourself die is a creepy experience, especially if you’re not prepared for it.

Once I’d calmed down, I forced myself to try again. I was running out of places to look, but there was one more spot that Helikaon and I had used a long time ago. Not many knew about it. But if he’d wanted a place where no one could find him …

And there it was. I couldn’t tell at this distance what we were saying, but I knew Helikaon was there. I opened my eyes and sat up. I needed something from my flat, then I had a journey to make.

The fastest way to travel by magic is by gating. Gate magic creates a portal between two places, usually by bringing about a similarity between points in space. It’s one of the more difficult magical arts, and generally requires you to know both the place you’re leaving and the place you’re going to very well. Unfortunately, I’m one of the minority of mages who can’t use gate magic. Divination can’t affect physical correspondence, only perception.

The next option is to use a mount, like a pegasus or an air elemental or a taia. It’s a lot slower than gating, but has the advantage that it can get you to a lot of places that gate magic can’t. Using a mount allows you to travel to warded locations, gives you the ability to explore places you don’t know, and also lets you show off your rare and expensive status symbol, if you’re into that sort of thing. The main downside is that mythical animals have a tendency to attract a lot of unwanted attention when you fly them through London in broad daylight.

For those who can’t gate and don’t have the luxury of a mount on call, there’s a third way. Crafters make items called gate stones that give someone with magical skill a limited access to gate magic. They only work for one location each, and they’re inferior in every way to a true gate spell, but for someone like me, they’re often the only way to get around.

Despite their name, gate stones don’t have to be stones. This one was though; a jagged shard of granite with runes cut into both sides. Standing in my bedroom, I made some preparations, then focused my will, said a sentence in the old tongue and pushed. For a long moment nothing happened, then with a shimmer a jagged-edged shape appeared in the air. Its edges were flickering, and I stepped through quickly before it could fade away. As soon as I was through it dissolved, leaving no trace behind me.

The first thing I noticed was the cold; the air was a good twenty degrees cooler than in my flat, and a chill breeze was blowing. The air was thinner too, and I shivered. I was on a mountaintop, hundreds of feet above sea level. The view to the left was just as spectacular as I remembered, and I turned to get a proper look. The mountain dropped off in a steepening slope into valleys and hills, descending steadily, clearly visible in the afternoon sunlight. Grassy slopes and granite peaks were spread out before me, and in the far east, just visible over the hilltops, I could make out the glitter of the sea. The sky above was cloudless and blue.

From behind came the clop, clop of hooves on rock. I turned, and smiled. ‘Hey, Thermopylae. How you doing?’

Thermopylae gave a pleased whinny as he trotted towards me. He was pure white but for his hooves and nose — a powerfully built horse with a scraggly tail that swished behind him as he walked. Two huge feathered wings stretched from his shoulders, each big enough for me to hide behind. They were half furled at the moment, swaying slightly as he balanced himself on the uneven stones. He came trotting up, his nose twitching, as I took some sugar out of my pocket and gave it to him, laughing as he butted me with his huge head in his eagerness to get to it.

‘Oi!’ a voice called from the north. ‘Stop spoiling my horse and come if you’re coming.’

I grinned and gave Thermopylae the last few lumps, then patted the pegasus on the neck and started walking. As I came around the rocks I saw an old, ramshackle hut made of planks of wood. A man who looked older than the hut was sitting on a stone in front of it, brewing tea over an open fire.

Helikaon looks about sixty, strong and spry despite his age. His hair was yellow-gold once, but now it’s a bleached white. Even in this weather he wore only a shirt, its sleeves rolled up and its neck open. A short sword, a xiphos, hung at his side, but he wore it so casually you wouldn’t notice unless you were looking. ‘Worst thing about living this high is getting the water to boil,’ he grumbled. ‘Least you’re on time.’

I sat down. ‘At least you haven’t lost your touch.’

‘None of your lip! I’ve forgotten more divination than you’ll ever know.’

‘It’s how much you remember I was wondering about.’

‘Oh, very funny.’ Helikaon glared at me. ‘You know the trouble with you lot nowadays? No respect for your elders. Thinking you know everything …’

I took a look at the water, ignoring his mutters. ‘It’ll boil in ninety-five seconds.’

‘That’s not boiling. Bubbling isn’t boiling. And who do you think you’re trying to impress, giving me a number? Have a little patience for once and wait.’

I grinned. ‘Good to see you again.’

‘Sure, sure. Make yourself useful and get some cups.’

I did, and waited for the tea to be ready. There was something comforting about the old ritual of waiting for Helikaon to make sure it was prepared to his satisfaction, listening to his grumbling when it wasn’t exactly right. It was a beautiful view, looking down through the clear air onto the wilds of Scotland, and the fire held back the worst of the mountain chill.

‘I’m surprised it’s still standing,’ I said at last, looking at the weather-beaten hut.

‘It’ll last.’ Helikaon gave me a glance. ‘Longer than you, maybe.’

‘So I guess you know why I’m here.’

Helikaon snorted. ‘Please. You’re loud when you walk through the future, know that? I haven’t been able to get any peace all day.’

‘Okay.’ I laid the cup of tea carefully down upon the ground. ‘Why did you turn Lyle down?’

‘Why d’you think?’ Helikaon pointed at me. ‘I don’t want to do what you’re doing, and if you’re smart you won’t either. Go back to Arachne and find a hole to hide in.’

‘It’s not as simple as that.’

‘You get in the middle of this, could end up dead. Council can’t pay enough to be worth that.’ Helikaon glared at me from under his bushy white eyebrows. ‘Used to be I had to twist your arm to go near those old men.’

‘There’s someone else.’

‘Ditch ’em.’

‘What’s with turning your house into a deathtrap?’

Helikaon grinned. ‘Caught you out, heh? Shouldn’t have been snooping.’ His grin vanished. ‘These boys play rough. You want to convince them to leave you alone, you have to talk their language.’

I looked away.

Helikaon studied me. ‘Time was you’d be happy as a pig in shit to see a Dark mage get eaten by a trap like that. Change of heart?’

‘It’s not that.’ I turned back to Helikaon. ‘Look, I’ve been out of the loop. I know you’ve still got your contacts. What’s going on?’

Helikaon sipped his tea, then shrugged. ‘Been building a few years. Dark mages pushing for status. I know,’ he held up his hand to forestall me, ‘they’ve got it. But they want more. Seats on the Council.’

I stared at him. ‘The Council?’

‘Old news, boy.’ Helikaon gestured out towards the vista below us. ‘Council are split as usual. Some want to give in, some want to stall. Darks’ll probably get their way in the end. Weight of numbers.’

‘Numbers?’

‘They’ve been recruiting. Pretty aggressive. Some mages, they can turn. The ones they can’t …’

‘I know what happens to the ones they can’t,’ I said flatly.

‘But not united. That’s what it’s about.’ Helikaon pointed south. ‘That relic’s got a Precursor artifact, big one. Dark mage who got hold of it could set himself up as their leader. More power than any faction in the Council. Council wants it too, use as a bargaining chip. All of ’em need a seer to get inside.’ Helikaon pointed at me. ‘All’d rather see you dead than helping the others. ’S’why I’m up here. You should be too.’

The two of us sat silently for a minute. ‘What does this thing do?’ I asked.

‘Don’t know. Wards too heavy. Council knows more. Not getting close enough to ask.’

‘So that’s what Cinder and Khazad are after.’

Helikaon shook his head. ‘Muscle. Someone’s giving ’em orders.’

I remembered the masked woman I’d seen just a few hours ago, and somehow I was sure it was her. ‘So now you know,’ Helikaon said, interrupting my thoughts. ‘What’ll you do?’

‘I don’t know,’ I said after a pause.

Helikaon snorted. ‘Bull. You’re going to that ball no matter what. I’ll tell you what’s going to happen with that relic. Light and Dark are going to fight and kill for it. Use their fancy magic to blow holes in each other till one side wins, then everything’ll go on just the same.’ Helikaon paused. ‘What’s up with you, Alex?’

I sat silently. ‘When you came to me I told you,’ Helikaon said. ‘“Forget about revenge. Keep your distance.” You listened then. Now you’re getting involved. You’re smarter than this.’

‘Maybe I’m tired of not getting involved,’ I said. I looked up. ‘What about friends, family? Don’t you have anything you’d stand and fight for?’

‘You ever listen to a word I say?’ Helikaon looked at me, his eyes hard. ‘Remember what I told you first time we met? Anything you take into your life, you have to be able to walk away from ten seconds flat, never see it again. Anything else, anything else, it’s dragging you down. You’re asking if I’ve got anything I’d stand and fight for? No, Alex, you fucking idiot, I don’t. That’s why I’m eighty-three and still alive. You think you’d have found me if I didn’t want you to? Soon as you leave, I’m moving on. You won’t see me till this is over.’

The silence stretched out. ‘Hard way to live,’ I said at last.

‘You think life’s supposed to be easy?’

I finished my drink and set the cup down with a click. ‘Thanks for the tea.’

Helikaon didn’t say anything and I walked away. The pegasus came trotting over to me as I passed out of sight, and I gave him a final pat. ‘Bye, Thermopylae.’ Then I reached into my pocket for the gate stone that would take me home.

I had a lot to think about on the journey back.

When I’d first met Helikaon, it had been right after the final showdown with Tobruk. Even back then Helikaon was a master, able to do things with divination magic I didn’t even know were possible. I’d learned more about the art from him than anyone else — path-walking, precognition, future sight — but more important had been how he’d taught me to use my powers. At the time I met him, I was burning with fear and anger from the nightmares I’d been through in Richard’s mansion. I had fantasies about taking revenge, going back and killing them all. Helikaon taught me to shut away the fear and the fury, detach myself and find a measure of peace. It saved my life, I know that now. I would have died if I’d gone back. Getting away and staying away, letting everyone forget about me, had been the only way to survive, and that’s what I’d done.

But despite all he’d done for me, Helikaon and I never became master and apprentice, and now I remembered why. There was a coldness to him, a distance, which I was repulsed by and yet envied him for. I knew that the way Helikaon shut out others gave him a clarity of vision I couldn’t match, but I still couldn’t bring myself to share it. I’d fled to my shop in Camden, stayed away from other mages, but I hadn’t stayed detached. I’d made friends: Arachne, Starbreeze, Luna. Did that make me a worse diviner than him, or had I gained something as well?

By the time I made it back to Hampstead Heath, the sun was a red glow in the western sky. I leant against the tree, thinking, looking at the branches above me. Their tips were glowing red in the sunset, the contrast vivid against the blue sky. The earth was still warm from the day’s sunlight, the Heath gradually becoming quieter as more and more people turned their footsteps towards home.

For the first time I seriously considered taking Helikaon’s advice. What if I did as he said and walked away? I’d be safe again, just as I had been since I escaped from Richard’s mansion …

Did you?

The thought startled me. I came to a stop, wondering where that had come from. I was safe, always had been, since then. I’d kept away from other mages, kept to myself. I wasn’t in danger any more. If I left I could stay that way.

But even as I imagined leaving, I realised I wasn’t going to do it. When I’d been in greatest need, Lyle and everyone else from the Council had abandoned me. If I ran now, I’d be doing the same thing to Luna that they’d done to me. I shook off my doubts and reached up to open the tree.

It’s always risky introducing two people who’ve never met. You can never be quite sure how they’ll get on, especially when one’s human and the other looks like the star of a high-budget horror movie. So I was pretty nervous as I returned to Arachne’s chamber. I couldn’t help thinking of all the things that could have gone wrong: Luna panicking and running off alone, Arachne losing her temper with Luna and kicking her out. So far Luna had been bearing up well, but it was a lot to absorb in a very short time. What if being left alone with Arachne had been one shock too many?

Lost in thought, I didn’t recognise the sound I was hearing at first. When I did, I slowed, puzzled, then turned the last corner and walked in.

Luna was laughing, though her voice was distant. I couldn’t see her, but from the sound she was in one of the small side chambers to the far left of the room. Arachne was in the centre, working at a table. ‘There, you see?’ Arachne said. She was working on a dress in white and green, altering something in its design. She worked with all four front legs at once, needles and scissors moving so fast I couldn’t follow what she was doing. ‘Now, I think your instincts were right the first time. Pale colours look much better on you. I’ve taken out the green, so why don’t you give it another try?’

‘Okay!’ Luna said from across the room. ‘I really like the pink one as well though.’

‘It does set off your skin … I’ll keep it out just in case. Oh, hello, Alex.’

‘Hey.’ There was a pile of dresses on the sofa nearest to the changing rooms. ‘Been busy?’

‘Hi, Alex!’ Luna called from behind the curtain. Her voice was muffled, as though she was pulling something over her head. ‘Have you seen these clothes? They’re amazing!’

I grinned at Arachne. ‘Arachnophobia’s no match for shopping, huh?’

‘Don’t be graceless,’ Arachne said, and glided across the room to pass the dress over the top of the curtain. Luna’s bare arms reached over to take it. ‘Here you go, dear. Have a look at both while I see to Alex.’ Arachne drew the curtain back from another side chamber. ‘Now, Alex, before you put these on, I want you to promise you’ll take care of them.’

‘Sure.’

‘I mean it. You hang them up properly, have them washed in that funny way, what’s it called-?’

‘Dry-cleaned.’

‘-and don’t get them slashed or dissolved or chewed up or burned.’

‘It hasn’t happened that many times.’

‘Oh really? What about the first set I made for you?’

‘That was ten years ago! Would you have even noticed if it had been me that didn’t come back instead of the clothes?’

‘It was a full wardrobe. Some of my best work, too. With a little work they’d still fit …’

‘Look, you know what happened there. I couldn’t exactly have gone and asked for them back.’

‘And the outfit I made you for Unicorn’s Run. Have you any idea how hard it is to get blood out of silk? Then there were the ceremonial robes for the investment ceremony. You said to make it fire-resistant, and I did. I even told you exactly what temperature it would tolerate. And then-’

‘I didn’t say fire-resistant, I said fire proof. Besides, that thing with the inferno elemental was not my fault.’

‘What are you two talking about?’ Luna called from behind the curtain.

‘Nothing,’ Arachne and I said at exactly the same moment, then looked at each other.

‘I think it’d be a good idea if she went with you to the ball,’ Arachne said.

I blinked. I’d been trying to decide the same thing but … ‘A mage’s ball isn’t exactly the safest place for a newbie.’

‘She has to learn sometime. Besides, Alex, I think you should have a talk with the girl. You aren’t doing her any favours by sheltering her.’

Before I could ask Arachne what she meant she’d scuttled away into her private chambers. I shrugged, then went into the changing room and took a look at the outfit laid out on the table. I probably should have asked for something specific instead of leaving it all up to Arachne. Oh well.

‘What was that about?’ Luna asked curiously, her voice muffled from the wall and the curtains between us.

I started to undress. ‘Arachne gets upset about the state I leave my clothes in.’

‘It doesn’t happen often, does it?’

‘No.’ I hesitated, mentally counting. ‘Not really.’ I counted again. ‘Okay, maybe. But I only get clothes from her when I’m going to meet a lot of other mages.’

‘You mean like now?’

‘Yeah, like-’

I stopped and turned my attention to my new outfit. Laid out on the table it looked like a dinner jacket, although there was something a little different about it. I picked up the shirt.

‘Alex?’

‘Uh-huh?’

‘Is it okay if I come to the ball with you? I won’t get in your way.’

The shirt was causing me problems. I didn’t answer straightaway, and Luna took my silence as a sign that I needed more persuading. ‘I mean, if those people are going to be looking for me, a crowded ball would be a good place to be, right? It’d be harder for them to try anything with lots of other mages around. And some of the people might have information. I could help you find things out.’

I finished with the trousers and held up the tie, running it through my fingers. ‘Arachne told you to say that, didn’t she?’

Luna went quiet. I shook my head and started putting the tie on. ‘She’s really taken a shine to you.’

‘So, um-’

‘You can come.’

‘Really?’ I could hear the excitement in Luna’s voice. ‘Great!’

I shook my head, but I didn’t smile. What I really wanted to ask was why she was so excited to be going. Luna wasn’t stupid; she had to realise that a gathering of mages would make for a dangerous night out. But it wasn’t the right time to ask.

A faint scuttling sound alerted me that Arachne was back. ‘All ready?’ she called, and brushed the curtain aside to come in. Arachne’s always been a little hazy on human ideas of privacy. She looked me up and down approvingly. ‘Good.’

I turned to take a look at myself in the mirror. Putting it on, the outfit had looked like a dinner jacket. Wearing it, it still looked like a dinner jacket, but it was … different, somehow. The figure looking back at me looked smart, elegant. It was hard to put your finger on it, but if I’d seen a picture of myself I might not have recognised who it was.

‘Well?’

I took a last look, then nodded. ‘I like it.’

‘Well, at least you have some taste.’ Arachne handed me a white ribbon. ‘Tie this on the lapel.’

I looked at the thing curiously. It was more than just an accessory; I could feel magic radiating from it, with the subtle weave of Arachne’s signature, but it seemed passive, rather than active. ‘What does it do?’

‘Oh, I think you should be able to work that out.’ She moved round to where Luna was changing, and I heard her asking Luna which one she liked best.

I walked out into the central chamber, studying the ribbon with a frown, searching through futures. There was something about the weave that I recognised, something that made me think of chance magic, inverted. But it wasn’t a spell I’d ever seen, unless … My eyes widened suddenly. Oh …

‘All ready?’ Arachne’s voice called. ‘Come on, Alex, are you watching?’ I looked up in surprise just as a girl stepped out from behind the curtain.

It was Luna, but for a moment I didn’t recognise her. She was wearing a dress of white and green that left her arms and shoulders bare, spiralling down in layers to cover her feet. The cloth shimmered slightly as she moved, the pale green and the snow-white reflecting the light around her. A gauzy shawl was wrapped around her arms, and she’d tied her hair up with a pair of white ribbons, leaving her neck bare.

‘What do you think?’ Luna asked. She sounded a little nervous, but she was smiling.

I stared at her for a few seconds before answering. ‘Not bad.’

Arachne snorted. ‘Don’t listen to him, dear. You look perfect. A few more touches and you’ll be all ready to go.’

The sun had set by the time we finally said goodbye, and as we walked out of Arachne’s lair I could see the first stars shining in the sky above. The air had cooled, and around us, Hampstead Heath was quiet. ‘Had a good time?’ I said as we walked out into the gully.

‘I had a great time.’ Luna was smiling; you would never have thought that only a few hours ago she’d been scared of being left with Arachne. ‘Is she named after the weaver? The one from the Greek myth?’

‘If I had to guess, I’d say it was the myth that was named after her.’

Luna looked at me for a second before her eyes went wide as she got it. ‘But that was — how long ago?’

‘Two, three thousand years?’ I shrugged. ‘I’ve never asked.’

The Heath was fast emptying of people, and here in the densest part, it was all but deserted. As the light faded from the evening sky we walked to a ridge and into a grove of trees. I took the glass rod and recited the incantation. ‘What are you doing?’ Luna asked curiously.

‘Calling us a ride.’ I grinned. ‘An air elemental called Starbreeze. Be nice to her.’

Starbreeze must have been close; I’d hardly finished speaking before she sprang up in front of me in an invisible rush of wind. ‘Hi, Alex!’

Luna jumped as the voice came out of mid-air, and Starbreeze pointed at her. ‘Ooh! Who’s that?’

‘This is Luna,’ I said. ‘Could you go visible for a second?’

‘Okay!’ Luna jumped again as, to her eyes, Starbreeze seemed to materialise out of thin air right in front of her. Today Starbreeze had decided to look like a woman in her thirties, with long hair and clothes woven of mist. She floated closer and stared at Luna in interest, studying her clothes. ‘Pretty.’

‘Um, pleased to meet you,’ Luna said, recovering. She stepped back and Starbreeze floated closer, then whirled in a circle around her, faster than Luna could turn.

‘Starbreeze, we need to go to the tower at Canary Wharf,’ I said. ‘Can you take us there?’

Starbreeze stopped whirling and brightened. ‘Oh, the ball! I want to go there!’ She vanished in a puff of wind, leaving us alone in the grove. ‘Starbreeze!’ I yelled after her. ‘Starbreeze!’

Starbreeze reappeared in the blink of an eye, visible again. ‘Hi, Alex! Ooh!’ She pointed at Luna. ‘Who’s that?’

I sighed. ‘Could you take us to Canary Wharf? Us.’

‘Okay!’ Starbreeze swept forward over us, and I felt my body start to transform. Then suddenly it stopped, and I was standing on the grass again.

I looked around in surprise; that had never happened before. Starbreeze had zipped away, and was floating at a safe distance, pointing at Luna. She looked upset. ‘Don’t want to take her.’

‘What’s wrong?’ I asked.

‘She’s wrong.’ Starbreeze shivered slightly. ‘Hurts.’

Luna sighed. She’d been keyed up, excited, but now the animation faded from her body. ‘It’s me. I know.’

‘It’s all right.’

Luna shook her head. ‘It’s okay, I should have known.’ She gave me a half-smile. ‘You go ahead. I’ll meet you there.’

‘Oh, I think we can do better than that.’ I held out my arm. ‘Take my hand.’

Luna looked down, then up at me. ‘Um, what are you doing?’

‘Arachne’s very old and very wise,’ I said. ‘Your curse can’t hurt her. And right now it can’t hurt me either.’ I took the ribbon hanging from my lapel, held it up so she could see. ‘As long as this is still white, I’m safe. So,’ I smiled, ‘ready to go?’

Luna looked at me for a long moment, very still. When she spoke, her voice was suddenly cold. ‘Are you making fun of me?’

I stared at her. ‘What?’

‘I can’t touch anyone. You know that. If this is a joke-’

‘Luna!’ I touched my fingers to the ribbon. ‘Arachne made this specially for you. It’s the same spell as your curse, but inverted; it absorbs it. As long as you’re near it, Starbreeze’ll be fine, and so will I.’

Luna’s mask wavered, and I saw she was uncertain. She looked from me to Starbreeze, still floating off to one side. I held out my hand and she took one hesitant step forward, almost within arm’s length. Then she gave a shiver and backed away, shaking her head. ‘No.’

I dropped my hand. ‘Luna, it’ll be fine.’

‘You don’t know that! How can you tell?’

‘I don’t know, maybe because I can see the future?’ I stopped and took a deep breath. Being snarky wasn’t going to help. ‘I know you can’t see how this thing works. But trust me, it does.’

Luna shook her head.

‘Look, I thought you were getting on with Arachne? She obviously likes you; she wouldn’t go to this much trouble for anyone. Take her word for it.’

‘No.’

‘Goddamn it! What are you planning to do, sit here all night?’

Luna shook her head again. Her face had firmed, and her voice was steady. ‘I’ll get there on my own. It was at Canary Wharf, right? I can find my way.’

‘No you can’t. You won’t make it halfway across London before Cinder and Khazad and that woman find you, and your curse can’t protect you from one Dark mage, much less three!’

‘I guess I’ll have to take the chance.’

‘It’s not a chance! You’re as good as dead if you go out there!’

‘And you’re as good as dead if I touch you!’

I stopped, staring. Luna glared at me, then caught her breath as she realised what she’d just said. She closed her eyes, inhaled, and straightened her back. When she opened her eyes, she looked calm again. ‘Thank you for trying, really. But it’s fine.’

‘That’s it, isn’t it?’ I said slowly. ‘You’re afraid.’

Luna went still, then shook herself. ‘It’s okay,’ she said levelly. ‘You go with Starbreeze.’

‘You’re scared of what’ll happen.’ I gave a short laugh. ‘Look, you don’t need to worry. It’ll be fine.’

Luna stared at me. ‘You think it’s funny?’

‘No.’ I caught myself. ‘Look, there’s nothing to be scared of-’

‘You don’t know that.’ There was an edge in Luna’s voice.

‘Yes, I do.’

‘You don’t know everything.’

‘I know enough about this-’

‘Shut up!’

I rocked back, and Luna took a pace forward, glaring at me. ‘You always think you know everything. You don’t! You don’t know what it’s like, you’ve never felt what it’s like. Stop acting like you do!’

I stared. I’d never seen Luna like this. She’d never before even raised her voice. ‘Luna-’

‘Stop it! Stop telling me what to do! I don’t want your-I don’t want-’ Luna’s voice wobbled and she swallowed. I took a step forward, but she jumped back, glaring at me. ‘No! Stay away from me!’

I took a deep breath. Luna stared at me, fighting back tears, and I tried to figure out what I needed to say. ‘Look,’ I said at last. ‘You’ve always trusted me so far. Trust me now.’

‘No! I haven’t- I mean-’ Luna turned away, running a hand through her hair, breathing fast. ‘I can’t, I- You don’t know what you’re asking. I can’t get close, I-’

‘If Arachne says something works, it works. You won’t hurt me.’

Luna drew in a shaky breath. ‘Alex, you don’t know what it’s like. The only way I can live is if I tell myself it has to be this way. If I let myself-’ She realised what she was saying and put a hand to her mouth, fright in her eyes.

I looked at Luna, standing alone and frightened on the hillside, and finally understood. All I could feel now was pity. I held out my hand to her. ‘Luna-’

But as Luna recognised the expression in my eyes, she finally snapped. ‘Stop looking at me like that! Stop feeling sorry for me!’ She took a step back. ‘I’m not going to the ball. I don’t want to be with you. Get away from me!’

I tried to keep my voice calm. ‘It’s okay-’

‘Shut up!’ Luna shouted. ‘I’m sick of you and I’m sick of your stupid magic and I’m sick of you pretending you know everything. I don’t want you to teach me anything any more. Leave me alone!’

You’ve probably figured out by now that I’m not the most tolerant of people. I have a really low bar for how much crap I’ll take from others, and I especially hate getting pushed around by people I’m trying to help. Probably one of the reasons I can never get a girlfriend, but that’s another story. The sensible part of me knew that Luna was just saying these things to try and make me lose my temper. Trouble was, it was working. I sucked in a breath and, out of sight, flexed my left hand, clenching it into a fist, then letting it relax. When I spoke, my voice even sounded calm. Mostly. ‘Let’s get one thing clear,’ I said. ‘I am not leaving you out here with a bunch of Dark mages hunting you.’

‘It’s not your choice!’

‘Yes, it is,’ I snapped. ‘I don’t care how stupid you’re acting, I’m not going to let you kill yourself.’

‘Try and stop me.’ Luna’s eyes were wide, and she was breathing fast. She was standing a few paces away, half turned and poised to run. It would only take one more push to make her flee, and I had the nasty feeling that in the state she was in she might just be able to outrun me. I took a breath, and went still. ‘You know what?’ I said as I let my leg muscles coil. ‘Fine.’

I was on Luna before she had the chance for more than a yelp. She tried to spring back, but I got one hand on her wrist and the other around her shoulders. And as I did, I came into range of her curse. To my mage’s sight, Luna’s curse is a silver-grey mist, following her like a cloud. As soon as I started towards her, it had stretched out towards me, silvery tendrils reaching out eagerly. If I didn’t trust Arachne so well, I don’t think I’d have had the nerve to make the jump.

But the tendrils never reached my body. As they touched my clothes, they twisted downwards, curving away to soak into the ribbon like water into a sponge. Silver mist poured steadily from Luna, flowing off my clothes like water off a duck’s back. The ribbon absorbed it all and, as I watched, its corners began to darken. Around that point, though, I stopped having any attention to spare.

I’m a head taller, fifty pounds heavier, and a good bit more skilled than Luna, so I’d been thinking I wouldn’t have much trouble keeping hold. However, it was at this point I first learned that holding on to a healthy and active twenty-two-year-old girl who’s seriously trying to break free is a lot like trying to give a cat a bath. The whole thing lasted about thirty seconds, and it was claws, knees and elbows the whole way.

By the time things slowed down, I was holding Luna with one arm behind her back and my right arm across her neck, just tight enough to keep her pinned without pressing into her throat. Luna’s other hand was gripping my forearm, trying to drag it away, and Starbreeze was watching from a few yards away, absolutely fascinated. She was obviously having a great time.

‘All right,’ I managed at last. Luna had landed an elbow in my stomach and it was making it hard to catch my breath. ‘Stop trying to tear my arm off and listen.’

Luna kept pulling a second longer, then she sagged suddenly, going limp. Her shoulders shook.

‘Better,’ I said. Luna’s head was turned away from me, so I had to talk into her ear. ‘First, your curse isn’t touching me. You should be able to tell that since I’m holding onto you without being hit by a meteor or something. Now, we’re going to the ball. Once you get there you can do whatever the hell you like. But I’m not cutting you loose until then. Understand?’

There was a long pause. ‘Yes,’ Luna said at last in a muffled voice.

‘All right,’ I said. ‘Starbreeze? Take us to the ball.’

‘Hurt,’ Starbreeze said doubtfully.

‘It’ll be okay. She won’t hurt you.’

‘Well …’ Starbreeze brightened. ‘Okay!’ She swept in around us and once again my body thinned to air. Stray wisps of the curse brushed Starbreeze, but most of it was pulled into the ribbon, and a second later we were floating.

Luna gasped, but it was done before she could react. Our bodies were air, drifting apart. I was still holding Luna’s hand, but it felt like slippery glass. I couldn’t have kept my grip if she’d pulled away, but she was holding onto me now, both hands latched on tight. Starbreeze took off and the ground blurred beneath us as we soared into the sky.

I don’t think I’ll ever forget that flight. There was something primal about it, excitement and anticipation mixed together. There was danger behind and danger ahead, but now we were free. The fight was forgotten, left behind on the distant ground. I’d flown with Starbreeze many times before, but never with someone to share it.

London is amazing by night. Instead of the grid pattern of most cities, its streets twist and turn, and from above every one of them is outlined by streetlights. The parks are patches of shadow, the main roads glowing rivers. The Thames is a dark snake winding through the centre, its banks lit up with the waterfront buildings, boats and bridges leaving dots and slashes of light across its dark waters. Above, the stars shone down out of a cloudless sky, Orion and Cassiopeia looking down on us. Starbreeze flew higher and higher, leaving the bustle and danger of the city far below.

At one point I dragged my gaze away from the lights of the city below to watch Luna. Her shape was misty and transparent, and she was gazing down at the view, drinking it in. All I could see of her was her eyes, and there was something timeless in them, like distant stars. Only the pressure of her hand reassured me that she was still there.

I felt a strange sense of loss when Starbreeze finally began to circle downwards. The skyscrapers of the Docklands appeared below us, growing larger and larger, then we were racing past them, plummeting between the towers of steel and glass. The ground rushed up to meet us, halted, and Starbreeze brought us down to the stone gently as a feather. Canary Wharf towered before us.