Fated

7

I barely noticed the blades of the mantis golems as I walked out. My heart was still pounding and, as I came back onto the balcony ring, the chatter of the crowd below was like soothing music. I kept moving, dimly aware of people to either side of me, only caring about gaining as much distance as I could from Levistus and his personal killer.

Someone was calling my name. I didn’t pay attention. A hand came down on my shoulder and I turned to see Lyle’s face frowning at me. ‘Are you deaf? I need you to-’

Most mages don’t study hand-to-hand fighting; they rely on their magic for everything. I’m not most mages. I’ve been studying martial arts for a long time and, while I’m nowhere near a master, I’m a lot faster than I look. After you study long enough, the basic moves become reflex. I was on edge, and Lyle grabbing my shoulder was all it took to make me snap.

Lyle’s back slammed against the wall hard enough to knock the wind out of him. I leant into him, one arm against his throat, and this time I didn’t go to any effort to avoid causing pain. ‘You asshole,’ I hissed into his face from a few inches away. ‘Were you in on this? If I hadn’t walked out of that room, what would you have done?’

‘What are you talking about?’ Lyle choked. His eyes were shocked, frightened.

‘How much do you know?’

‘You’re crazy! Get off me!’

‘How much did you know, Lyle?! What did Levistus tell you?’

‘I don’t know!’ There was panic on Lyle’s face; he was sweating. ‘He just needed a diviner! That’s all he said!’

‘Do you think I’m that fucking stupid? Levistus’ pet was about to kill me! What were you going to say, that I’d just gone for a walk?’

‘What? There wasn’t anyone there!’

I glared into Lyle’s eyes for a long moment and saw only terror. He was more scared than he should be, and it was with only mild surprise that I realised that deep down, Lyle was a coward. He could act strong when he was in control, but put him in real danger and he crumbled. It’s funny how you can know someone for half your life, and then some trivial thing opens your eyes. I’d always known safety was Lyle’s religion, yet for some reason I’d never made the connection.

I let go, and Lyle fell back, shrinking into the corner of the alcove. ‘You’re a fool,’ I said quietly. ‘You’re telling me you didn’t know what sort of man you were working for? I don’t buy it, Lyle. You knew; you just didn’t want to think about it. Just like always.’ I shook my head. ‘You haven’t changed at all.’

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’ But Lyle’s eyes were scared. I knew he was lying, and so did he.

I walked away. There were a handful of others up on this section of the balcony, and they’d all stopped to watch. They eyed me as I passed. News of this would spread quickly, but right now, I didn’t care.

The second-floor balcony ran the entire circuit of the hall, and its side was open to the floor below. Arched pillars supported the level above my head and a steel handrail gave protection against falling. After a moment my thoughts steadied enough for me to realise that I was walking back around towards the dance floor, where I’d last seen Luna. I kept going, hoping to spot her from above, and before long I was within earshot of the band again. The music was captivating, and I felt my pulse starting to slow. I settled into the shadow of one of the pillars and leant on the railing, looking down over the crowd.

As I looked from side to side my mind flitted back over my encounter with Levistus. I finally understood what Helikaon had been trying to tell me. I’d never liked the Council, but I realised now that I’d been blind to the threat it could be. I’d walked into that room without understanding just how dangerous the competition for this artifact was, and I’d nearly paid for it with my life. Well, now I did understand. Everyone after this artifact was willing to kill to get it, and if things kept going as they were, I was going to end up in the middle. That was not a safe place to be.

I felt a presence to one side and turned. A man was standing on the balcony a few steps away. ‘Mr Verus?’ His voice was cultured, polite. ‘Might I have a word?’

‘Depends on the word.’ I studied the man. His clothes looked high quality but nondescript. He had no visible escort or companion, which could mean something, or nothing at all.

The man smiled slightly. ‘I believe you’ve just had a meeting with Councillor Levistus. I’d like to offer my assistance, should you be willing to accept it.’

‘Yeah?’ A scan of the future told me the man was no immediate threat. I turned back to the railing and went back to searching the crowd for Luna. ‘I think I’ve had all the assistance I can handle for a little while, thanks.’

‘I can understand how you’d feel that way. However, I think you’d benefit from taking the time to listen to what I have to say.’

The last thing I needed was yet another mage trying to take advantage of me. But for the moment at least, this guy was harmless, and I didn’t have time to shoo him off. ‘Okay, shoot.’

There. Luna was a little to the side of the dance floor, in the centre of a small crowd. Everyone was smiling, and from a quick glance at the body language the mood looked pleasant. Luna was talking to a woman in a shimmering pink dress who was watching her with her head tilted in interest. She seemed to be holding her own, and I felt myself relax slightly.

I realised the man next to me was speaking. ‘… be interested?’

‘Sorry. Could you say that again?’

‘As I said,’ he repeated patiently. ‘Levistus is not the only mage on the Council, and his ambitions are far from being a secret. If you’re worried about the terms of your employment with him, I might be able to offer some assistance.’

I sighed. ‘Let me take a wild guess. As part of the terms of this assistance, you or whoever you’re representing would get the items inside the relic, right?’

‘We would prefer to see any Precursor artifacts in our hands rather than his, yes.’

‘I’m sure you would.’ I turned to face him. ‘Look, Mr …?’

‘Talisid.’

‘Mr Talisid. I’m rapidly losing count of the number of factions out to grab this artifact. What exactly makes you different from the others?’

‘For one thing,’ Talisid said calmly, ‘we aren’t threatening to kill you if you don’t cooperate. Or even if you do. I’m sure it’s already occurred to you that being a loose end in one of Levistus’ plans might not be the safest of positions?’

For the first time I turned my full attention to the man. He was a hair under medium height, in his forties, dressed in dark clothes with a receding hairline. He looked like a blackbird against the peacocks on the dance floor, but there was a steadiness to his gaze that suggested he might be someone to take seriously.

‘You seem to know a lot about what was supposed to be a private conversation,’ I said at last.

‘Diviners don’t have a monopoly on knowledge, Mr Verus. Deduction can work just as well.’

‘You’re with the Council?’

‘I represent a faction of the Council. At the moment, I believe our interests coincide with yours.’ Talisid moved past me to rest his arms upon the railing, his clothes dark against the metal. ‘Not everyone on the Council is happy with the Dark mages’ growth in power. And even those sympathetic to their proposals would prefer not to see one of them gain control of such a powerful relic. In this case, the majority is with us.’

‘If you’ve got the majority on your side, why do you need me?’

‘Unfortunately, while a majority of the Council have a preference for the artifact not falling into the hands of a Dark mage, they have an even greater preference for the artifact falling into the hands of themselves.’

I let out an exasperated breath. ‘This is ridiculous. Do you guys even know what this thing does? You’re all going to look really stupid if it ends up being a dud, you know that?’

‘We’ve got more important concerns than looking stupid, Mr Verus,’ Talisid said patiently. ‘And as I was saying, we may be able to assist you.’

Something pinged on my danger sense and I looked down. Luna was still talking in the middle of her crowd, but that wasn’t where the thread of trouble was coming from. I scanned up and down, looking through the crowd for movement. Three figures caught my eye. They were spread through the crowd, but linked somehow, and-

Oh crap. It was the three Dark mages, Cinder, Khazad and the masked woman, and they were after Luna. They were surrounding her, closing in steadily from three sides. She was talking, oblivious, as they moved closer and closer.

I spun and headed for the nearest staircase. ‘Mr Verus!’ Talisid called sharply.

‘Sorry!’ I called over my shoulder. ‘It’ll have to wait!’ I broke into a run, sprinting along the balcony and down the wide staircase. A couple talking close to one another on the landing broke off and pressed themselves to one side as I came flying down. I reached ground level in twenty seconds flat and slowed to a fast walk as I came out into the Great Hall. I knew where Luna was going to be, and I needed to get there first.

I didn’t. As I came within sight of Luna, I saw the three Dark mages surrounding her. The others she had been talking to were nowhere in sight. I caught a glimpse of one disappearing behind a knot of people, throwing a nervous glance back at Cinder. The floor was still crowded and the buzz of conversation drowned out what they were saying, but I didn’t need to use my magic to know that Luna was in danger. I scanned quickly through the futures and found a way to approach without being seen.

The woman talking to Luna was the same one I’d seen at the excavation site and Camden Market, though I still didn’t know her name. She was wearing a dress of royal blue that sparkled in the light, along with a mask over her upper face, and she stood looking down at Luna, one hand resting on her hip. Cinder was to her side, dressed in black with highlights of flaring red. ‘Luna,’ the woman was saying. Her voice was clear, musical; again, as I heard it the sound set off a chime of memory. ‘You have something that belongs to me.’

Luna looked from the woman to Cinder. If she recognised her from the episode this morning, she didn’t let it show. ‘Do I know you?’ she said at last.

‘No.’ The woman took a step forward. She was taller than Luna, with short blonde hair. ‘If you know what’s good for you you’ll keep it that way. Where’s the cube?’

‘Sorry?’

‘Don’t play games with me.’ The woman’s voice was cold and dangerous. ‘A crowd won’t protect you. Give me what I want or I’ll take it from you.’

Luna stood very still. The sounds of chatter around seemed to fade away. When Luna finally spoke, there was a note in her voice I’d never heard before. ‘I don’t think I like your attitude very much.’ All of a sudden Luna sounded much older. ‘If you want something, ask without the threats.’

Even with danger close at hand, I felt a sudden surge of pride. Even under pressure, Luna had recognised the woman for what she was, and done exactly the right thing: stood up to her without showing fear. All the time that I’d been talking to her she had been listening, and she’d shown she could do it under pressure. In that instant I realised that, despite everything that had happened, and even though she wasn’t a diviner or even a mage, I did think of Luna as my apprentice, and I was proud of her.

Of course, it wasn’t going to stop her from being abducted in exactly fifteen seconds. But that was where I came in.

‘You, little girl, just made a big mistake,’ the woman said after a long pause. She made a signal with two fingers. ‘Let’s see exactly what you — ’

As she spoke, Khazad glided behind Luna. I’d thought the small man looked like a bird the first three times I’d seen him, but he moved now with a sinuous grace, more like a snake. A needle gleamed in one hand, catching the light as he brought it towards the bare skin of Luna’s shoulder.

It never got there. As Khazad moved, so did I, and as he came up behind Luna I stepped in beside him. My right hand closed on his wrist, and as he made his move I spun him around, redirecting his momentum so that the needle sunk into his own arm. There was a faint spark as the spell discharged and Khazad’s head jerked in shock. Luna, Cinder and the woman all turned in the same instant to stare at me. Luna’s eyes lit up; Cinder’s darkened. ‘You!’

‘Hey, Cinder. Nice to see you again.’ I turned my gaze to the woman with a smile. ‘She did warn you.’

The woman stared, speechless. I turned to Luna, offering my hand. ‘Sorry, I got held up. Shall we go?’

Luna took a glance back at Cinder and the woman, then took my hand with barely a pause. The other two stared after us as we walked away, Khazad in tow.

‘That was awesome,’ Luna said once we were away. All traces of how she’d been outside were gone; she looked alert and glowing.

‘Are they following us?’

‘No — yes. Through the crowd.’

‘Okay. Break left … now.’ We slipped behind a group of people. From the other side I could just hear hurrying footsteps as Cinder and the woman came walking quickly after us, fading away as we doubled back.

Khazad was still walking aimlessly by my side, guided by my arm around his waist. Luna tilted her head to look into his eyes, then waved her fingers in front of his face. He didn’t respond. ‘What happened to him?’

‘Same thing he was about to do to you.’ I lifted his right hand and pointed to the needle clutched in his fingers. It was about eight inches long, made of some kind of silvery metal, tipped with a dot of blood where it had driven into Khazad’s arm. ‘Enchantment effect, kind of like magical Rohypnol. They were going to use it on you, then walk you out the front door.’

Khazad’s eyes were vacant; without me to guide him, he just stood there. Relaxed, his face was harsh and cruel. Luna peered over to look at him while I went through Khazad’s pockets. He was carrying another of the needles along with a few other things that looked like weapons, but no written instructions or anything that would give me a hint as to which spell they’d been using to track Luna. Damn.

‘Can he hear us?’ Luna asked.

‘Probably.’ I glanced back over my shoulder. We’d swerved away from the dance floor towards the other side of the hall and had ended up next to a fountain of steel and stone that bubbled with clear water. A minor illusory effect played over the water causing it to flicker through the colours of the rainbow: red to yellow to green to blue and back again. ‘We’d better dump him before he slows us down.’

I sat Khazad down on the edge of the fountain and slapped him in the face twice, hard. A few people gave me curious looks but you can get away with a lot if you’re blatant enough. I’d just gone through his pockets in full view of all the guests and gotten nothing more than a few funny looks. ‘Khazad,’ I said clearly. ‘Can you hear me?’

Khazad’s eyes were still vague, but I could sense a presence behind them this time, something looking at me with a distant hatred. This was the second time I’d gotten the better of him and, even with the magic scrambling his thoughts, I could feel how much he wanted to kill me. ‘That’s twice you’ve tried,’ I said. I looked into his eyes as I spoke, keeping contact. ‘This is your last chance to walk away. You understand? One chance. Pull anything like this again, on either of us, and I’ll see you dead.’

Khazad glared at me, unable to speak. I could sense the two Dark mages approaching from behind. I straightened and walked away, and the two of us disappeared into the crowd, the noise and bustle swallowing us. The music of the band faded as we put some distance between us and the dance floor.

‘Are they still coming?’ Luna said once we were away. She was craning her neck, trying to look in every direction at once.

‘Yeah.’ Now they weren’t heading straight for us I couldn’t predict their movements so easily, but I knew they’d be back.

‘How did they find me?’

‘They spent today at your flat. Could they have found anything from your body? Hair, nail clippings, blood?’

‘No — yes. Some hairs from my pillow, maybe the bathroom …’

I nodded. ‘If you have something that was once a part of someone, you can put together a tracer spell that works through just about anything. No chance of it failing on its own. We’re going to need something stronger.’

Luna nodded. ‘What do we do?’

‘Head for the games area. Keep going towards those pillars at the back.’

As we crossed the hall, I led Luna in a looping, swerving course. Most divination spells are directional, and if Cinder or whatshername were trying to anticipate Luna’s movements, this would slow them down. We passed knots of people, fountains, more of the white-masked servants, the buzz of laughter and conversation filling the air. The sphere arena had quieted down; a new match would probably start soon. My eyes tracked up to what looked like a blank stretch of crystal wall above the arena and between the balconies, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. Levistus was behind that wall, and somehow I knew he was watching me.

‘Alex?’ Luna asked as we walked.

‘Hm?’

‘Did you mean it?’

‘What?’

‘Khazad. When you said you’d kill him.’

‘I meant it.’

Luna walked for a little while in silence. ‘Thank you,’ she said eventually.

I looked at her in surprise, then smiled slightly. ‘You did well back there.’

Luna looked taken aback, then flushed. She was about to say something when a voice spoke from in front, interrupting. ‘Hi!’

I looked up to see a girl smiling at me. She was young, maybe eighteen or nineteen, and beautiful enough to be a model. Long, shining gold hair hung down her back, and she wore a low-cut blue silk dress with long slits that showed off her legs. A black ribbon was tied around her neck. ‘You’re Alex Verus, right?’

‘That’s me.’

‘Oh, it’s great to finally meet you!’ She came to a stop nearby, her smile showing a set of perfect teeth. ‘I’m Lisa.’

‘Hi, Lisa.’ I kept walking, leaving her behind.

Lisa blinked, then hurried to catch up, struggling in her high heels. ‘It’s so cool to meet you,’ she said, trying to catch my eye. ‘Everyone’s talking about you.’

‘That’s great.’

‘I’d really like to talk to you.’ Lisa came closer, walking right alongside, looking up at me with inviting blue eyes. ‘Could you come here just a minute?’

Luna had been watching, first in puzzlement, then annoyance. ‘Hey,’ she said. ‘I’m here as well.’

Lisa gave her a glance, then turned back to me. ‘Alex? Please?’

‘Sorry,’ I said. ‘We’re busy.’ I took Luna’s hand and gestured to a pillar over the crowd, leaving Lisa behind. ‘That way.’ We turned right around a buffet table and a cluster of people holding drinks.

Luna gave me a searching look. ‘Who was that?’

‘Beats me.’ I pointed towards the pillar. ‘We’re looking for an archway. It’ll be whitish, about seven feet tall. When you see it-’

‘Wait!’ Lisa called from behind. She was hurrying through the crowd after us, looking flustered. I rolled my eyes.

‘Are you sure you don’t know her?’ Luna asked, eyebrows raised.

I sighed. ‘You know, three days ago no one would have looked at me twice. This Mr Popular act is getting old.’

A gap opened in the crowd and I spotted what I was looking for: the azimuth duelling piste. Two slender pillars rose at either end, silvery and delicate, looking like a pair of tuning forks. At our end was an archway of white stone, seven feet high. A mage in ceremonial robes looked up as we approached. ‘Hey. Looking to duel?’

‘That’s okay,’ I said. ‘We just need the annuller.’

The mage gave us a look, then shrugged. ‘Be my guest.’

‘Duel?’ Luna whispered once he was gone.

‘Not a duel,’ I said. I put one hand on the cool stone of the archway and a faint silvery glow started to form across the opening. ‘Watch my back.’

Azimuth duels are a non-lethal alternative to traditional mage combat, fought with focus weapons and intended to be non-lethal. Officially the Council frowns on traditional duels, though despite all their efforts traditional duels still carry a lot more prestige than azimuth ones. Annuller arches are focuses, designed to stop mages entering duels with spells active. Activating one isn’t dangerous, but it’s demanding and requires absolute concentration. Any distraction can ruin the whole process and force you to start over.

Naturally, this was the point at which Lisa showed up again.

‘You’re here,’ she said, breathless. She was limping slightly; high heels aren’t made for running. ‘Um, could you-’

‘Look, Lisa,’ I said, not taking my eyes off the archway. ‘This is really not a good time for us.’

‘Trust me,’ Luna said, and I could tell from her voice that she was smiling. ‘You don’t want to get too close to me.’

‘No, I-’ Lisa took a deep breath. ‘I can’t.’

‘Why not?’ Luna asked. She didn’t sound sympathetic.

‘My master wants to speak to him. He told me to invite him.’

‘What master?’

‘… Morden.’

The name sounded vaguely familiar, but I was concentrating on the annuller and couldn’t put a finger on it. I finished the spell and took a step back to look at the archway. It was humming softly, and I nodded. It would take a couple of minutes to charge. ‘Who?’ Luna asked.

‘You don’t know him?’

‘No, I don’t. Why are you doing what he says?’

Lisa stared at her.

‘It’s okay,’ I said to Luna. ‘I already know what this guy wants.’ I looked at Lisa. ‘The question is whether you do.’

‘Uh …’

‘She asked the right question. Why are you running errands for him?’

‘I …’ Lisa licked her lips. ‘Look, please, you have to come. He’ll be …’

‘We don’t have to do anything,’ Luna said in annoyance.

The hum from the archway stopped. I looked back and saw that a silvery mist was hanging inside it, glowing steadily. ‘Okay, we’re clear,’ I said to Luna. ‘Step through.’

Luna gave the other girl a look, then walked to the arch. ‘Please, can you just come?’ Lisa said in a low voice. She wasn’t trying to be seductive any more; she just looked frightened. It actually made her a lot more convincing. ‘I’ve taken too long. He’ll be angry.’

I gave Luna a glance, then for the first time turned my full attention to the girl in front of me. ‘Look, Lisa. I don’t know who your master is, but I’ve got a pretty good idea what he is. If you really want my help, tell me what he’s planning.’

‘I can’t do that!’

‘Then I can’t help you.’

To one side, Luna stepped through the archway. There was a very brief flash, then the archway was still again. Luna looked back at it curiously, then headed towards me.

‘Please, can’t you come?’ Lisa said. Her voice was pleading. ‘I’ll do anything. Just …’

I sighed slightly and looked her right in the eyes. ‘Okay. Leave him.’

‘What?’

‘I’ve been where you are.’ I held Lisa’s gaze, holding her motionless, and spoke quietly. ‘I know why you’re doing this. I know why you think it makes sense. But trust me: you don’t want to stay there.’ Luna approached and I turned away from Lisa, nodding to Luna. ‘Okay?’

‘I think …’ Luna said doubtfully. She looked at her hands. ‘I feel strange.’

‘It’s a nullifier,’ I said. Concentrating, I could see that the grey mist of Luna’s curse had briefly vanished. Now it was returning again, flowing out again and into my ribbon. ‘Grounds every magical connection on you, like earthing a power line. You’ll feel a bit out of place for a couple of days.’

‘It’ll stop them tracking me?’

I nodded and started walking, ignoring Lisa. ‘If we’re quick.’

Luna took one step, then halted, looking over my shoulder. ‘Um, Alex?’ I felt her hand creep over and squeeze my forearm. I didn’t think she was aware of it; she was staring towards the centre of the hall. ‘Not quick enough.’

I knew what I was going to see before I turned to look. Cinder was striding across the floor towards us, a look of death on his face. The masked woman was at his side. They were fewer than twenty paces away.

You’re probably wondering by this point why I wasn’t shouting for help. Simple reason: if those three were willing to kill to get their hands on Luna, others would be too. Dealing with one team of would-be kidnappers was bad enough; I had absolutely no intention of adding to the number if I could possibly avoid it. The same went for them: I knew Cinder wouldn’t want to attract any attention either.

Unfortunately, depending on how pissed off Cinder was, there were plenty of ways he could ruin my day even in a crowd of people, and looking into the future, I could see that we’d succeeded in making him angry enough to use them. In one hand he was concealing a weapon that he was getting ready to use. He’d aim it at Luna the second she turned to run. I couldn’t see exactly what it would do, but I knew it would be bad … except that as I looked, I saw something else as well, something approaching steadily from the other side of the room. I straightened to face them. ‘Alex?’ Luna whispered.

‘Stall them,’ I whispered back. ‘We need ninety seconds.’

‘Verus,’ Cinder growled as he came into range. ‘Should have kept running.’

‘Who’s running?’ I asked lightly. I stood slightly between Cinder and Luna. Lisa was off to one side, looking nervously between us, forgotten by everyone.

‘No,’ Cinder said. His voice was low and dangerous. ‘You won’t bluff me this time.’ He opened one hand, half concealed down by his side, and dark fire flared up around his fingers, a red-black aura that caused the light to dim. ‘You twitch, I’ll burn you to ash. Let’s see you trick your way out of that.’

He wasn’t kidding; in dozens of the futures unfolding before us I could see Cinder lunging forward to do exactly that. But the very fact that he was willing to try something so crude was oddly reassuring — if he had anything else up his sleeve, he wouldn’t be making the threat. ‘You know, Cinder,’ I said, ‘I hate to point it out, but there’s about a hundred people watching you.’

‘No one’ll miss you,’ Cinder growled.

‘Wrong,’ I said calmly. ‘Or haven’t you heard? I’m in demand these days.’

Uncertainty flickered in Cinder’s eyes, and he glanced quickly from side to side. People were watching; a lot of people. As Cinder saw that he was being watched, the future of him attacking faded. ‘You don’t want me as an enemy,’ Cinder said, recovering.

‘As a matter of fact, no, I don’t.’ I crossed my arms, watching Cinder casually. ‘So make me an offer.’

The woman in the mask hadn’t spoken. She was standing a half-step behind Cinder, letting him do the talking. But she was watching me and, through the eyeholes of the mask, her eyes were boring into me like needles. I had the uneasy feeling that she recognised me, and not in a good way. It felt as though she hated me and I didn’t know why. ‘Fine,’ Cinder said, his voice dangerous. ‘I’ll buy the girl.’

I felt Luna stiffen. ‘Really?’ I asked.

‘Don’t,’ Cinder growled. ‘You sell her. Usual price. Or we take her. And you.’

I looked at Cinder. Luna was still gripping my arm, and I could sense her nerves. I stood there, without answering, counting off the seconds. ‘Well?’ Cinder said.

‘She’s not for sale,’ I said. ‘And actually, I’m not interested in any offer you could make.’

Cinder stared at me. ‘You said-’

‘Oh, I was just wasting your time.’

Cinder just stood there for two seconds, then his eyes flashed with insane fury as he finally lost his temper. Hellfire flared up inside his eyes, and his irises actually turned red. He took one step forward, his hand coming up.

A voice spoke from one side. ‘Good evening. Your attention, please.’

The man approaching was dressed in a black suit and an open-necked shirt. He had dark hair and was good-looking in a smooth, polished sort of way, like a politician. At first glance he looked young, no older than thirty or so, but there was an assurance to his walk that made him seem older. A brunette in a red dress was following him two paces behind, her eyes lowered submissively.

As soon as Cinder saw him, the flame around him vanished as though it had been plunged into water. He and the woman stood a little straighter. ‘Master Morden,’ the woman said. Again her voice sounded familiar, but I was taken aback by the sudden caution in it. Cinder even dipped his head in reflex before catching himself.

Ever since Lisa had mentioned the name Morden, it had been nagging at the back of my mind. As I saw Cinder’s reaction, I suddenly remembered. It was the name I’d come up with to scare him off yesterday. Just the suggestion that I might have been working for Morden had made Cinder back off, and that set off warning bells. The only people to whom Dark mages show that kind of respect are Dark mages of higher rank. Much higher.

‘Cinder, Deleo,’ Morden said. His voice was cultured, pleasant. ‘I see Khazad isn’t with you. Is there a problem?’

‘No,’ the woman he’d addressed as Deleo said carefully. She stood quite still. ‘No problem.’

‘Good. I was just speaking to Councillor Travis about the membership proposal. Negotiations are advancing. It would be … inconvenient for there to be any public disruptions at this time.’ His eyes rested on the two Dark mages.

After a long pause, Cinder nodded. ‘Got it,’ he said, unable to quite keep the growl out of his voice.

‘Excellent. I have some things to discuss with Verus. You may go.’

Cinder shot me and Luna a venomous glance, and then — amazingly — he obeyed, turning and disappearing with Deleo into the crowd. I felt Luna’s hand tighten slightly on my arm, then she seemed to realise what she was doing and let go.

Lisa had been hovering nearby; now Morden looked at her. ‘Lisa. I think I told you to extend Verus an invitation?’

Lisa licked her lips. ‘Um …’

Morden nodded once. ‘We’ll discuss this later.’ Lisa’s face actually went white, the blood draining from it completely. She stared at Morden with terrified eyes, but he’d already turned to us. ‘Verus, I believe? My name is Morden. If you can spare the time, there are some things we should discuss.’ He glanced over my shoulder at Luna. ‘In private.’

I still didn’t know who this man was, but every sign was pointing to him being really bad news. ‘While I … appreciate it, Mr Morden, I don’t think that would be advisable for me just now.’

‘And why is that?’

Because I’ve already had one private interview with a mage willing to kill me, and that’s enough for one night. ‘Given the circumstances, I don’t think it would be a good idea for me to be seen leaving with you at present.’

‘Really.’ Morden studied me with his head tilted slightly. Behind his back, Lisa and the other girl were watching him nervously. I could feel the futures shifting and spinning.

Then suddenly they settled. ‘Then we’ll save our discussion for a later time.’ Morden smiled. ‘I’m sure we’ll meet again.’ He gave me a nod, then turned and left, the brunette in tow. Lisa gave me a single frightened glance and scuttled after. I was left standing on my own, staring after him.

‘Um …’ Luna whispered. ‘What just happened?’

‘I have no idea.’ I shook myself awake. ‘Cinder and that woman are still out there. Let’s move.’

‘Now where?’ Luna asked as we set off again through the crowd.

‘Out.’

‘We’re leaving?’

‘I think we’ve pushed our luck far enough.’ I checked and looked down at Luna. ‘Wait, are you disappointed?’

‘Um …’ Luna looked away and I shook my head.

The ball was in full swing, and the hall was filled with the chatter of voices. A match was being fought in the duelling arenas behind us, and I could hear shouts and cheers. I could sense that Cinder and Deleo were still looking for us, and I shifted direction towards the angle where it was least likely they’d spot us. Beyond was a short flight of stairs leading up to an exit directly opposite to the one by which we’d entered. I took Luna’s hand and led her up the stairs. ‘Quick,’ I said. ‘If we can get out without them spotting us-’

I felt the futures shift and looked over my shoulder. Deleo had climbed up onto the sill of one of the fountains and was scanning the floor, her masked face lifted above the crowd. We spotted each other at exactly the same time and our eyes made contact with a jolt before she spun and started shouting something, her voice lost in the noise.

‘Oh, for crying out loud,’ I muttered. ‘Can’t they just leave us alone?’

‘Let me guess.’ Luna sounded resigned. ‘They’re chasing us again.’

‘Change of plans.’ I led Luna at a run up the stairs and into the foyer beyond. I scanned ahead quickly. The corridors to the right led to a bank of lifts that would take us down to the lower floors, but looking ahead I could see that Cinder was already moving to block that direction off. He and Deleo had split up and were trying to pincer us. It might have worked if I hadn’t seen it coming. ‘This way.’

‘Are your nights out always like this?’ Luna asked as we hurried down the corridor.

‘Later, all right?’ The corridor opened up into a wide corner room. Ahead and to the left, windows looked down over the night city, and in the corner was a lift made of glass. I walked inside and hit the button. The doors hissed shut and the lift began to climb. Below, I could sense Cinder and Deleo, but they were going the wrong way. By the time they realised we were going up instead of down it would be too late. I leant against the corner with a sigh. ‘All right. We’re safe for a while.’

‘Oh, that reminds me,’ Luna said. ‘There was someone near the dance floor called Talisid. He seemed like he really wanted to speak to you.’

‘Yeah, I met him. Those guys interrupted us.’

‘Well, maybe we can find him later.’

I looked at Luna in disbelief. She had turned away to watch the view, and I had to admit it was worth watching. The top set of lifts in Canary Wharf run along the edge of the tower and, unlike the ones that serve the office complex below, they’re designed for sightseeing rather than speed. The lift was drifting upwards at a lazy pace, and from our position we could look down on all of London. The landmarks of the city glowed in the distance: the square shape of Centre Point, the double red lights of the BT tower, the shifting wheel of coloured light that marked the London Eye. The other skyscrapers of the Docklands were falling away below us. The sounds of the ball had faded away, and we were alone in a silent world.

‘Luna?’ I said at last. ‘Why do you want to be here?’

I felt Luna go still. ‘Don’t get me wrong,’ I said. ‘You’re handling this well. Maybe a bit too well. Why aren’t you scared?’

Luna stayed as she was for a long moment, looking out over the city. ‘What would I be scared of?’ she said at last. Her voice was light, and there was something strange about it.

‘From these people? You want a list?’

‘Do you know why I came looking for your shop that first time?’

I frowned. Luna was turned away, her fingers resting lightly against the transparent wall. ‘Why?’

‘It was a few weeks before.’ Luna didn’t turn to face me. I could just make out the outline of her face in the reflection off the glass. ‘On a Saturday. I woke up late. I’d been sleeping longer and longer, then. I lay there and I listened to the birds singing and I couldn’t think of any reason to get up. There wasn’t anything I was looking forward to. That day, that month, ever.’ Luna fell silent a moment, then went on, her voice absent. ‘That was when I realised that if I didn’t do something I was going to die. Just from not caring.’

Luna looked down at the floor, not meeting my gaze. ‘I don’t have anything else,’ she said quietly. ‘Your world is all I have. If that doesn’t work, nothing else matters.’

I looked at Luna, and for once I couldn’t think of a single thing to say.

The silence dragged out for a long minute, then Luna seemed to shake herself, and when she looked at me her face was normal. ‘What was going on back there? With that girl?’

‘I- What do you mean?’

‘Was she a mage?’

I threw off the weight of what Luna had just told me, stored it away for another time. Somehow I knew that right now, sympathy was the last thing she needed. ‘No. Probably not.’

‘But you knew who she was?’

‘I didn’t know her.’

‘But you knew something,’ Luna persisted.

I looked away. ‘You don’t want to tell me?’ Luna asked.

‘It’s not that.’

‘Then what is it?’

‘It’s- Okay, it is that.’ I looked away. ‘It’s something I haven’t had to think about for a long time.’

‘That bad?’ Luna asked in surprise. I didn’t answer, and she carried on. ‘Why was she acting like that? That girl, Lisa. She was acting like she was his …’

I was silent for a moment, looking out over London. We were above the highest skyscrapers now, but I didn’t see any of it. I was remembering a time long ago, the darkness in Richard’s mansion, Shireen and Tobruk, Rachel …

‘Alex?’

‘Remember how I said mages split everyone into other mages, and sheep?’ I stared out over the lights of the city. ‘Well, there’s a thing about that. If everyone who isn’t a mage is a sheep, then the only kind of power worth having is over other mages.’

Luna was looking at me, and I could tell she didn’t understand. ‘Any mage can set himself up in the normal world. But he doesn’t get any respect. Status here is how much influence you have over other mages. Favours, position, contacts … other things.’

‘Okay …’ Luna said slowly. ‘That man, Cinder. Why was he talking about buying me?’

I knew Luna wasn’t going to stop until she got an answer or a flat no. I took a breath, then let it out, calming myself. ‘Dark mages like taking slaves,’ I said at last. It was my turn not to meet Luna’s eyes now. I didn’t want to risk her seeing something in my face. ‘It’s like a currency for them. Even the ones who don’t use slaves keep them to sell to the ones who do. Any novice or adept without connections, anyone who isn’t powerful enough to look after herself … she’s got a good chance of ending up like that. Sometimes it’s even a choice. They serve one mage because if they don’t they’ll be taken by another. There are Dark mages who have dozens, like a business. They keep them in their mansions and bring one or two out for display.’

I fell silent. Luna had been staring at me. ‘What do they do with them?’ she finally asked.

I met Luna’s eyes then. ‘Whatever they want.’

We were almost to the top of the tower, and the stars were bright in the sky above us. It was dark and quiet, and everything else was still.

‘Alex?’ Luna said. ‘Maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to go home after all.’

I nodded. The lift rose into a cage of steel and glass, and the door slid open. We stepped out into the night air.

We were standing on the corner of the tower, just at the point at which it angled in to form a pyramid. A small walkway with a transparent railing ran along the edge in both directions, stretching to the other two corners that we could see. Beyond the railing was a vertical drop, seven hundred feet straight down to the concrete below. Not the place to be if you were scared of heights. The double strobe of the aircraft warning light flashed from the pyramid right above us, dazzlingly bright. We were alone.

Luna watched as I took out the glass rod I used to call Starbreeze and whispered my summoning charm over it. ‘Alexander Verus calls you; answer my prayer, queen of the sky.’ I finished and tucked it away. Then I stared off into the distance, working out how long Starbreeze would be.

‘Alex,’ Luna said, pointing.

I followed her finger to see that she was pointing over the edge, towards the south-west corner. A dim light was moving upwards along the edge of the building, its glow just barely visible from our angle. It was already a third of the way up.

I sighed. ‘Deleo. Goddamn it, doesn’t that woman ever give up?’ I scanned through the futures quickly. ‘Cinder’s still below. Probably in … yeah, he’s at the base of the lift. Waiting for us to double back.’

Luna looked out at the night sky, then down at the rising sphere, and I knew what she was thinking. ‘Deleo.’

‘Hm?’

‘You were wondering who’ll get here first, Starbreeze or Deleo. It’ll be Deleo.’

‘Oh.’ Luna thought briefly. ‘Do we run again?’

‘Good plan, but no. Running from these guys too long is a bad idea. It gets them into the habit of chasing you.’ I handed Luna the glass rod. ‘Stay out of sight. When Starbreeze comes, shout.’

‘What about you?’

‘Be a good girl and do what I say.’

‘I’m not a good girl,’ Luna said, but I could tell she was holding back a smile. She obeyed, backing off so that the tower pyramid was between her and Deleo’s lift.

Once she was gone, I went a little way out along the walkway. Despite how high we were, the air was quite still; the Council like to keep everything scenic in case some of their guests feel like enjoying the view. Once I’d gotten far enough, I took a pair of gold-coloured discs from my pocket and laid them on either side of the walkway, one by the railing and one at the edge of the pyramid. Then I took a step back and waited.

It was a spectacular view. From the height I was standing, I could see virtually all of London. The air was cold and bracing, and I realised suddenly as I looked out into the night sky that I’d missed this. There’d been something missing from my life in Camden, something I’d discovered again in the past two days.

The glow of the lift vanished from the side of the tower, then appeared on my level, visible though the glass of the pyramid. As I watched, Deleo stepped out into the night air. She saw me, paused, then started across the walkway towards me.

I let her get within thirty feet before speaking the command word. The gold discs flared to life and a wall of force appeared, stretching from the discs on the walkway floor out past the railings, along the slope of the pyramid, and up into the air. It was invisible to the naked eye, but there was now no physical force in this world or the next that could cross that barrier.

Deleo came to a halt. Her hands had snapped up as I’d spoken, and now I watched her stare at me through the transparent wall, her eyes hidden behind the mask. As she came to a decision, green-blue light welled up about her hands.

‘Don’t bother,’ I said. ‘You could break it if you were on your own, but not with me boosting it from the other side.’

‘It won’t last for ever,’ Deleo said. Her voice was soft and deadly, and again I felt the venom in her words.

‘So let’s talk.’ I folded my arms, watching her casually. ‘There’s some stuff I’ve been wanting to ask you.’

Deleo didn’t answer. ‘For a start, I’d like to know what your plans were for Luna,’ I went on. ‘But I know you wouldn’t tell me the truth. So I thought I’d ask about something you seem to have more of a personal interest in.’ I cocked my head. ‘Why do you hate me so much?’

Deleo stared back at me from the other side of the wall. The silence stretched out and I’d just opened my mouth to go on when she finally spoke. ‘You couldn’t stay away, could you?’ Her voice was low, vibrating with some intense emotion: hate, pain, anger. ‘I knew you’d be back. It was always you.’

‘Uh,’ I said. ‘Okay, let’s try this again. Why-?’

‘Shut up.’ Deleo’s voice was raw. ‘Don’t talk to me. It was your fault, all of it. Now you’re trying to do it again.’ The light around her hands flared, brightened. ‘It’s people like you that always screw things up, always make it worse. If you were gone I could fix things. The ones who really matter.’ Suddenly, she turned. ‘Stop it!’

I stared, following her gaze. Deleo was looking at empty air, out over the railings. I searched the area and saw nothing. ‘Um,’ I said. ‘Look, if-’

‘You’ve had the dreams, haven’t you?’ Deleo asked. She sounded distracted, like she was carrying on two conversations at once. ‘I can see them. You haven’t escaped, no one does. It always comes back. I’m the only one who can break it.’ She cocked her head, seeming to listen, then snarled. ‘Shut up!’

‘Okay,’ I said. ‘You know what, I don’t want to know any more. You’re nuttier than a bowl of Alpen. Just stay away from me.’

‘You don’t understand.’ Deleo’s eyes stared through me for a second, then all of a sudden they cleared and she was focused on me again. ‘Give me the girl.’

‘Uh, how about no?’

‘You think you can protect her? You can’t. The only way she’ll be safe is with me.’

I actually laughed. ‘Oh, that’s different. I’ll just hand her over, shall I?’

In a quick movement Deleo stepped up against the barrier. Her left hand pulsed against the wall of force, sending ripples through it. ‘I won’t let anyone get in my way,’ she said. All of a sudden, her voice was deadly calm. ‘You were always weaker than me. I know how to hurt you, Alex.’

Deleo and I stared into each other’s eyes from fewer than ten feet away. The barrier was starting to tremble; the amount of destructive force she was pouring into it was staggering. From behind I heard Luna’s voice, calling. ‘Alex! Alex!’

I stepped back. ‘Don’t come after me.’

‘This isn’t over,’ Deleo said. It sounded like a promise.

I turned and ran. Behind, I could hear the force wall whining under the strain. As I got around the corner of the pyramid, I saw Luna leaning over the railing and Starbreeze floating just beyond it. ‘Time to go!’ I called.

‘Go where?’ Starbreeze asked curiously.

‘Home!’ I grabbed Luna’s hand. ‘Fast!’

‘Okay!’ Starbreeze engulfed us. In a flash we were turned to air and whisked away. Looking back, I had one glimpse of the barrier breaking in a blue-green flash before the tower was shrinking behind us. ‘No fun,’ Starbreeze complained, her voice muffled by the wind.

‘What’s wrong?’ Luna asked.

‘Nothing happened,’ Starbreeze said, sounding disappointed.

The Docklands vanished behind us, their lights merging with the rest of London as Starbreeze lifted us higher and higher into the sky. Already we were far enough away to be invisible to anyone watching. ‘Trust me, Starbreeze,’ I said as we banked and turned north, heading home. ‘It was exciting enough down on our end.’

Starbreeze dropped us on my roof and I gave her something or other and watched her soar away. My shop was dark and quiet. All around, I could hear the sounds of the city again, distant and reassuring. All of a sudden, I didn’t want to deal with magic and mages any more; I just wanted to be home and safe. ‘Want a drink?’ I said, smothering a yawn as we walked through the hall.

Luna shook her head. Her dress was a little disarrayed, but it made her look better if anything. She seemed to be slowly coming down from a high. ‘Stay here for tonight, then?’ I asked. ‘I think there’s a camp bed somewhere.’

‘I think I should go.’

I looked at her, puzzled. Luna nodded down at my chest. ‘Look.’

I stared for a moment before realising. In the excitement, I’d forgotten about Arachne’s ribbon. I looked down to see that almost all of the white ribbon had turned black. Only an inch or so was left.

‘I think my coach is turning back into a pumpkin,’ Luna said, and I looked up in surprise to see one of her rare smiles. Somehow, though, this one seemed sad. ‘It’s okay. You said they can’t find me now, right? I’ll find a place to stay.’ She moved to the door.

‘Luna, wait!’ I followed. ‘They can’t find you with magic, but they can still look. It’s not going to be-’

Luna turned and stepped into my arms, laying her head against my chest, one hand holding gently onto my coat. I stopped in surprise, looking down at her. ‘Thank you for tonight,’ Luna said. Her body was cool, and she smelt of clouds and wind. ‘It was worth it.’

I started to put an arm around her. ‘Luna-’

‘It’s midnight,’ Luna said softly, and slipped away, hiding her face. Before I could react the door opened and closed, and I was alone. I heard her footsteps fading outside.

I stood there for a long time, then walked back to my desk and sat down. I untied the ribbon from my belt and held it up in front of me. Almost all of it had turned to black and, as I watched, the very last corner faded and darkened. The ribbon flickered once, then crumbled to dust between my fingers. In a second there was nothing left but a trace of black powder.

I sat looking at it for a long time, then went upstairs to bed.