‘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 betwe
en 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.’
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