Page 176 of The Bone Season

He reached into his tunic and handed me the gift. It was a thick glass vial on a chain, about the length of my longest finger, with an ornate gold stopper. Inside, there was some kind of powder, greyish blue.

‘Pollen,’ Michael rasped.

‘Pollen,’ I echoed. ‘What’s the man trying to do, give me hay fever?’

Michael gave me a weighty look. My brow was still knitted by the time he left.

The clock struck one. Reinvigorated by the coffee, I went downstairs, braced for the chill in the cloister, where a door that had been locked was ajar. That must be the way to the private library.

I passed the chapel doors and crossed the courtyard. Fazal was in the Porters’ Lodge with a stove, reading the fattest book I had ever seen. He had gained a few grey hairs over the last month.

‘Paige,’ he said in surprise. ‘You should be resting.’

‘I’m grand.’ I stopped in front of him. ‘Faz, you’ve been here for a while. In your experience, are there usually many guards outside during the day?’

‘The Overseer patrols the Rookery, to ensure people are keeping to the curfew. I don’t think any of the Rephs go out in daylight. It doesn’t hurt them, as far as I can tell – they just prefer to be awake during the night.’

‘If I was to sneak out for half an hour or so, would you let me back in?’

‘The Warden won’t want you going outside, not with your injuries.’

I sighed. ‘Faz—’

‘You get into trouble every time you go out there, Paige. Not only that, but you drag him into it.’

‘I just want to check on Liss,’ I said. ‘I haven’t seen her since she went into spirit shock. I know a secret way to her place. I’ll come straight back.’

‘No. I’m sorry.’

Accepting defeat, I went back upstairs.

Another two days passed. I slept and did gentle stretches in the Founders Tower, waiting for my body to heal. Nick hadn’t known who I was, but I was still going to give him an earful about this, if I ever saw him again. Then again, he would already be furious with himself.

Warden continued to keep his word. He had given up the whole of the Founders Tower.

By the end of the second day, my side was no longer hurting, and the wound had turned into a nice clean scar. I could wait no longer. Fazal and Gail seemed to have agreed not to let me out, but I needed to see Liss.

I waited for Michael to bring my food and medicine. As soon as he was gone, I went to the linen cabinet for my uniform. Inside, I found a new tunic, identical to the others, except it was yellow – the yellow of a sunflower, so bright it could guide ships in fog. A note was pinned to the collar.

Nashira was informed that you left the containment zone. Your red tunic has been temporarily rescinded. Since you were forced out of the zone, I have appealed for her to revoke this decision.

The tunic for cowards. I returned it to the cabinet, shaking my head. Instead, I dressed in my black combat trousers and dark undershirt, then laced up my winter boots. I wrapped the food Michael had brought and tucked it into my backpack from the assignment.

In the hour before the day bell, I left the Founders Tower. I avoided the Porters’ Lodge and climbed my way out of the residence, gritting my teeth as my body ached in protest.

The Broad lay quiet. A few lamps and cookfires still burned, lighting the street for the people clearing what remained of the Rookery. The performers’ home would be swept away, out of sight of the incoming guests.

Now the Old Library was back in use, the boards had been taken off some of its windows. I squeezed in through an unlatched one. The performers had arranged their remaining possessions on the shelves, each claiming a patch of floor. Keeping out of sight, I looked for Liss.

She lay in a dark corner, covered by a duvet that could only be from one of the residences. Julian and Cyril sat at her bedside, trying in vain to wake her. They both startled when I appeared.

‘Paige?’

Julian crushed me straight into his arms. When we parted, I grasped his shoulders.

‘What happened?’

He was no longer in his pink tunic. In fact, he was no longer in a tunic at all. ‘Aludra stopped me going to see Liss,’ he said. ‘I broke into her building and set fire to it. I told her it was me.’

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