Page 135 of The Dark Mirror

Arcturus picked up the dossier and opened it. The first page showed the emblem of Italy.

‘This is all about President Sala. I’m hoping it will give me somewhere to start looking for her,’ I said. ‘I told you I don’t have the patience for reading. This needs someone who does. You’re not just the brawn of this enterprise. You were always the brains, too.’

‘Hm. And if I am the brainsandthe brawn, what are you?’

I flashed him a smile. ‘The bravado?’

‘You understate your intelligence.’

‘You have a different sort,’ I said. ‘You read in more depth. You see details I don’t, like when you worked out how to reach Versailles. Could you tell me if anything jumps out at you?’

Arcturus closed the dossier. ‘I will read it by midday.’

‘Thanks.’ I paused. ‘Are you sure you don’t need any help with the bullets?’

‘No. I will manage,’ he said. ‘Goodnight, Paige.’

‘Goodnight.’

He went back to his room. When I heard the door lock, I rested my arms on the balustrade, heavy with all the words I couldn’t say.

I slept deeply, though not for long. Around nine, I woke, my arm curled around a pillow. I lay in bed for another hour, dwelling on the two Devils.

The sixth card in my reading had been Eight of Swords.You can’t move in any direction with ease. You can stay in one place, trapped and stagnant, or feel the pain of the swords. All paths lead to anguish.

At last, I got out of bed and threw a window open. I had been stagnant long enough. If there was more pain in store, let it come. Surely I knew how to carry it now.

Rome was a little warmer than Venice, the sun bright in a cloudless sky. For once, I didn’t feel too exhausted to face it. I unfolded a long-sleeved blouse, a lightweight jersey, and a pair of black jeans. I braced my sore left wrist and put on my holster and weapons, covering them with my jacket.

I had drunk enough alysoplasm to conceal me through the night. Now I sipped a little more. Once I had scrubbed the foul taste off my teeth, I was ready for a day of hunting.

Arcturus had said he would be done by noon. Ducos had furnished me with a data pad, which I used to consult Omnia, giving me an overview of Rome.

It was known as the City of Seven Hills, or the Eternal City, which sounded like the perfect trophy for the Suzerain. Once the heart of an ancient and terrible empire, it held thousands of years of human civilisation, religion and culture. If Nashira did seize this place, it would be a symbolic victory, as well as a strategic one. I noted my own location on the watch. The district was Ponte, close to the River Tiber.

At midday, I went to the next room. Arcturus let me inside, his movements stiff again.

‘Good day, Paige.’

‘Hi,’ I said. ‘Any luck?’

‘I believe so.’

He closed the door. I sat down in the chair by the window, where sunlight poured in.

‘President Sala has a well-documented history of speaking out against Scion, and has expressed her personal support for voyants on several occasions. I am sure you already know that her official residence is the Palazzo del Quirinale,’ Arcturus said. ‘Most of the information in the dossier is public knowledge, and I doubt that it will serve you in your search. The only detail that caught my attention was an endeavour known as the Forum Project.’

‘Go on,’ I said.

‘The Roman Forum was a plaza surrounded by ruins, which served as the administrative and judicial centre of Ancient Rome. An architect named Giosuè Barraco proposed rebuilding it. The Forum Project attracted protests from traditional conservatorsimmediately, hampering its progress, but Barraco was determined and persuasive. Sala was his student at the Sapienza University of Rome, and later used her political influence as Minister for Culture to drive the project forward.’

‘Just so I’m sure I understand this,’ I said, ‘they want to rebuild a ruin?’

‘I gather conservation is the usual way in the free world, with ruins maintained to prevent deterioration. Sala and Barraco took a restorative and reconstructive approach. Their aim was to return the Roman Forum to its former glory, taking it from a ruin to a functional complex. There appears to be no precedent on this scale.’

‘That does seem like an odd way to spend money. Any idea what gave her this passion?’

‘Sala believed the Forum should be reintegrated into daily life, rather than left to crumble for tourists, but she agreed to use the same building techniques and materials as the ancient Romans, to make sure its original character was preserved, and to leave the neighbouring Forum of Caesar untouched. Only a portion of the project would be funded by the taxpayer, while Sala would raise the outstanding funds herself. Public access is restricted until August, but Sala visits the site frequently. Other than the expected team of architects, civil engineers, and so forth, a select few others have been allowed to enter. Domino has identified two of them,’ Arcturus said. ‘Rohan Mistry, a former diplomat, and Kafayat Ekundayo, a well-known barrister, who specialises in international law.’ He showed me their photographs. ‘They have no relevant expertise, which begs the question of why they are visiting so frequently.’

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