Page 142 of The Dark Mirror

‘I did tell you I had plans,’ Jaxon said. ‘I asked you to find me. Although I never expected you to do it in Rome.’

‘Trust me, it wasn’t intentional. I’d sooner be back on the waterboard than anywhere near you.’

‘Come, now. I ought to be the one who is vexed with you, given you left me to burn alive,’ he said. ‘Didn’t I tell you that you hadn’t seen the last of me?’

‘Well, I don’t know how you weaselled your way intothisenterprise, but I imagine your new friends don’t know all that much about your past,’ I sneered. ‘Did you tell Carter and Sala about the grey market, or how you betrayed hundreds of voyants to save your own skin?’

‘I paid for a place on the Council of Kassandra. Where the money originated is irrelevant to Sala.’

‘I’ll wager you haven’t tested the theory.’ I drew a knife and pressed the point under his chin. ‘Domino sent me to assassinate you. How did you get a dissimulator?’

‘I was recruited as an associate. I assume my contact failed to inform their supervisors.’

‘You’re lying. No one would be stupid enough to trust the Grand Overseer.’ I dug the knife in. ‘You looted the box Colin left me. I want the contents.’

‘All in good time.’ His bony fingers closed around my arm. ‘Carter will imprison you if you spill blood in here. The Council of Kassandra has its own rule of law, separate to the law conceived by amaurotics. Sala is the architect, but Carter holds the reins. Your shared history in Ireland will not protect you, should she ever see you as a threat.’

‘What if I tell her the truth about you?’

‘Paige, we are outside Scion now. Let us try to forgive and forget. We all did what was necessary to survive the anchor.’ He levered the knife down. ‘Why are you drinking alysoplasm?’

‘None of your business,’ I said. ‘I’ll see myself out. You can keep your damned tour.’

‘Oh, but I insist. I want to show you the sum of my labours.’

‘If you’re going to show me anything, you can show me your back and walk away, Jax.’

‘Come, my Pale Dreamer.’ His voice was turning to honey, the way it always did when he wanted something from me. ‘Surelyyou’d like to see where I was sending my share from the grey market. Why I was working you all so hard in London.’

‘I’m not your Pale Dreamer any more. And no, Jax. I’d sooner not see where your dirty coin went.’

‘I have always worked towards a better existence for voyants.’

‘You sent voyants to their deaths. And there’s no way you knew about the Forum Project when you were in Oxford.’

‘I had my reasons for what I did in Oxford.’ He leaned in close. ‘There are fifty seats on the Council of Kassandra. Not all of them are occupied. Aren’t you tempted, Paige?’

‘I don’t need a seat. I have a throne.’

‘Youhavegrown arrogant of late. I ought to blame myself, but it becomes you rather well. Just a short tour,’ he cajoled. ‘I promise you’ll be impressed.’

As little as I wanted to be anywhere near him, I was burning with curiosity. I was also sure that Carter knew more than she was saying about Sala. She might even have a way to contact her, but I would have to earn her trust. If that meant controlling myself around Jaxon, I would do it.

‘Fine,’ I said.

Jaxon smiled.

‘Welcome to the Forum,’ he said as we stepped into the autumn sunlight. ‘Each order of clairvoyance has its own dedicated building here.’

‘You’ve convinced Sala and Carter thatOn the Meritsis the correct way to classify us, then.’

‘Sala accepts my theory that there are seven broad categories of clairvoyance, corresponding with our auras. All will stand on equal footing.’ He pointed his cane. ‘This is the Via Sacra, that most ancient of Roman roads. We hope that all the best voyants will have walked here in ten years’ time.’

I followed him across the smooth old stones.

‘Ten years,’ I said. ‘You think that’s how long it will take to get this place up and running?’

‘It will run from next summer, but we intend for the Forum to be the most beautiful of our embassies, as the cradle of the enterprise. Bringing it to completion will take a long time.’ He walkedpast three fluted columns, chipped and severed. ‘This was once the Temple of the Dioscuri. When it is resurrected, it will be our House of Perception.’

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