Page 161 of The Dark Mirror

Hearing this, I knew that I was capable of killing Cade.

When I saw him again, I was going to rip his spirit to shreds.

‘Nashira eventually came to accept that I would not give in to any pain she could inflict, whether physical or spiritual,’ Arcturus said. ‘That was when she revealed that she had Michael.’

‘What?’

Michael had been with us right from the beginning, in Magdalen. He had befriended Arcturus long before I arrived. In twenty years, I had never met anyone so gentle.

‘After Michael was detained in London, he was sent to Versailles, as we saw in the ledger. When Nashira learned he was there, she had him brought to her side to serve her,’ Arcturus said quietly. ‘And when I would not answer her questions, Kornephoros tormented him.’

I let the tears run in silence, not wanting to distract him by blotting them.

‘Situla freed Michael from his cell during the raid on Carcassonne,’ Arcturus said, ‘but he did not leave with the Ranthen. I do not know what became of him.’ He lowered his face. ‘I deserve none of your pity, Paige. I failed Michael, just as I failed Gail. Just as I failed you.’

‘How did you fail me?’

‘I was in Paris to protect you. I was unsuccessful.’

‘Stop it. None of it was your fault.’

Before I could stop myself, I had touched his wrist, right where his glove met his sleeve.

‘They want us to hate ourselves, even if we survive what they do to us,’ I said. ‘But remember what you told me in Paris. We don’t let them win.’

He looked at my hand on his arm, and then into my eyes.

‘I never thanked you for saving me,’ he said. ‘It is not the first time you have risked your life for my sake. I am grateful for this second chance, which no Rephaite has been granted before. I have been melancholy, these past few days, but I am glad to be here with you.’

‘We’ve always saved each other. I can’t keep flying without you.’

‘I believe you could. I told you. You are a force of nature, Paige Mahoney.’ He covered my hand. ‘I have rid myself of my poison. Are you ready to ascend?’

I craned my neck to look up the shaft, to the sky above.

‘That word you used. The descent into the underworld,’ I said. ‘What’s the opposite?’

‘An anabasis. The journey back to the surface, made by those who are not yet ready for death.’ He nodded to the archway. ‘You climb first, little dreamer. I will follow.’

With a nod, I went to the other steps. I walked in front of Arcturus, and trusted he was behind me, all the way.

By the time we got back, I was drained to the marrow. Now I knew what our enemies had done to him, and no amount of white aster would take his memories away. Learning that Michael was likely dead had only worsened the weight in my chest. Yet another person who I had met in Oxford, lost to the æther.

I secured the door behind us. Arcturus went to the table, where I had left the red wine and a glass.

‘Thank you for this,’ he said to me. ‘Your acts of kindness have not gone unnoticed.’

‘It’s fine,’ I said. ‘I’ll leave you to it.’

‘Paige.’

I stopped.

‘You are strong, even if Fitzours is well-trained,’ Arcturus said, ‘but I understand that it may be difficult for you to kill him. To our knowledge, he is the only person who shares your gift; the only person who might understand the burden you have always carried. Should you decide to stay your hand, as you did with Jaxon, I will not hold it against you.’

‘I can’t. He’s twisted our gift into something terrible.’

‘No.’

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