‘No,’ I said curtly.
Terebell’s absence was beyond frustrating. She knew what time the meeting was due to start, and nothing could be more important than this. We had always expected Scion to increase the number of Senshield scanners – they had advertised their intention to install them – but we had also expected to be able to see them.
‘Thank you all for coming at such short notice,’ I said. ‘I’ll get straight to the point. Eliza just tried to use a cash machine, and an alarm went off. It seems a Senshield scanner was . . . built into it.’ I paused, letting them take it in. ‘We barely escaped.’
Breaths were drawn. Glym lowered his face into the palm of one hand.
‘The implications for the Mime Order could be catastrophic,’ I said. ‘If we can’t see the scanners, we can’t avoid them.’
‘In a cash machine.’ Maria scraped a hand through her hair. ‘Such an ordinary thing . . .’
‘This might explain the mysterious phone box,’ Nick murmured. ‘And the voyant who disappeared from the pharmacy.’
I had been too quick to brush off those reports. ‘This is the greatest threat to voyant-kind we’ve ever faced,’ I said. ‘Depending on how many hidden scanners have been installed, the first three orders – the only ones that can currently be detected – may have to go into hiding temporarily until our numbers are great enough to overcome the Vigiles. It could be too dangerous on the streets.’
‘No.’ Eliza stared at me. ‘Paige, we can’t just hide.’
‘As a fellow medium,’ Glym said, lifting his face, ‘I agree. Despite the danger, it would be impractical to freeze most of our foot-soldiers.’
‘It would also be impractical to allow Scion to capture them,’ I said. ‘We have voyants from the other orders to do the footwork.’
‘Not many.’
‘Enough,’ I said, but I could tell that they weren’t having this. Maria shook her head. ‘Fine. Then we’d better get damned good at avoiding the scanners. And it’s time we actually tackled the threat head-on. Hector buried his head in the sand about Senshield, but we have to face the facts about how serious this is. This is a god in a machine. An all-seeing eye.’
‘And you’re going to find it hard to blind it,’ Danica said.
She was sitting uncomfortably at the other end of the table with her arms folded. Her hair was a thatch of auburn frizzles, her eyes bloodshot from overtime. With her job in Scion’s engineering department, she was our best source of information on Senshield.
‘Dani,’ I said, ‘did you have any idea this was coming?’
‘I knew they planned to install the large scanners across the citadel, which is why I tried and failed to build a device to block our auras – we all knew that. We also knew that they would eventually target essential services. I did not know, however, that they had created a version that could be concealed.’
‘Let’s cut to the chase, then. Do you have any idea how we can get rid of them?’
‘Well, you can’t destroy or remove the large ones by hand. Aside from the fact that they’re clearly being watched, each scanner is welded in place.’
‘Do you know how they work?’ Glym asked Danica, tersely. ‘Do you know anything about them at all?’
‘Obviously.’
‘And?’
She shot him a dark look. If there was one thing Danica Panić hated, it was being rushed.
‘According to the engineers’ grapevine, the scanners are powered by a central source of energy, which they call the core,’ she said, with deliberate slowness. ‘I don’t know what it is, but I do know that every single scanner is connected to it.’
‘So if we get rid of the core, we disable the whole thing,’I said.
‘Hypothetically. It would be like removing the battery.’
Tom stroked his beard. ‘And where do we find it?’
‘The Archon, surely,’ I said.
‘Not necessarily,’ Danica said. ‘Senshield is a ScionIDE project, so it’s most likely in a military facility.’
ScionIDE. Scion: International Defence Executive. Scion’s army. I had encountered them once before, thirteen years ago, when they had broken into Ireland through Dublin.
‘ScionIDE,’ Maria repeated.
I looked at her. Wearing an odd expression, she took a leather cigarette case from her jacket.
‘I didn’t know Senshield was a military brainchild. That’s very interesting.’ She removed a cigarette and lit up. ‘A link to the army gives its increased presence an even more sinister touch.’
A tremor scuttled across my abdomen. We had security measures in place to protect us from Vigiles and enemy Rephaim, but I hadn’t seriously considered the army as a prospective threat at this stage. Most of it was stationed in Scion’s overseas territories.
‘I’m all for going after Senshield, but if we bait the beast, we have to be prepared for one hell of a bite,’ Maria said, ‘and that bite might well include a certain Hildred Vance, Grand Commander of the Republic of Scion and authority maximum of ScionIDE.’
Tom muttered some choice words.
Vance . . . I had heard that name before.
‘Vance,’ Glym said. ‘She spearheaded the invasion of Bulgaria.’
‘That’s the one. The mastermind behind Ireland and the Balkans.’ Maria blew out a fine mist of smoke. ‘She may well be sponsoring Senshield’s expansion. For military use.’
Eliza’s knee bounced. ‘What does it mean if she comes here?’
Maria drew on her cigarette again, eyes closed. ‘It means,’ she said, ‘that we will be fighting one of the most intelligent and ruthless strategists alive. One who is used to dismantling cell-based rebel groups.’
There was a long silence. Our movement wasn’t strong enough to deal with the army yet.
‘Well,’ I said finally, ‘whether or not it is linked to Vance—’
I stopped when Warden appeared in the doorway, wearing his heavy black overcoat. The commanders observed him with apprehension, taking in the ice-blue irises, the statuesque build.
‘Apologies for my lateness, Underqueen,’ he said.
The colour of his eyes betrayed the reason for it – he had stopped to feed.
‘Where’s Terebell?’
‘She is engaged tonight.’
I was aware of his every movement as he took the seat beside Glym. His eyes were unnerving, reminding me of exactly what he had to do to survive, but I couldn’t resent him for it. For his sake, I briefly explained again about the hidden scanners and the threat they posed.
‘We could use your advice,’ I said, ‘if we’re going to have any chance of disabling Senshield. You were close to the Sargas. What do you know about it? About what powers it?’
‘Knowing the Sargas, the core is likely a form of ethereal technology, which harnesses the energy created by spirits,’ Warden said.
Tom raised his eyebrows. ‘Technology that uses spirits? I’ve never heard of such a thing.’
‘Even most Rephaim know precious little about it. The Sargas are the only family to have spliced the energy of the æther with human machinery. Many of my kind consider it obscene,’ Warden said. ‘Unfortunately, I do not know the workings of Senshield’s core.’
I nodded slowly. ‘Do you think it might be in the Archon?’
‘I will ask our double agent if he has any idea, but I imagine that if it was, he would already have told us.’
Alsafi Sualocin, the Ranthen’s most valuable spy in the Archon. I had known him in the colony as Nashira’s brutal and loyal guard. It had been a shock to discover that he was Ranthen, working in secret to undermine her.
‘Although we do not know the location of the core, this may be the time to consider something we do know about the scanners.’ Warden glanced around the table. ‘As you are all aware, Senshield can currently only detect the first three orders of clairvoyance. Hard as they have tried, Scion has been unable to tune it to detect the higher four.’
Maria tilt
ed her head. ‘How do they do this . . . tuning, exactly?’
‘No one knows, but I have long suspected that exposure to aura is involved. It would be logical for Senshield to recognise what it has already encountered.’ He paused. ‘It is possible that any of you could be used to improve its ability to detect aura.’
That was all we needed. If walking on the streets could not only get us arrested, but potentially increase Senshield’s power, then going into hiding had to remain an option, even if we only used it as a last resort.
‘On the subject of the core – do you think it can be easily replaced?’ I said. ‘If we destroyed it, would they just build another?’
‘Unlikely,’ Warden said. ‘Not being a Sargas, I am no expert in ethereal technology – but I know it is complex, volatile, and delicate. If you destroyed the existing core, I imagine it would take them many years to return it to its current operational state.’
I could hear in his voice that this was educated guesswork, but it was something to go on, at least.
‘Something else to bear in mind,’ he said, ‘is that an improved Senshield will pose a great danger to the Night Vigilance Division. If it can be adjusted to detect all seven orders, there will no need for sighted clairvoyant officers. They will be redundant, and would consequently be . . . disposed of by Scion in the same way as other unnaturals.’ He looked at me. ‘Some of them may well be willing to help you imperil the core.’
‘Absolutely not,’ Glym harrumphed. ‘The syndicate does not work with Vigiles.’
I had always thought Glym was a bit of a prankster, like Tom, but I had learned that he was quite the disciplinarian. He was taking the revolution seriously, at least, which was more than I could say for some of the Unnatural Assembly.
‘If you do not extend the hand of friendship,’ Warden said, ‘the night Vigiles will be eliminated.’
‘Good,’ Glym said.
‘They are traitors.’ Eliza pulled at one of her ringlets. ‘They chose to work for Scion.’
She received an approving look from Glym for this observation. It was a good one. ‘Warden makes a salient point.’ Maria shrugged. ‘They’re potential recruits. Why waste them?’
‘It would only be a temporary alliance,’ I said to Warden. ‘Once Senshield is down, there’s no risk to their jobs.’
‘A temporary alliance may be all that is needed.’
There was silence while I mulled it over. I could listen to counsel all I liked, but in the end, this would be my call. I was beginning to understand why my predecessor, Hector, had been able to abuse his power to such an extent: syndicate leaders were handed a lot of it. The voyants in this organisation bowed before strength, and in the scrimmage, I had proven mine. That didn’t make me an expert in starting revolutions.
My instinct had always been to steer well clear of Vigiles, but what they could offer might be worth the flak I would get for giving them a chance. It would also drain numbers from Scion’s ranks.
‘It’s something to bear in mind,’ I concluded. ‘If we find ourselves in a situation where help from the Vigiles would be vital to our success, we’ll reconsider the matter. Until then, I don’t think we should risk approaching them.’ Everyone seemed satisfied by the response. ‘For now, we need to decide on a course of immediate action. Dani, I want you to do your utmost to find out what Senshield’s core is – and where it is, more importantly. That’s our number-one priority.’
‘Hang on a second.’ Tom gestured to Danica. ‘Doesn’t the White Binder know that you work for Scion? And you’re still happy to work there?’
‘Yep,’ Danica said.
Nick looked troubled. ‘It’s strange, but he doesn’t seem to have given her away. I don’t trust him, so I left, but if he hasn’t said anything after three weeks—’
He trailed off.
‘Warden has already checked with the Ranthen’s double agent,’ I explained. ‘As far as we can tell, Dani isn’t being monitored. He’ll let us know if the situation changes.’
Tom’s brow relaxed out of its frown.
‘While we work out how to disable Senshield, I want all of you to inform your mime-lords and mime-queens of the threat of these hidden scanners, as a matter of urgency,’ I continued. ‘I want them sending reports to you about any they encounter. We need to work out which kinds of places have been targeted and keep the syndicate aware. I’ll have Grub Street distribute maps of all the known locations.’ I tapped the table. ‘We also need to deal with the few who still support the White Binder. Bring them to heel.’
‘They will forget any lingering fondness for him when I-4 has a new leader,’ Glym said.
‘No one has declared themselves to me.’
‘They think Jaxon’s coming back,’ Eliza said. ‘They’re all too scared to take his place.’
Of course. Even now Jaxon was gone, his shadow still lay across the citadel, as it had for decades.
Usually, the only way to change the leader of a section was if the current one was killed, and if no mollisher came forward to claim the title. There would be a power struggle within the section before someone declared themselves to the Unnatural Assembly.
I didn’t know if Jaxon had chosen a new mollisher before he left, and in truth, I didn’t care. I also didn’t want chaos while the syndicate tried to work out who was the best replacement.
‘One of you must have a candidate in mind. I’d like you to encourage them to present themselves at the trial tomorrow. So we can put an end to this.’ I stood. ‘I’ll send orders within a day.’
With murmurs of ‘goodnight’, the commanders left the hideout. As Nick and Eliza went to secure the building, I cleared away the papers.
Warden was the last to stand. For the first time in weeks, we were alone together. I kept my head down as he stepped towards the doorway.
‘Are you leaving?’
‘I must,’ he said. ‘To speak with Terebell about what you have learned.’
I couldn’t stomach this atmosphere between us. The golden cord – the fragile link that had connected our spirits for several months – was supposed to tell me what he was thinking, what he was feeling, but all I sensed was an echo chamber for the void inside me.
‘You must remove Jaxon’s remaining supporters, Paige.’ He had stopped. ‘It is Terebell’s desire. Fail to do this, and you risk dissatisfying her.’
‘You just heard me—’
‘I was not referring to his supporters in general. You know which two I mean.’
Zeke and Nadine. I glanced at him from behind my hair. ‘Have you told Terebell that I haven’t evicted them from I-4?’
‘Not yet.’
‘But you will.’
‘I may have no choice. She will ask.’
‘And you’ll tell her.’
‘You seem exasperated.’
‘Do I really, Warden?’
‘Yes.’
I rubbed the bridge of my nose. ‘Terebell is obsessed with the tiny minority who support Jaxon,’ I explained, calmer. ‘She needs to stop. I know she hates him – I know it’s personal for her, and for you – but having to think about it is distracting me from things we need to focus on, like Senshield.’
‘She views your unwillingness to replace him as a sign that you are secretly loyal to your old mime-lord. That you await his return. Your refusal to expel Zeke and Nadine will only increase her suspicion.’
‘Oh, for goodness’ sake—’ I shrugged on my jacket. ‘I’ll deal with it. Give me a few days.’
‘You have delayed the matter because of Nick’s feelings for Zeke.’
‘You might know Terebell’s mind, Warden, but don’t presume you have any insight into mine.’
He fell silent, but his eyes burned.
Heat fanned across my face. Before I could say anything more, I snatched up my bag and headed for the door.
‘You may think me subservient to the Ranthen. Perhaps my respect for duty disappoints you,’ he said. I stopped. ‘Terebell is m
y sovereign-elect. I owe her my service and my allegiance – but do not think me some mindless instrument of her will. I remind you that I am my own master. I remind you that I have defied the Ranthen. And still do.’
‘I know,’ I said.
‘You do not believe me.’
A long breath escaped me. ‘I don’t know what I believe any more.’
Warden’s gaze darted across my features before he lightly touched the underside of my jaw, lifting my face. My heart thumped as I looked him in the eye.
The contact awakened something that had lain dormant for weeks, since the night before the scrimmage. As we watched each other, linked by the barest touch of his fingertips, I didn’t know what I wanted to do; what I wanted him to do. Leave me. Talk to me. Stay with me.
My hands moved as if by instinct – smoothing up to the rounds of his shoulders, settling at the nape of his neck. His palms stroked down the length of my back. I searched him the way I might search a map for a path I had known long ago, chasing the familiar, learning what I had forgotten. When our foreheads met, my dreamscape danced with the flames he always set there.
We were quiet for a while. My fingers found the hollow of his throat, where his pulse tolled – and I wondered, as I had before, why an immortal being had need of a heartbeat. I willed it to calm me, but it only made my own run faster. His hands rasped through my curls; I felt his breath flit over them, felt warmth race and rise beneath my skin. When I couldn’t stand the separation any more, I wound an arm around his neck and closed what space was left between us.
It was lighting a fire after days in the rain. I pressed my mouth to his, feverishly seeking a connection, and he answered in kind. I tasted wine first, a hint of oak, then him.
The strain of staying away from him had almost snapped me in half. Now I was cradled to his chest, I had thought that strain would ease, but I only wanted him to hold me tighter, closer. We kissed with a hunger that was almost a hurt, an ache deepened by weeks apart. I felt for the door handle, found no bolt or key to protect us from discovery – but I couldn’t stop. I needed this.
His lips unlocked mine. Our auras intertwined, the way they always did. My heart pounded at the thought of Terebell or one of the other Ranthen walking in; the uneasy alliance being torn apart. ‘Warden,’ I breathed, and he stopped at once – but now I had him back, I couldn’t bring myself to end this. I brought him back to me, his hands back to my waist. As I caught my breath, his lips grazed over the scar on my jaw and turned my skin as delicate as paper. Gently, he opened the top of my jacket and kissed my throat, brushing over the pendant that rested between my collarbones. A low sound escaped me as a shiver worked its way down my body.