Page 149 of The Bone Season

‘Earth can be a taxing place. As his consort, I am always concerned for his wellbeing, but he is unselfish by nature. He chooses not to share his burdens with me,’ she said, without a lick of discernible fondness. ‘Since we live apart, I cannot see them. You must be my eyes.’

As if she would ever involve a human in her relationship issues. She must think I was thick as champ.

‘I will ask you once more,’ Nashira said. ‘Have you ever seen this symbol in the Founders Tower?’

Alsafi watched me from the doorway. I glanced at him, then at Nashira.

This was the moment of truth.

In the heartbeats that followed, I weighed my choices. For months, I had been a pawn in a game with rules I didn’t understand. A stick pulled between two dogs that ought to be getting along just fine.

There was a small possibility that Warden had been testing me on her behalf. Something told me that wasn’t the case. Surely even she wouldn’t expect her consort to put himself in that much danger just to see what I would do.

No, this was my chance to break faith with him. I could tell her everything, from his lenience to the wounds. I could admit to seeing the symbol. I could share my suspicions that he was not wholly obedient to her.

But she would still kill me, sooner or later.

Nashira didn’t know I was aware of her murderous intentions. Warden had prepared me for this. Thanks to him and Liss, I knew that all I would gain from betraying him were a few weeks of privilege.

I wanted to know more about Warden. I needed to understand who he was and what he was doing. I thought of his gentle attempt to tease me, and wondered for a moment if it might not have been mimicry.

Impressively, I managed to think all of this in the time it took me to adjust a button on my tunic.

‘No,’ I said.

Nashira watched me. ‘You seem very sure.’

‘I am.’

She looked straight at me, into my eyes. I had no idea if I was meant to hold or to break her gaze.

‘Of course,’ I said, ‘if I did see any such thing, I would tell you, Suzerain. I would never want my keeper to be without the love of his consort.’

‘I am glad to hear it.’

Nashira gave Alsafi a subtle nod. He pulled once on a tassel, ringing a bell.

‘Since you passed your second test, you are now a red-jacket,’ Nashira informed me. ‘You must be formally introduced to some of your new associates. They are loyal to me, even above their own keepers.’

That must have been my final trial. She had believed me.

I had reached the highest echelons of this city – the inner circle of Nashira Sargas.

A door closed in the distance. A line of red-jackets walked into the room, escorted by Suhail.

‘Welcome, my friends,’ Nashira said. ‘Please, sit.’

There were twenty of them, each well fed and clean as a whistle. They must come to see her in small groups. The veterans were at the front, including 16 and 17, who both walked stiffly. I tensed at the sight of them.

At the back of the line was Carl. The weasel had survived his second test. When he saw me, he looked close to indignation, as did several of the others. They must not have seen a pink-jacket at this table before.

They all sat. Carl took the chair directly across the table from me, while a burly soothsayer with an eyepatch sat to my left. David was a few places away. There was a fresh cut on his head, sealed with a row of stitches.

‘Another fine summer begins. Thanks to your efforts, the city has not been breached for several weeks,’ Nashira said. ‘Having said that, we must never forget the constant threat of the Emim. There is no cure for their brutality. Since the ethereal threshold is broken, there is also no way to imprison them in the Netherworld. You are all that stands between the hunters and their prey. You are the protectors of humankind.’

It was clear from their expressions that they all believed it, with the possible exception of David, who was eyeing the masks. 16 and 17 were wise enough not to look my way, which I appreciated. I was of a mind to chuck all my cutlery in their direction.

‘22,’ Nashira said. ‘How is 75?’

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