Page 143 of The Bone Season

‘I’ve never been happier,’ I said.

And it was true. Here in this stuffy room, surrounded by forbidden trinkets, I had never felt more like the person I was meant to be. Eliza gave me a smile that was almost wistful.

‘Okay,’ she said. ‘I think I’ll pop into the club for a couple of hours. I’ll be back before sunrise.’

‘Have fun,’ I said.

‘You can bet on it.’

With a jangle of bracelets, she sidled from my room.

Eliza Renton – a woman who could fake two deaths, then dance until dawn without a second thought. You had to admire her. I started to shade the rings on my sketch, making each one darker than the last.

When my door opened again, I expected to see an enlivened Eliza. Instead, Jaxon appeared, looking almost feverish, spots of pink on his cheeks.

Before my eyes, he downed his entire absinthe. I lowered the sketchbook.

‘Jaxon?’

‘Unreadable,’ he burst out, a wild glittering in his eyes. ‘Darling, you have company. Another diamond among stones. Our dear Mr Sáenz is anunreadable.’

MOMENT OF TRUTH

Magdalen was an ancient building. According to Gail, the former college had been founded in 1458, centuries before Scion. For several hours, I sat in its hold, flinching each time its bells rang the hour.

Warden had taken me back to the Founders Tower, then returned to the Rookery. He had said nothing to me – no reproach, no threat of punishment.

Michael kept checking on me. At three in the morning, he presented me with a bowl of baked chestnuts, with cracked brown shells and velvety white insides, reminding me of midwinters in London. My favourite vendor sold them at the end of Lambeth Bridge.

Half an hour later, Michael brought a cup of sugary tea. I stirred from a doze.

‘Thank you.’ I took it with my good hand. ‘Any time for a break, Michael?’

He shook his head with an apologetic smile.

‘It’s okay. I know you’re busy.’ I smiled back. ‘Don’t let me keep you.’

Michael had already taken my clothes for laundering. I was huddled on the daybed in a spare undershirt, a heavy mantle covering my bare legs.

Warden returned at sunrise. I watched him remove his cloak and jerkin.

‘The Rookery is badly damaged,’ he said. ‘Since the performers need their strength for the Bicentenary, they will be allowed to sleep in the Old Library.’

‘Right.’ I rubbed my temples. ‘Shit.’

‘What is it?’

‘I broke into the Old Library. Anyone who checks the door will notice.’

‘I had the padlock replaced several weeks ago,’ Warden said. My brow creased. ‘The day you missed the curfew, you could only have been out of bounds. I checked all of the sealed buildings for weaknesses.’

I nodded slowly, even as I questioned why I had told him so readily.

With a padlock back on the door, Julian wouldn’t have been able to hide Liss. Not that we could have concealed her condition for long. As soon as she failed to appear for training, Beltrame would have overturned the whole city in search of her.

‘The Rookery,’ I said. ‘Will it be repaired?’

‘No,’ Warden said quietly. ‘After the Bicentenary, the performers will be evicted from the Old Library.’

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