Page 127 of The Dark Mirror

‘No. It seems that, as the saying goes, all roads lead to Rome.’

‘I’ve never heard that.’ I wound a curl around my fingers. ‘I shouldn’t have brought you to that meeting. I knew there had been leaks in Domino, but I trusted that Command was clean.’

‘You are not at fault.’

His eyes were too dim for my comfort. In Paris, he had fed every two or three days.

‘Arcturus,’ I said, ‘when did you last take aura?’

‘The night you revived me. I will endure until we reach Rome.’

I doubted it.

‘You could use mine,’ I said, after a moment. ‘It would be easier than trying to find a stranger.’

‘I will not feed on you, Paige.’

‘You’re clearly in no state to look for random voyants in a city you don’t know. Otherwise you’d have done it in Venice. You can’t risk being seen in Rome.’

‘I have never been seen.’

‘Fine.’ I undid my seatbelt. ‘Stay here. I won’t go far.’

Outside in the fog, I paced near the chargers, trying to stretch the ache from my back. Hours in one position had left me stiff, and my shoulder was killing me.

I was going to be alone with Arcturus for a few days. I had no idea how to handle that, or why it was irritating me that he refused to use my aura. As I blew into my hands, a black car turned off the motorway and drove towards the charging stations, just as several others had.

Except this one was different. This was the same car I had noticed earlier.

At once, I returned to my seat and reached across to lock the doors. The car approached ours.

‘Paige,’ Arcturus said. ‘What is it?’

‘Wait,’ I said.

The car passed us without stopping. It had tinted windows, so dark I couldn’t make out anything inside. It circled to the back of the service station and vanished from sight.

‘Never mind.’ I released my breath. ‘I really am getting paranoid.’

‘I doubt that.’

‘No, I am. All the double-crossing is driving me insane.’ I kneaded my forehead. ‘I could deal with the concept of fighting Scion. That was simple. But now there are multiple factions in the mix, and they all seem to either want me dead or working for them.’

‘Grapevine is the faction that ought to concern us most. Vindemiatrix Sargas is shrewd, and I suspect her knowledge of humans is second only to mine. Her agents stand ready to disseminate propaganda and buckle free-world nations from within. Fitzours may be able to force governments to convert, but the people will require further conditioning.’

‘At least he can’t possess everyone.’ I slouched into my seat. ‘I’m sorry I snapped at you earlier. Cade is stronger than me. If we lose the element of surprise, I’ve no advantage.’

‘We do not yet know the extent of your abilities.’

‘No, but he’s clearly willing to go much further than I am. What he did to both of us in Paris – I wouldn’t do something like that to my worst enemy. I don’t think I have it in me.’

‘If you did,’ Arcturus said, ‘what would distinguish their side from ours?’

I looked at him. He always knew exactly what to say.

Ducos chose that moment to return from the service station. ‘You don’t eat, do you?’ she said to Arcturus. He shook his head. ‘Coffee for you, Flora.’

‘Thanks,’ I said.

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