Page 46 of The Dark Mirror

‘Red. Thanks, sweet.’

Nick rubbed the bridge of his nose. ‘Maria, you just woke up from an anaesthetic. I had to pull a knife out of your arm with pliers. I’d rather you avoided drinking after surgery.’

Maria sighed. ‘Do the specific antibiotics I’m taking interact with alcohol?’

‘No, but it can—’

‘Then you can allow me one little tipple, Dr Nygård. There’s no scimorphine out here.’

Leaving them to bicker, I ordered a bottle of wine and perched on a bar stool to wait. Even if Maria couldn’t drink it, I might. I asked for a second glass, just in case.

Nick had no word of Arcturus. I had been a fool to hope.

I know you didn’t betray me.I closed my eyes, concentrating on the golden cord.Help me find you.

‘Flora.’

I glanced over my shoulder. Ducos had appeared to my left, wearing a fitted linen suit.

‘You look preoccupied,’ she said. ‘Is everything all right?’

‘Fine. Just thinking.’

‘Don’t tell me that. I’ll worry.’ She signalled to the bartender. ‘My colleague in Command will see you tomorrow morning at nine. I’ve brought her abreast of the Alps incident, so you won’t have to repeat yourself. I imagine you’ve spent most of this evening telling Dr Nygård.’

‘Yes. Thanks.’ My throat was sore from talking. ‘Have you worked much with Nick?’

‘Here and there. An exceptional addition to Domino,’ Ducos said. (I could only dream of such praise.) ‘Try not to be tired or hungover tomorrow.’

She stepped away before I could say another word, greeting another well-dressed woman in French. I accepted the bottle and glasses from the bartender and left Ducos to it.

‘Nick,’ I said, sitting back at our table, ‘I think it’s time you told us your side of things.’

‘Yes, please.’ Maria fanned herself with a menu. ‘You went silent on me for two months.’

‘I’m sorry,’ Nick said, ‘but I did have a reason.’

‘Let’s hear it.’

Nick had stayed in London until April. Once he was back in Sweden, Max had allowed him to pursue his own goals – one of which was to find his parents and uncle, who had been in hiding since November. By summer, Nick had tracked them down and moved them into nearby Denmark, where a Domino liaison had connected him to the Libuše Institute. Radomír had put him back in touch with Maria, who had met him at a hotel in Copenhagen.

‘That was when I asked Maria to search for you,’ Nick told me. ‘I’d been having visions.’

‘What sort of visions?’

‘I saw you walking in the mist, with snow on your lashes and stars in your hair. I’ve never had a vision of a dead person,’ he said. ‘I knew we had to keep searching for you.’

‘Is your family still in Denmark?’

‘Domino interceded with the Icelandic government. Mamma was allowed to resume her citizenship, so they’ve moved to Bakkagerði. I’m glad they’re finally out of danger.’

‘That’s great, Nick.’

‘Yes,’ Maria said. ‘You did well to get them out.’

‘It was only thanks to Max letting me use his Domino connections,’ Nick said. ‘I’ll try to visit them before I go back into Scion. I’ve never met my Icelandic grandparents.’

‘Your parents must be terrified for you,’ I said. ‘Didn’t they want you to go with them?’

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