Page 71 of The Dark Mirror

Terebell Sheratan appeared at midday on the dot. Despite the warmth, she wore a black coat over trousers, fastened almost to her chin, with matching gloves and boots.

‘That’s her?’ Ducos said, watching her walk between the mausoleums. ‘She’s tall enough.’

‘Yes,’ I said. ‘It’s her.’

Seeing us, Terebell came up to the gallery. Her dark hair was as sleek and immaculate as ever, her sarx untouched by the intense heat. I had only ever seen Arcturus sweat when a Buzzer had wounded him, as if his body had been trying to push out the corruption.

‘Hello, Terebell,’ I said.

Terebell just looked at me, her silence deafening.

‘I’m going to smoke.’ Ducos took her cigarettes from her pocket. ‘I’ll give you half an hour.’

She left us alone. Scores of insects chirred nearby as we took the measure of each other.

‘So you are alive,’ Terebell said. ‘You had no right to perform that manner of séance.’

‘I’m sorry if it was presumptuous. Arcturus taught me to do it.’

‘Arcturus has been languishing behind enemy lines for six months.’ Her eyes blazed. ‘Because of you.’

I deserved her resentment, but it was still hard to stop myself flinching.

‘Nick told me you were looking for him,’ I said, trying to keep my composure.

‘Yes, because he is no traitor. If you thought for a moment that Arcturus Mesarthim would betray the Mime Order, after all he has done for the cause, you are unworthy of his trust.’

‘Of course I didn’t think he would betray us. I also didn’t think he would ever raise a hand to me, but he did.’

‘Did it never occur to you that he was being coerced?’

‘Yes, but—’

‘You could not have forced him to leave with you. I accept that,’ Terebell said, ‘but you could have tracked him down again. You could have used the golden cord and kept trying to save him. Instead, you vanished, forcing a subordinate to wear the Rose Crown. You left us to search with nowhere to start, all while you possessed a compass pointing straight to Arcturus.’

‘I would appreciate it if you’d let me explain, Terebell.’

‘Speak, then, and be quick about it,’ she said coldly. ‘I have no time to waste on your excuses.’

‘A Domino agent snatched me from Paris after the airstrikes. She was giving me a lot of white aster. I was either brought to the free world against my will, or on false pretences.’ I held my nerve. ‘Look, you’re right to be angry. I see now that none of it added up. I should never have believed Nashira, but I’m going to fix it. I’m going to find Arcturus.’

‘I will find him. I no longer trust your judgement,’ Terebell said. ‘In any case, your long absence has demonstrated that the revolution is now capable of surviving without you.’

‘Why do you hate me so much?’

The directness of it must have thrown her. Her eyes gave a flare, and she failed to reply.

‘Why?’ I asked her. ‘What have I ever done to you?’

For once, Terebell didn’t say anything. She seemed to be waiting for me to get this off my chest.

‘I started a rebellion for you,’ I said. ‘I gave myself to Scion to be tortured. I deactivated Senshield. I united two syndicates against Scion. And you can’t even call me by my name.’ When she turned her back and strode to the balustrade, I sighed. ‘Can you really not even afford me that, after everything, Terebell?’

She might as well have been one of the sculptures. It was then that I knew I had to take a risk.

‘Is it because you’re still in love with him?’

Terebell turned to face me, her gaze utterly devoid of humanity.

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