It took a few moments for him to realise that he wasn’t alone any more. He looked up sharply to see Lena Vasteva smiling at him.

‘Long night?’ she asked.

She was in her work clothes – the dark-grey suit, hair tied back. It always took him a moment to recognise her as the same woman when he ran into her at the Bastion. Her expression just then was hard to read – she might have been pleased to see him, might have been irritated. Hard to blame her, if she was.

‘Throne,’ Zidarov swore, and glanced around him. The refectory was half-empty. He barely recognised any of those sitting at the tables, and in any case they seemed to be minding their own business. ‘Should you be here?’

Vasteva laughed. ‘I work here, remember?’ She took a sip of her own drink. ‘I think you used to, too.’

Zidarov slumped. ‘I’m a little on edge. Not enough sleep.’

‘Yeah, you and me both.’

He looked up at her. He felt off guard, caught napping, but felt like he had to say something. ‘It’s not easy, right now.’

‘I know.’

‘I like what I’ve got. I want to keep it. I don’t like sneaking around.’

‘No, I get that.’

‘So there are times when…’ He struggled for the words.

‘When you wonder whether it’s worth it?’ She shrugged. ‘That’s your decision. You know the answer, but you’re a big boy now. I can’t make your choices for you.’

Zidarov chuckled sourly. ‘Between you and Gyorgu, I reckon there’s a niche line in motivational speakers here.’

‘I want to help.’

‘Everyone wants to help.’

‘What can I do?’

Zidarov sighed, and started eating. ‘A little space, maybe,’ he said, chewing. ‘Not for long. I’ve got this case, and–’

‘You’ll always have a case, Zido.’ She finished her drink, and made to get up. ‘As will I. Anyway, just so you know, I’m still here, it’s all still good. But you need to think about what’s ­important – truly important.’

He found he didn’t have a reply to that. So he watched her go, and that made him feel worse than ever.

He finished eating. He drained the caffeine. That at least filled his stomach and washed down the worst of the chem-taste from his mouth. Then he got up, rolled his tight shoulders, and headed for Analysis.