“Maybe you’re thinking about this wrong,” she said. “None of what we do is possible without pilgrims. The sales stuff brings pilgrims here—for them, our theological work is a means to an end. In a way you’re more central to the business now than you ever were up top.” Mara raised her hand, and called for the check.

“We’ll test that soon enough. I have my first meeting with a pilgrim today.”

“On your own?”

“Twilling thinks I’m ready.” She nodded north, to Kavekana’ai. “How’s the Grimwald case? Once that’s over, Jace has one less excuse to keep me here in the outer darkness.”

The waiter brought the check. Kai reached for it, but Mara reached faster, and paid with a signature and a small heap of soul. “I don’t know, Kai.”

“Not good, then.”

“Not good. Their Craftswoman, Kevarian, she keeps digging for more information about Seven Alpha. Nothing’s enough. I don’t even know what she’s looking for. Our Craftsmen can’t stop her. I’ve gone in for three of those interrogation sessions now. Like needles driven into my brain. I tell her the whole story every time, but she doesn’t stop.” She folded her hands and looked out to the skyspires that hovered above the waves, miles distant. “You asked me, back on the balcony, if I’d ever heard a voice in the pool.”

A little electric chill feathered up Kai’s arms—a ghost’s unkind caress. “I did.”

“And I asked you if you had. And you never said.”

“I didn’t.” Mara waited. At last, Kai surrendered. “Fine. I heard something, I think, just before the idol died. Like a voice in my ear. ‘Howl, bound world.’ That’s it. I found the line later, in a poem, but I don’t know where it came from.”

“I’ve never heard those words before. Haven’t heard anything inside the pool.”

“Then why did you ask?”

“I don’t know why Kevarian’s pressing me so hard; I thought it might be connected to your question, but…” She shrugged. “You’re sure of what you heard?”

“I passed out a minute later, and spent the next two weeks on about nine forms of opiate, and I’ve had this recurring dream about being strapped to a table, so: maybe?”

Mara laughed, and looked guilty after. “I miss you.”

Kai heard the silence between them. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Mara said. “Nothing at all.” She looked down. “I’ve made partner. I thought you should know.”

Waves peaked into whitecaps. Sea breeze blew through the open window. Kai smelled salt and ozone: wards on the window burned away the scents of oil and dead fish. “That’s great,” she said when she found her voice. “That’s great. You deserve it.”

“I don’t. I mean, I didn’t expect it. A surprise. Jace told me three days ago.”