The place on Monmouth Street was where Jax lived: a three-story maisonette above a small boutique. I often stayed overnight, telling my father I was staying with friends. It wasn’t exactly a lie. For months I’d learned the ropes of clairvoyant society: the structure of the gangs, the names of their leaders, the etiquette and enmity between the sections. Now Jaxon was testing my gift. Teaching me how to be one of them.

A few weeks after starting my new job, I’d been able to consciously crack my spirit out of place. I’d immediately stopped breathing. That was when Jax and Eliza had panicked, thinking they’d killed me. Nick, always the medic, had revived me with a syringe of adrenaline to the heart, and even though my chest had hurt for a week, I was proud as anything. The four of us had gone to Chateline’s to celebrate, and Jax had ordered life support for next time.

I fit in with these people. They understood the strangeness of my world, a world I was only just beginning to discover. We’d created a little world in Seven Dials, a world of crime and color. Now there was a stranger in our midst. Possibly two, if Nadine ended up being interesting.

I felt for their dreamscapes. Nadine’s was nothing unusual, but Zeke’s—well, his was interesting. A dark, heavy presence in the æther.

“So, Zeke,” Nick said, “where are you from?”

Zeke looked up.

“I was born in Mexico,” he said, “but I live with Nadine now.”

He gave no further explanation. I glanced over my shoulder. “Have you been to a Scion citadel before?”

“No. I wasn’t sure if it was a good idea.”

“But you came.”

“We just wanted to get away for a while. Nadine’s college was offering places on the conference. I was curious about Scion.” He looked down at his hands. “I’m glad we decided to come. We’ve felt different for years, but—well, Mr. Hall told us why.”

Nick looked intrigued. “What’s the official stance on clairvoyance in the States?”

“They’re calling it ESP—extrasensory perception. All they say is that it’s a recognized illness under Scion law, and that the CDC is investigating it. They don’t want to commit to any stance on it. I don’t think they ever will.”

I wanted to ask about their families, but something told me to save it for later. “Jaxon’s so pleased you’re joining us.” Nick offered a smile. “I hope you’ll like it here.”

“You’ll get used to it,” I said. “I hated it when I arrived. It got better when Jaxon hired me. The syndicate will take care of you.”

Zeke looked up. “You’re not English?”

“Irish.”

“I didn’t think many Irish people escaped the Molly Riots.”

“I managed.”