‘So,’ Ognena Maria finally said, looking me up and down, ‘you’re Irish. Interesting.’

‘You don’t sound English,’ I said, a question in my tone.

‘Bulgarian. We’re both in Scion’s bad books.’ She tilted her head.

‘I’ll confess to being intrigued by you, Pale Dreamer. I’ve never met someone with an aura quite like yours.’

‘A curiosity indeed,’ Didion said, with disdain. ‘Binder is quite the hoarder of treasures.’

‘Last I checked,’ I said, ‘I wasn’t a collectable.’

His mouth popped open.

‘A quick tongue and an interesting aura.’ Ognena Maria grinned. ‘What are you, kid?’

My muscles were tensing. Jaxon had told me to hide the fact that I was a dreamwalker. Fortunately, Nick was already back. I moved a little closer to him.

‘Binder agrees,’ he said heavily. ‘He claims the right to bind Anne Naylor at his leisure – but if you sell Metyard, he wants the opportunity to buy her privately. No auction.’

‘Agreed. I’ll organise the sale myself.’ Ognena Maria shook his hand, cutting off Didion’s protest with a look. ‘You’re welcome to stay in my territory for as long as you need. If you want somewhere to gather your thoughts, go to the teahouse on Turnmill Street. The owner will make sure no Vigiles bother you.’

‘Thank you,’ Nick said. ‘I’ll send word about our progress. Didion,’ he added, ‘I have a few questions about how and where you found Metyard. If you don’t mind.’

Didion sniffed. ‘It seems I have no choice.’

Nick patted him on the back and led him into the derelict church. As I followed, Ognena Maria caught my elbow.

‘A little advice for you, Pale Dreamer. From one stranger in this country to another,’ she said quietly. ‘You seem like a nice enough kid, but you’re also from the highest order of clairvoyance, which means some people will put you on a pedestal. Not everyone in this syndicate gets that luxury. There’s a hierarchy. An order to things.’

I listened, watching her face. There was no trickery or malice in her expression.

‘Being in this syndicate will toughen you up, but don’t let it turn you to stone. Don’t get too big for your boots. And always question what you’re told. Remember what it’s like to be an outsider, a nobody. Don’t look down on the people who end up at the bottom. Give a bit of coin to the gutterlings. Stay humble. And keep your mind open. You might find it repays you one day.’

She looked almost sorry as she spoke. As if she had seen something pure and new that could only be tainted by the world, no matter how much wool she wrapped around it.

‘Thank you,’ I said, and smiled a little. ‘I’ll try not to become a stone-cold killer, at least.’