Thisbe Saneer stretched back in her seat, and lifted her slippered foot so I could see it over the waist-high frame of the visiting window. Prison might have stolen her silky suits and preferred shampoos, but it had no power over the curve of her calf, or the elusive slice of ankle, usually hidden by her boots. The interrogation room’s harsh lighting showed the emptiness of her side of the glass dividing wall, a sterile room, a chair, a table, a paper cup of tea, while my side—my side was crowded with smoke-and-cancer prison specters, which pooled behind me, using my flesh as cover as they swarmed to flee the witch.

“Going out?” I repeated.

Her sharp glance made the specters cringe. “Don’t tell me we’re not leaving yet. The wait has been beyond intolerable. I know you could’ve sprung me before this, and I’m not interested in excuses, I’m interested in getting back to work.”

“Sprung you?” I repeated.

“I hear you sprang Ganymede ages ago. I’d have enjoyed a month in a royal resort in Spain too.”

“I’m not—”

“I know you’re the agent, not the architect. It’s been fun guessing who it would be, really, there are so many options: Madame, the old president, the new president, the Emperor, the Major. I’ve been in as much suspense as boredom.”

“Suspense?” I asked. “As to…?”

“As to who would recruit me first. So many must be tempted. I’m sure you and Papadelias have shown everyone my portfolio by now.”

“Portfolio,” I whispered back.

She smirked. “But it’s rude making me wait this long. I know you have Sidney and the captured Typer twin already beavering away, and Ockham’s doing such fine work with Ancelet, but I’ve been bored out of my wits waiting. Who sent you, then? Don’t string out the suspense.”

“Thisbe, I’m only here to ask you to read over these chapters I’ve written describing how you first met Carlyle, and how you went to Chagatai’s, and then Madame’s.”

A stark stare. “Are we being listened to?” she mouthed.

“Possibly,” I replied aloud, “but not by any enemy that I know of.”

“Come, Mycroft. We both know I’m too delicious a resource for selfish powers to leave alone this long. Well? Don’t just sit staring. What really brought you here?”

“I’m writing this history, of the week of transformation when…”

She shook her head. “I know lies, Mycroft. And I know you.”

“I… actually I did want to ask your advice on something. We have a… very large problem, actually. I assume you know about any allies your bash’mates might have or make, and the truth is that Sniper is…”

“Oooh, Cardie… Cardie is a fun little challenge.”