“You know what rank Caldera is?”

“In the Keepers? Journeyman, right?”

“That’s right. Know how long she’s been there?”

I shook my head.

“A while.”

I looked at Haken. He looked back at me expectantly, as if he’d answered my question. “Maybe I’m being slow here,” I said. “Could you lay it out for me?”

“Caldera’s a bit of an idealist,” Haken said. “You want a mentor at the investigation side of the job, she’s great. Thing is, you want to get ahead, it takes a bit more than that. You have to play the game.” Haken shrugged. “Caldera’s good at what she does. But there’s a reason she hasn’t been promoted.”

“Does that have anything to do with why she seems to get assigned the really dangerous jobs?”

“Not the really dangerous ones . . .” I kept looking at Haken and he raised a hand. “She volunteers, all right? I keep telling her to pass them up.”

“You said she doesn’t play the game,” I said quietly. “Any chance she’s made a few enemies in the Order of the Star? Some people who’d be happy to get rid of her?”

“No.” Haken shook his head. “Caldera’s a good Keeper. The brass know that. They send her out, they know she’ll do a good job. But to get up the ranks, you need to do more than be good at your job. You need friends in higher places.” Haken paused. “You want to make a go of it in our Order, you might want to keep that in mind.”

I raised my eyebrows. “I’m not a Keeper.”

“Doesn’t matter as much as you think,” Haken said. “The Council can always use people who know how to be discreet.”

I gave Haken a sharp look. He held my eyes for a couple of seconds, then shrugged and the moment was gone. “Just something to remember.”

“. . . Sure.”

Something moved in the futures. I looked to the right out across the Belfry and saw a blond woman approaching us over the polished floor, heels tapping on the stone. She was dressed smartly, and as she came within earshot she addressed us with an upper-class accent. “Keeper Haken? You’re required in court.”

Haken nodded and put away his report. “See you when I get out.” Haken and the woman walked away towards the opposite doors. They didn’t look back.

As they disappeared behind the columns I went back to scanning futures. With Haken gone I could look further—it’s always easier when you don’t have someone nearby cluttering things up. After a moment, I spotted someone relatively close. He was going to approach me this time, and his name was . . . Huh. Where have I heard that before?

I sat for a few minutes, thinking. I didn’t react as the figure crossed the floor towards me and halted at the alcove. “Mage Verus?” a voice said.

“Mm-hm.” I looked up with a frown. I’d already seen the man in my future sight: English features, nice suit, brown hair, neutral expression. He looked like a Council functionary, and I’d definitely seen him before. Where had it been . . . ?