I stared at him. He hadn’t made me breakfast since I was about twelve; nor had he called me by that nickname since we’d lived in Ireland. Ten years ago. A lifetime ago. ‘Paige?’ ‘Okay,’ I said. ‘See you in the morning.’ I pulled away and headed for my room. My father said nothing more. He left the door ajar, as he always did when I was home. He’d never known how to act around me. The guest room was as warm as ever. My old bedroom. I’d moved to Dials as soon as school was over, but my father had never taken a lodger – he didn’t need one. Officially, I still lived here. Easier to leave it on the records. I opened the door to the balcony, which stretched between my room and the kitchen. My skin had gone from cold to burning hot and my eyes had an odd strained feeling, like I’d stared into a light for hours. All I could see was the face of my victim – and the vacuity, the insanity, of the one I’d left alive. That damage had been caused in seconds. My spirit wasn’t just a scout – it was a weapon. Jaxon had been waiting for this. I found my phone and called Jaxon’s room in the den. It barely rang before he was off. ‘Well, well! I thought you’d left me for the weekend. Where’s the fire, honeybee? Have you rethought the holiday? You don’t really need one, do you? I thought not. I absolutely cannot lose my walker for two days. Have a heart, darling. Excellent. I’m delighted you agree. Did you get your hands on Jane Rochford, by the way? I’ll transfer you another few thousand if you need it. Just don’t tell me that toffee-nosed bastard Didion nabbed Anne Naylor and—’ ‘I killed someone.’ Silence. ‘Who?’ Jax sounded odd. ‘Underguard. They tried to detain a medium.’ 26
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