‘He won’t risk drawing the Blade if there’s a chance it will kill Marcus,’ said Will.
Violet blinked, startled by the insight. Will had been quiet throughout the discussion. It was very like him, she realised. Every now and again, he came out with that kind of unexpected observation, as though his mind worked differently from other people’s, leaping several steps ahead.
‘We can use that against him during the fight,’ said Will.
‘He’s right,’ said Leda slowly, as if this sort of artful tactic would not have occurred to her straightforward Steward mind.
‘How many Stewards will we need for the attack?’ asked Jannick.
‘All of them,’ said Leda. ‘From the newest to the oldest, every Steward must fight.’
‘As well as those of us who aren’t yet Stewards,’ said Cyprian, entering the great hall. He came down the centre aisle through the forest of columns. ‘I’m coming too.’
‘This battle is no place for a novitiate,’ Jannick said.
‘I might not have drunk from the Cup,’ said Cyprian, lifting his chin, ‘but I know how to fight. I’m more than just a novitiate. I’m the best trainee in the Hall. Better than some full Stewards.’ That was true, no matter how much Violet had always wanted it to be misplaced arrogance. She could almost feel the hot jealousy that flooded her any time she’d watched him fight: that perfect technique, that effortless mastery of form, even if he didn’t have a Steward’s strength. ‘If we lose this battle, we lose everything. Everyone who can should fight.’
Jannick’s eyes were on Cyprian’s as he gave a slow nod. ‘Very well. We will call up the novitiates. Leda, I leave that task to you.’
If he’s willing to take novitiates, he’s desperate. Cyprian might be the greatest fighter in a generation, but Emery or Beatrix would be slaughtered by someone like Tom. Her stomach turned over at the thought. If Tom’s there, I’ll find him. I’ll find him and stop him.
‘Marcus is our priority,’ said Leda. ‘If we can’t reach him, we’ve failed. We will engage while a smaller group penetrates the estate and aims for Marcus. If we do get to him—’
‘I know what to do,’ said Justice steadily. ‘I made him a promise, and I intend to keep it.’
‘You mean kill him,’ said Cyprian.
‘If I can,’ said Justice. ‘Even if he hasn’t turned, the shadow in him will fight.’
Cold fingers of horror splayed across Violet’s spine. She didn’t know how it would play out. But she had a sudden terrible glimpse of a creature, half shadow, fighting, grasping and clawing, wearing Marcus’s face—
Cyprian had gone white. ‘I understand. If it comes to … I won’t get in your way.’
‘If he’s turning, how will we—’ Violet swallowed. ‘What are the signs?’
There was another silence, this one almost painful. She had stumbled across one of those Steward taboos. Jannick forced the words out, though they were bitten off, unwilling.
‘A tremor in the hand. Heightened emotion in the voice. Loss of control. In the later stages, you can glimpse the shadow. Behind the eyes. Under the skin. The Steward starts to become insubstantial.’
A line of unwavering Steward swords, all in a row. Voices chanting in perfect harmony. Forms practised over and over. Every Steward exercise was like a test, taken day in, day out, to prove they were still themselves.
And if they failed—
‘Marcus was never afraid to die,’ said Justice, as if reading her thoughts. ‘It’s the half life he feared. It’s the same for all of us. I’m not afraid to die fighting. I made that choice when I drank from the Cup. I’ve already given my life to the fight.’
Jannick nodded for them to begin their preparations, and several of the Stewards stood up from the table.
‘The light will shine for you in the Hall,’ said the Elder Steward. ‘The janissaries will tend to the fire, the Final Flame that has never gone out. For there will always be a light in the darkness, while a Steward lives to defend it.’
Will stopped her in the hallway, a hand on her wrist, tugging her aside.
‘What is it?’ she said as he guided her to a quiet alcove where Cyprian was waiting. Will’s voice was hushed as he spoke to both of them under the curved grey stone.
‘This is a suicide mission. They’re preparing to go in there and die. And they don’t even know if they can get to Marcus.’