right up to the altar.
‘Who does she think she is?’ said the girl angrily.
Cal.
Markes slid down and began packing his guitar into a case. He glanced up at Cal as if startled by something she said. Then his gaze roamed the crowd until somehow it found Naif again. He closed the lid of the case and walked straight over to her.
The girls screamed for his attention but he didn’t seem to hear them. He stopped in front of Naif, leaning down to her.
‘I’ve been looking for you. What happened?’
Naif glanced around nervously. ‘Not here.’
He frowned and nodded. ‘Come.’ He put out his hands and lifted her up over the jube. Others tried to follow them but Ripers appeared and pushed them back.
‘What are you doing with her?’ said Cal from behind them.
‘I want to talk to Retra. Hold my guitar and wait here,’ he replied, as he drew Naif past the altar into the darkened depths of the sanctuary.
‘They brought me in through a side door. Let’s go out through there.’ He dropped a casual arm over her shoulder, which sent her heart spinning. She hadn’t been this physically close to him since the barge. Could Lenoir see them? She glanced back into the light of the nave and transept. She couldn’t make out the gallery from here.
‘There,’ said Markes. He pointed towards a deep, shadowy apse that contained a tall, iron stand. Upon it rested an unlit candle, as large and broad as Markes’s shoulders.
As they got closer to it, Markes dropped his face to hers and nuzzled into her neck. For an instant her world filled with the same melody he’d been playing. Her head swirled and her heart soared.
‘What –’
He lifted his head and peered through the curls of his fringe into the light at their backs. ‘In case someone is watching us,’ he said. ‘Looks like we’re doing … what everyone else here is.’
Naif wanted to reach up and pull his face back to hers, but burning fingers of anger reached across Agios and gripped her throat. Lenoir! She gasped and edged away from Markes.
But he didn’t seem to notice anything, intent now on leading her behind the statue to the outline of a door, where he fumbled with the bolt for a moment before it came free.
Naif stepped through first.
He followed her out in the warm night, standing under a small pond of lantern light. From where they stood, paths led across and down the mountainside, each marked by a faint glow.
Now that they were truly alone, Markes let go of her and pulled his sweat-damp shirt loose from his waistband. He slipped his hands into the pockets of his pants. Shoulders hunched over a little, he kicked the toe of his boot into the dirt.
‘Why did you try to stop me from joining the Circle? You act so weird around me. Like at Vank.’
She couldn’t tell him about the demons. Even Suki hadn’t understood. ‘That time in Vank, Modai made me eat an entire Rapture pod. I didn’t know what I was doing.’
He lifted his head, startled. ‘Why did he do that?’
Naif shrugged. ‘I don’t know but he seems to follow me, and watch me.’ She shuddered. ‘At the Youth Circle, I had a premonition. You know, like something bad might happen to you.’
‘But it’s an honour to become a member of the Circle. Cal says you’re just jealous.’ He frowned. ‘But I don’t think you’re like that. Are you?’
‘The Ripers want to use you and Charlonge as bait to catch Ruzalia.’
‘What?’
‘We heard them speaking of it just before they brought you to the circle.’
‘I don’t remember much, other than meeting Lenoir. Bran gave me something to swallow. Said I needed to take it if I was to be presented.’ He frowned as if trying to recall what had happened. ‘I don’t trust them or the Circle. You’ve heard of the gangs here?’
‘You mean the Wings and the Freeks and whatever?’
She nodded. ‘Plenty of them think that the Circle spy for the Ripers.’
Markes raked his fringe away from his eyes, and for the first time she saw them properly. They looked cloudy as if he’d taken something; a pod or beads.
‘I don’t know what to believe. Did you know that some people are talking about you like you’re some sort of hero?’ he said. ‘And others say you’re the one that’s been spying for the Ripers. That Lenoir’s watching over you especially.’
‘Who says that? Members of the Circle?’
Markes dropped his head again.
‘Lenoir helped me