Sebastian was relatively sure it was morning.

He’d woken up in this cell, his wrists shackled to the wall. This was not the first time he’d been placed behind bars, and familiarity, it was fair to say, breeds contempt. But at least this time he had some company as, one by one, the members of the Darquesse Society were led in and chained up on either side of him.

When the last of Sebastian’s friends had been secured, the men and women in black uniforms stood back, and Damocles Creed walked in, Hoc trailing after him.

The Supreme Mage went straight over to Sebastian, hunkered down and peered into his eyes. “And why is this one dressed as a plague doctor?”

“We’re not entirely sure,” Hoc said. “The mask is proving difficult to remove. Give me the night, Supreme Mage, and I will peel it away.”

“I don’t think that’s necessary,” Creed said. “Once he’s dead, I’m sure it will be easier to take off.” He reached out, tapped a thick finger against the glass lens over Sebastian’s right eye. “Who are you, I wonder?”

Sebastian clenched his jaw. “You won’t get anything out of—”

“It was a rhetorical question,” Creed said, standing up. “I don’t care who you are. All I care about is that the Darquesse child cares about you. She’ll track you down, I trust? Come to your rescue? ”

Sebastian glared. “I don’t know what you’re—”

“No use lying!” Tantalus said, bounding in with a delighted smile on his face. “I told him everything! Every last thing – Sebastian Tao ! I told them your name, I told them it all! You should have killed me – you know that? You should have.”

“How could you do this?” Kimora asked. “You worship Darquesse just as much as we do.”

“More!” Tantalus screeched. “I worshipped her more! I founded the Darquesse Society! I was your leader! But you betrayed me, and by doing so—”

Two of Hoc’s men grabbed Tantalus. “What?” he said. “Hello?” Despite his struggles, they led him to the wall without much effort and chained him there. “Supreme Mage, what is the meaning of this? I demand—”

“Hush,” said Creed. “I don’t care about anything you have to say. Literally anything.”

“But … but, Supreme Mage!” Tantalus cried. “We had a deal! Supreme Mage! Our deal!”

Creed closed his eyes. “I have a headache,” he said. “I’ve had a headache ever since I came back. I don’t know what it is. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s a side effect of returning to life. Maybe it’s something else.” He opened his eyes. “I haven’t been myself lately. Again, I don’t know why. I’ve been agreeing to things without questioning them. That is unlike me. This is worrying. And so I find myself seizing each and every opportunity I can to attempt to reassert myself – to reassert the old me. This is one such opportunity. Mr Tantalus, the old me would have ordered you shot by now, simply for raising your voice. You’d better hope the old me stays hidden.”

He walked out. Hoc and his agents followed. A gate clanged shut and Tantalus fell into a shocked silence.

Sebastian leaned forward so he could see him down the far end. “Had a deal, huh?” He leaned back. “How’s that working out for you?”