The Burning Page

It would have been nice to have had a private conversation with Kai, in which she could have broken the news about the current situation to him slowly and in detail, Irene reflected. Emphasis on the would have been. ‘I’m afraid that’s not going to be possible.’ She took another swig of the brandy. ‘I have an immediate job from the Library. You and I will be leaving later today, Kai.’

‘Leaving this country?’ Vale put in with a frown.

‘Leaving this world,’ Irene said.

‘I’m afraid I’m intruding,’ Li Ming observed. He rose from the chair he was occupying, his long silver braid slipping to hang straight down his back. ‘Your highness, perhaps we can converse later?’

‘No, stay,’ Kai said, before Irene could stop him. ‘I need – that is, I’d be grateful for your help in that other matter. Irene, surely Li Ming isn’t a threat here? You know that my family and our kin aren’t enemies of the Library.’

Li Ming waited politely, with the air of someone who would of course be glad to leave, rather than eavesdrop on a matter that didn’t concern him. But his silver eyes, as bright and metallic as his hair or his fingernails, showed a confidence that he would be allowed to stay.

‘I can give my word not to tell anyone else about it, darling,’ Zayanna said. ‘You know my word binds me. And I’d hate to just walk out if I could actually help you.’

Vale leaned forward in his chair. ‘Has this something to do with the murder attempt on you and Kai, Winters?’

And here it all came down to the wire. Who did Irene trust? Kai, of course, but did she trust everyone that he trusted? Li Ming worked for Kai’s uncle: it would be his duty to pass on anything he heard. And even if the dragons weren’t enemies of the Library, they weren’t the sort of neighbour who’d turn down a territorial advantage or ignore a weakness. Zayanna was Fae, and Alberich had worked with other Fae in the past. And just because Zayanna said she was Irene’s friend, that didn’t mean that she was a friend to the Library. Vale himself was currently suffering the effects of having helped Irene previously. Was it fair to put him in even more danger?

Common sense popped that last bubble of guilt and made it vanish. Vale would walk barefoot over broken glass to investigate a case. His behaviour wasn’t Irene’s responsibility.

‘I don’t know,’ Irene said. She looked around the room, considering. ‘Zayanna, if you want to stay in here and hear what I have to say, I’m going to ask you for that promise.’

Zayanna bowed her head and put her hand on her heart. ‘I swear, on my name and nature, that I won’t reveal anything you tell me to any other Fae, or anyone who may use it against you. And I won’t use it against you myself.’ Her voice throbbed with conviction.

It was melodramatic, but it seemed sincere. And, to the best of Irene’s knowledge, the Fae couldn’t break their given word. They could be incredibly picky about how they interpreted promises, but they couldn’t break them. Zayanna was safe, to a limited degree.

‘Alberich has threatened the Library,’ Irene said. Neither Zayanna nor Li Ming showed any surprise at the name. Well, that answers that question: they both know about him. ‘I’ve been assigned an immediate retrieval mission, to fetch a book that should prove useful.’ She tapped the folder. ‘This has the details. And I’m sorry, Kai – everyone – but I need to leave as soon as possible.’

‘If I can be of any help in finding your book—’ Vale began.

‘It’s not that I don’t want to take you,’ Irene said quickly, then cursed herself for the sudden coldness in his eyes at her rejection. ‘But I can’t take you. Kai and I need to travel through the Library. I’m sorry, Vale, but you’re currently contaminated with chaos. I wouldn’t be able to bring you inside.’

Vale’s expression closed in on itself. ‘I quite understand,’ he said curtly.

Kai frowned. ‘Wait, Irene, are you telling me we can’t take Vale into the Library? I’d thought that if we could detoxify his system there, that might help.’

‘Chaos can’t enter the Library,’ Irene said with controlled patience. ‘That was why we were stuck outside it last time when I was contaminated. Remember?’ They’d got round that by forcing the chaos out of her. But she wasn’t sure if she could do that to Vale. She didn’t know if a human who wasn’t a Librarian could survive it, and Coppelia hadn’t given her any hope it might work.

Li Ming spread his hands. ‘I have to admit this is beyond my competence, Miss Winters. No doubt if Mr Vale here were to spend time in a more orderly world, it would be good for his health. But I lack the strength to carry him there on my own.’

‘Just who precisely can travel between worlds, and who can’t?’ Vale asked. He tried to make it sound casual, but there was an edge to his voice. He was probably making a mental list of possible intruders and relevant counter-measures.

‘I’m not of the royal blood and don’t have the royal strength,’ Li Ming said. He indicated Kai. ‘The Prince here, however, can carry more than one person, and my lord the King could carry hundreds in his train, if he wished.’

‘Well, don’t look at me,’ Zayanna said. ‘Would any of you like some more brandy? No, please don’t look at me like that, Irene – it’s not my fault, I just can’t. It’s exactly like the charming dragon here was saying . . .’ Her gaze went pointedly towards Li Ming, rather than to Kai. ‘I don’t have the strength. It took all my power simply to find my way here, and I certainly couldn’t carry anything more than my luggage. Or perhaps one other person, instead of my luggage. But who’d travel without luggage?’