The Masked City

‘No,’ Coppelia said. ‘You can’t. Or rather, we can’t. And no, we don’t have any secret back-channels that we can use to ask about it, on behalf of the Library, either.’

Irene tilted her head slightly. ‘On behalf of the Library, perhaps not, but how about from a private perspective? Isn’t there anyone out there who knows someone who knows someone, who could ask …’ She let the phrase trail off hopefully.

Coppelia shook her head, a definite no, but she also looked wary. Clearly there was someone who knew someone who knew someone else out there, even if they couldn’t handle this particular issue.

‘Of course there isn’t,’ Irene agreed bitterly. She could see where this was going. ‘Even if someone did have access to the dragons, they’d be too high-ranking within the Library to act alone. And the Library can’t be drawn into this?’

Coppelia spread her hands. ‘Precisely. There’s only one person in this situation who can ask …’

‘All right. All right.’ Irene saw Coppelia’s eyes narrow at her tone and she tried to calm down. ‘All right. It has to be me.’ Who puts her head into the dragon’s mouth. And who will take the blame if it goes wrong. ‘But I would like to ask a question first. A general question, before I get down to specifics.’

‘You can certainly ask,’ Coppelia said carefully. ‘If I don’t answer, then it isn’t because I want to cause you further difficulty.’

Irene nodded. ‘In the widest of terms then - why bring Kai into the Library? Seriously. You knew what Kai was. Why take him in as a trainee at all? And why assign him to me?’

This was a conversation that should have been held behind shuttered windows or heavy velvet curtains. It felt wrong to be having it so openly. Wrong, and far too exposed.

Coppelia looked down at the desk. ‘There have been other young dragons here before Kai,’ she said slowly. ‘None as highly born, but - well, it has happened, and it is politely ignored when it does happen. Even if the people brokering a placement may have thought their deception remained hidden. There are hidden protocols. There are understandings. No dragon has yet chosen to remain and take vows as a Librarian. To be honest with you, I doubt Kai will, either. It will not be in his nature.’

Irene nodded, accepting the words. ‘But why me?’

Coppelia hesitated, then nodded to herself. ‘Because,’ she said in the Language, necessarily speaking truth, ‘we thought it would be best for both of you.’ She dropped back into English, looking up at Irene again. ‘And that’s all I will tell you for now.’

‘For our own good?’ Irene said drily. There was no time for all these damned mysteries. She was the child of two Librarians, an unusual combination - was this supposed to make her better suited to handling dragons? She couldn’t see how.

Coppelia shrugged. ‘We make the best decisions that we can. Do you object to him?’

‘In what sense, object?’ Irene temporized. She knew she was avoiding the question, but she wasn’t sure of Coppelia’s meaning.

‘Has he given you any offence?’ Coppelia fired the question at her like a bullet.

‘He is courtesy itself,’ Irene said. ‘As you know.’

‘Has he done you any harm?’

Irene thought of Kai’s eyes, of his hesitation, his sincerity. He’d wanted to protect her, when it was her responsibility to protect him. ‘No, and you know it. Is it really necessary to get into all this, here and now?’

‘I’m establishing that you have no reason to want to get rid of him yourself.’

‘For pity’s sake!’ Irene exploded. ‘If you don’t trust me, then there’s nothing more to be said. Besides, please give me credit for some intelligence. If I was trying to kidnap him myself, I wouldn’t be in here telling you about it now.’

‘I have to be sure,’ Coppelia said. She shifted in her chair. ‘You have thought about how this may go?’

‘Well, yes,’ Irene said. She was still furious at Coppelia’s dig that she could have been in any way involved in Kai’s disappearance, but she managed to keep her temper. If Kai was in danger, then every second mattered. ‘Quite possibly, messily. As you did just point out, the dragons may be upset - and they might take it out on me.’

‘And the Library may have to allow it,’ Coppelia noted. ‘If it’s decided that you were responsible for him, and the dragons take offence, we might have to strip you of your position.’

A chill ran down Irene’s spine. ‘You wouldn’t,’ she said. But it had the truth of nightmares, of worst-case scenarios. ‘And the Library mark can’t be removed.’

Coppelia’s eyes were regretful, but her face was like stone. ‘My dear Irene, we can’t risk war over one dragon. Or over one Librarian. You’ve done an excellent job as Librarian-in-Residence, but when push comes to shove, someone will have to take the blame.’

‘I’m duly warned,’ Irene said flatly, ignoring the ice in her stomach. ‘Let’s get down to business. How do I contact his family?’

‘The easiest way would be via the world where we recruited him,’ Coppelia said. ‘Did he ever give you its designation?’

‘Only that it was one of the Gammas,’ Irene answered. ‘So high-tech and medium-magic, he said. Will I find his uncle there?’