‘Can’t you do it yourself? You’ve got access to worlds which have the technology – your lord uncle Ao Shun’s hideout, for a start.’

‘It shames me to admit it, but I’m not sure I have the level of skill needed. It’s from a high-chaos world – and I can’t risk mistakes.’

Cuifen’s eyes widened in delight. ‘You’ve brought me a computer from a high-chaos world? Cousin Kai, you are a darling!’

‘More than that,’ Kai said. ‘The laptop belongs to a powerful Fae – someone who’s trying to kill me. And Irene too.’

Cuifen rubbed her hands together. ‘Better and better. How exquisite! I mean that in the nicest possible way, you understand. I don’t usually get the chance to hack top-level Fae software.’ She paused, remembering. ‘But don’t we have a truce with them? Why’s a powerful Fae trying to kill you?’

‘Personal matters,’ Kai said. The less people knew about the individuals involved the better – especially while they were still investigating. He ran over the basic details of the last few days: the book-collecting mission, the poisoning attempt, the submarine base ambush, and how Irene had stolen the laptop as she fled. ‘So you see,’ he finished, ‘I need an expert to take that thing apart and extract the data. Our lives might depend on it.’ We might even be lucky enough to find Lord Guantes’ entire evil plan, with easy-to-follow presentations for his minions, he thought. Fae were like that sometimes.

Cuifen’s elegant brows drew together. ‘I didn’t realize your assignments were quite that dangerous,’ she said. ‘I thought you attended Fae cocktail parties and coaxed them into indiscretions over canapés.’

‘Unfortunately not all Fae throw cocktail parties,’ Kai said. ‘Even those who do can be extremely dangerous. You should see their buffet selections – and I never touch the fugu livers. Or the absinthe.’

Cuifen frowned at his flippancy. ‘There are risks, cousin, and then there are stupid risks . . . I’m not asking you to withdraw—’

‘Thank you,’ Kai said drily. ‘It is my job, after all.’

‘—but you need to consider your security from a more adult standpoint. Take a couple of bodyguards. You’re putting yourself at risk.’

‘Life is risk.’

Cuifen leaned forward, her eyes intense. ‘Your life has worth, cousin. Don’t throw it away.’

Between them, unspoken, lay the words, because you care about a particular human being . . .

‘I doubt that some family members valued me before my new position,’ Kai stated, his voice icy. There was a reason why he’d approached Cuifen rather than . . . a certain other computer expert here.

His cousin shrugged. ‘You can sulk about your brother, or you can accept how things are and work with it. With the risks you’re facing, perhaps you should relocate for a few years. If you move to a different world, your enemy will be inconvenienced. It’s not as if you have to keep your embassy on that world, after all.’

She had a good point, but following her advice would mean deserting Vale’s world – and Vale. And would Irene follow me? If the Library told her to stay, which of us would she choose? ‘You’re not wrong,’ he said, desperately searching for a solid rebuttal. ‘It’s just that . . .’

The door clicked open, and Kai looked up with relief. Coffee would be a welcome distraction. Then his heart sank to see his half-brother, the very person he’d hoped to avoid. He rose and bowed with a carefully judged level of courtesy. ‘Elder brother,’ he said, ‘I did not expect to see you here.’

‘Which explains why you didn’t pay your respects to me first?’ his brother said. Shan Yuan’s scaled skin was the same clear ruby as his eyes, and he was gowned in heavy scarlet brocade. He acknowledged Cuifen’s bow with a casual gesture. ‘Still, it’s good to see you. My letters appear to have been going astray.’

Kai had taken care to answer Shan Yuan’s letters as politely as possible – but he’d had to meet all his brother’s demands upon the embassy, or his attempts to restructure it, with variations on No. ‘I apologize,’ he said, rather than contradict his half-brother in company. ‘I’ve had so much correspondence of late.’ This was in fact true; a number of dragons had suddenly found him worthy of interest, after he’d gained his new position.

‘So if you aren’t here to see me, why are you actually here, little brother?’

‘Someone’s trying to kill me.’

For a moment Shan Yuan’s brows rose in surprise – and what seemed to be genuine anger at his kin being targeted – but then he composed himself. ‘I suppose that’s an occupational hazard, given your current position.’ Shan Yuan’s tone suggested that if it wasn’t for the treaty’s importance to his people, he’d happily have sat back and watched with a bucket of popcorn. ‘So did you come here to snivel on Cuifen’s shoulder?’

Cuifen said pleasantly, ‘Would you care for refreshments, Shan Yuan, even though you’ve barged into my territory, completely uninvited?’

Shan Yuan ignored her, his attention returning to Kai. ‘What does Cuifen have to do with your little problem?’

‘I’m here to get a laptop analysed. It may contain details of my adversary.’

‘Fair enough.’ Shan Yuan extended a long-fingered hand, claws gleaming like garnets. ‘Hand it over.’

‘Kai asked me to look at it!’ Cuifen exclaimed.

‘Yes. But my technical knowledge is superior to yours. I am Lord Zhang Yi’s first student, after all.’

‘You are indeed – since Indigo is no longer here,’ Cuifen said, her smile icy. ‘And, as you’re always telling us, your skills are vital to Lord Zhang Yi’s current project. You’ll drop everything to help your brother? How touching.’

‘I’ll prioritize it . . . appropriately,’ Shan Yuan said, a glint in his eyes.

Kai knew what that meant. He’d have to wait here until Shan Yuan ‘found time’, the very thing Kai didn’t have to spare. He tried again. ‘Elder brother, this matter may relate to the treaty. Those involved may be the ones who abducted me before.’

Cuifen snorted. ‘Come on Kai, let’s go visit the other students. Some people would be extremely interested to hear about your diplomatic work. Lord Zhang Yi might find time to talk too, over the next few days.’

Shan Yuan rounded on Kai. ‘If you expect me to help you at all, I would suggest you don’t remind me of your incompetence. Follow me. We’ll look at the laptop in my quarters.’

Kai suppressed a smile. His cousin’s comment had hit the mark. Clearly the last thing Shan Yuan wanted was Kai hanging about the compound, ‘showing off’ his work on the treaty and making Shan Yuan feel less important. He really hadn’t realized Shan Yuan would feel so bitter about Kai’s new role and higher status among their kind. With a nod of farewell to Cuifen, he followed his elder brother obediently.

Once they were outside, he said, ‘The sooner I get that data, the sooner I can be gone.’

Snow melted on either side as Shan Yuan stalked along the path, revealing dead grass and bare earth. ‘Oh?’ he snarled.