Safer – and apart. ‘Your lord father, his majesty Ao Guang, placed Kai in his current position,’ Irene said, controlling her anger at his interference. ‘Isn’t the decision up to him?’

‘If Kai himself requested assignment elsewhere, my lord father would consider it,’ Shan Yuan replied. He now spoke with the patience of a man who’d already solved a problem to his own satisfaction. ‘If you aren’t the Library representative, I doubt Kai will be interested in the dragon representative position.’

Irene was silent, lost for words.

Shan Yuan nodded. ‘Consider how much you care about his safety – and make the right decision.’

‘And hide the fact that it was all your idea?’ Irene demanded, her throat dry, bitter with murderous fury.

Shan Yuan shrugged. ‘If you think it more likely that he’ll resign that way, yes. How many times will you let him risk his life for you?’

‘Kai is an adult and capable of making his own decisions,’ Irene spat. ‘I am not going to lie to him.’

‘You’re barely older than he is, and you are both children,’ Shan Yuan snapped back. She could feel the heat radiating from him now, even without touching him. ‘Do you want him to remain in danger? Don’t you care about him?’ He stepped closer, features so very like Kai’s as he glared at her. ‘Well? Will you do it?’

‘What will you do if I say no?’ Irene demanded. ‘Will I have a tragic accident, removing me from my position that way? Will you simply deny everything if I mention it to Kai?’

‘My little brother will certainly believe my word over yours.’

Irene twisted away from him. ‘A word of advice, your highness. Don’t make threats when your position is weak. My friends are within earshot and witnesses are plentiful. Intrigue is clearly not one of your talents.’

‘That’s your answer?’ he growled.

Irene curved her lips in a smile. ‘I will take your suggestion into account when making my future decisions. I thank you for your concern for our safety.’ She turned to join the others.

His voice pursued her. ‘You already have enough enemies, Irene Winters. This is not a good time to be acquiring more.’

She was already walking away and didn’t turn back. But his warning about Kai stayed with her, and she couldn’t help wondering if some of what he’d said had been true.

The King Charles Room was notable, unsurprisingly given its name, for its huge portrait of Charles II. The monarch dominated the room, looking down cynically while spaniels played around his stockinged calves. Otherwise it was surprisingly bland for an expensive London club, with modern tables and chairs. The very latest ether-lamps ensured the room was brightly lit, despite its lack of windows.

Sterrington lay unconscious on one of the tables, her upper clothing cut away, and a doctor in the club’s livery was bandaging her chest wound. Irene wondered if many clubs boasted a house medic, or just the government-sponsored ones. Vale was going through the contents of Sterrington’s briefcase on another table, with Singh watching over his shoulder, while Kai and Catherine stood nearby looking strained.

Kai seized on Irene the moment she entered the room. ‘Where’s my brother?’

‘He’ll be along in a moment, I think,’ Irene said, touching his shoulder. She didn’t want to let go of him. ‘Situation report, Kai, please.’

The familiar words visibly settled him. ‘The bullet went right through Sterrington, so we don’t need to worry about removing it. And some servants are cleaning the doorstep, in case anyone tries to use the blood for unholy purposes.’

Irene nodded. Every world had its own specific metaphysical inconveniences. ‘Has Sterrington spoken yet?’

‘No – she was conscious only briefly, and the doctor gave her a sedative.’

Irene bit back a curse. At least she’d recover. But now they couldn’t ask her about the Sagrada Familia, and its possible location.

‘Sterrington may not be able to speak, but her possessions are quite communicative,’ Vale commented, not looking up from her papers. ‘Can we have you over here, Winters?’

‘Of course.’ Irene inspected the briefcase. There were papers, handwritten and printed; three fountain pens; a purse, a powder compact and a copy of today’s Times. ‘What have you discovered?’

‘Nothing here, except the type of cocaine she preferred.’ He nodded to the powder compact. ‘The papers concern her office’s insurance – she’s been checking her cover following the arson and has reached some interesting conclusions.’

‘She’s come to the same conclusion as our police investigation,’ Singh said. ‘That building was torched for profit. The assassination attempts might have been the primary goal, though; we can’t know for certain. Additional cover was taken out in case of arson, deliberate or accidental, a fortnight ago. The insuring company is Weston Liability – a shell company with a large number of criminal investors.’

‘Now we come to this letter here. It was in her inner pocket rather than the briefcase. Do you recognize the handwriting, Winters?’

Irene took the letter and stared at it. Then the writing snapped into focus and she remembered where she’d seen it before, only a few months ago. ‘Oh dear,’ she said.

‘Ah good, you do. Give me your opinion on it.’

‘Is it the Cardinal’s handwriting?’ Kai said eagerly. Sterrington’s patron was incredibly powerful, but hugely mysterious.

‘Yes,’ Irene replied. ‘. . . and are you sure we should be reading this, Vale?’ She was in no doubt as to its author. Irene had seen multiple documents in the Fae’s own hand during the Paris treaty business. His spies were everywhere.

He shrugged. ‘If we don’t pursue leads, we won’t secure answers.’

She began to read the letter aloud, noting that Shan Yuan had just entered the room. ‘My dear Sterrington, I am glad to hear that you have the situation under control. I wouldn’t want to think I had favoured an incompetent.’

‘A mere two sentences and he’s intimidating his subordinates,’ Kai said. ‘I see he hasn’t changed.’

‘He’s very good at intimidation.’ Irene remembered a darkened room and the Cardinal’s dark presence. He’d given her an oh-so-calm description of exactly what would happen if she didn’t solve a murder to his liking. She suppressed a shiver and continued reading. ‘Your theory that Lady Guantes is plotting against us seems valid, given the arson attack and other indications. I cannot discover her current patron’s identity, which is not a good sign.’

‘Why is that suspicious?’ Shan Yuan interrupted. ‘Is patronage now a matter of public record?’

‘Of course not,’ Vale answered. ‘But nothing can be concealed from the Cardinal – supposedly. So keeping this patron hidden must seem highly unusual.’

‘Ah.’

Irene continued. ‘However, my network has unearthed some intelligence. The lady has been linked to a number of Fae groups involved in technology research and development. Their details are in the appendix.’ Irene caught the sharpening of Shan Yuan’s interest. ‘I’ve recently lost several agents, and am therefore concerned that a move against you may actually be a move against me. You’re authorized to take whatever actions you consider necessary to preserve your life – and my interests – and I’ll send assistance as soon as possible.’