‘You might at least explain what you want, then,’ Irene suggested. If the other woman was talking, then she wasn’t shooting.

‘I beg your pardon?’

‘Well, I’m sure you have a motive for being here.’ Was Lady Guantes keeping Irene covered until backup arrived to take her into custody? Or was she simply opportunistic, with a pistol in one hand and an enemy in front of her, and no idea what to do next? ‘In my place, wouldn’t you be curious?’

Lady Guantes raised an eyebrow. ‘Are you suggesting you’re open to an alliance?’

Irene shrugged. ‘I want to know what the stakes are, and what’s in play. You’ve heard of us, you know we’re usually neutrals and only interested in books. Why did you set your thugs on me?’

‘On which occasion?’

Irene blinked. ‘There was more than one?’

‘Two, actually. The first time was after the book auction you attended. I wanted to see how you and the dragon would handle an assault. It convinced me that I needed to separate you, before kidnapping him. The second time was a bit more off-the-cuff, I admit.’

At least that explained why those hired thugs had been so inefficient. ‘More casual? It felt quite serious at the time.’

Lady Guantes sighed. ‘That was your own fault. You and the detective moved too quickly. If things had worked out as I’d planned, you and Mr Vale would still have been trying to find out where the dragon was by the time the auction had taken place here. His family would have arrived to investigate the world from which he was kidnapped, and you, as his superior, would have ended up taking the immediate blame for his disappearance. That would have embarrassed the Library, and kept them off-balance and on the defensive when the war started. Of course the dragons would have known we were ultimately responsible, but my husband and I would have been well out of their reach by then - and they’d have welcomed a scapegoat or two. As it was, I had to hire some muscle in quite a hurry. It isn’t the way I like to operate. If I’d known I was going to have to kill you eventually, I could have hired a sniper well in advance. It would have been so much tidier.’

‘If the dragon’s family had come to investigate, that world being his last known location, it would have had very serious consequences for that world - not just for Vale and me,’ Irene pointed out.

‘I wasn’t planning to visit it again.’

A little trickle of cold fear worked its way down Irene’s spine. But it mingled with a growing anger at the implications of the woman’s words. Ao Shun had made it clear that they would destroy Vale’s world, if they held it to blame for Kai’s disappearance. And Lady Guantes clearly knew it. Irene could almost admire the woman’s thoroughness in covering her trail, but at the same time was revolted by her sheer cold-bloodedness.

And now she had absolute confirmation from the woman’s own mouth that she was involved in Kai’s kidnapping. I’m not here for vengeance, Irene considered. But I certainly wouldn’t mind making sure she never tries such a thing again. ‘So you don’t want to kill me now,’ she said, keeping her voice even and biting back her fury.

‘Well, obviously not, now that I’ve got you here,’ Lady Guantes said. ‘You’re much more valuable alive.’

‘As an ally?’ Irene said hopefully.

‘It’s not impossible.’

‘Or … ?’ She let the sentence trail off, to see if it would get a response.

‘As a Librarian, certain people would find you interesting. As yourself, Miss Winters, certain other people would find you even more interesting.’ She smiled in a way that suggested the whole question was far too unpleasant for nice people such as them to discuss.

Irene blinked. ‘I’m astonished,’ she said. ‘I had no idea I had such a reputation. In fact, I had no idea I had any reputation at all.’ There had been a few encounters with Fae, and there had of course been the whole business with banishing Alberich - who was indeed a dangerous and notable traitor. But she hadn’t thought it was the subject of casual gossip. It made her feel rather exposed.

Lady Guantes looked a little embarrassed. ‘Well, “notorious” might be more accurate. But please don’t take it the wrong way. It’s a compliment.’

‘I’m flattered.’

‘And it does make me wonder why you’re doing this.’ She turned that serene, understanding gaze on Irene again. ‘Self-defence is one thing, but this spontaneous expedition deep into our territory isn’t what I would call sensible. And you do seem a sensible woman, Miss Winters.’

Irene shifted her weight a little. It didn’t draw any reaction from the levelled gun. Good, she isn’t going to shoot me for twitching. ‘So if we both appreciate common sense - what is your motivation in this?’

Lady Guantes didn’t hesitate. ‘A better world for everyone.’

‘Really? When you may be about to kick off a war?’

‘The whole point is starting a war,’ Lady Guantes said firmly. She didn’t even try to dress up her reasoning as glamorous or attempt to weave a seduction, as one might expect from a Fae, but simply presented her case as the only obvious solution. ‘Our side may not win outright. But by the time we reach a truce, many more spheres will be under our influence. This will be good for the humans. It’ll be good for us. We’re not going to interfere with you - you’re welcome to go on stealing books on the sidelines. And do you really care about the dragons? More than caring about this single dragon, that is?’