‘And are you going to get involved?’ Hu asked Lily, as soon as George was plausibly out of earshot.
‘Not unless I get told to.’ Lily licked a drop from the brim of her glass. ‘I mean, it’s all one to me what you play at, as long as you don’t mess with my business. I know what you are, and I’d just love to put a bullet in your skull. But unless and until my boss tells me to, I guess I’ll behave myself. Frankly, it’s amusing as hell to watch the two of you fence.’
‘We don’t have to fence,’ Irene said bluntly. ‘We could just stop. I’m not making a deal with your superior.’
‘Make it with me, then,’ Hu suggested. ‘An understanding between the people who actually get the work done.’
‘How do you mean?’ Irene asked.
Hu leaned across the table towards her. His body language was open, almost vulnerable, she realized. This wasn’t Kai’s casual arrogance or armoured pride. Hu was reaching out for understanding. It was almost as if he had a personal stake in the situation. ‘I believe we’re the people who do the work, while our superiors take the rewards. Which is reasonable enough. I’m no prince, and you’re no – well, whatever your Library has to fill such roles. Even the third party at the table understands that, I think.’ His glance towards Lily wasn’t exactly courteous, but it was – just barely – polite. ‘What’s ordered at the highest level isn’t necessarily what’s done at ground level. And it’s often easier to get a job finished first, and then make a report later when everything’s under control.’
Lily didn’t answer, but she did incline her head very slightly.
Irene considered the offer. If Hu could bypass Qing Song and get Evariste’s daughter back, then maybe she should at least hear him out. ‘I admit life’s different for us working-class types,’ she said. ‘But I’m neutral. And you both know that. I haven’t made a deal with Lily, and I can’t make one with you.’
‘You should do,’ Hu said, and his voice darkened. ‘You really should. It’d be better for you, and for anyone you’re hiding.’
Irene raised her eyebrows and sipped her drink. ‘Threats? Again? And so quickly?’
Hu took a long drag on his cigarette. ‘No. It’s a friendly warning – as you put it, between us working-class types. My lord is not the sort who appreciates being deceived, mocked or betrayed. If he finds out that you’ve done any of those things, Jeanette or Marguerite or whatever your name is, I will not be able to protect you.’
‘Your lord seems to think that he has carte blanche to do whatever he wants,’ Irene said, anger igniting inside her. ‘Since when have his rights and privileges included commandeering Librarians to work for him? Does he realize quite how dangerous his own position is?’
‘Don’t blame me for the world being the way it is,’ Hu said. ‘If you don’t want to play politics, then don’t. All my lord wants is the book.’
‘Which book?’ Lily asked curiously.
Hu flicked a glance at her. ‘It’s bad enough that I have to sit with you. I’m not sharing information.’
‘Not even if I could help you find it?’ Lily asked.
‘Based on the way they’re treating me – a theoretical neutral – how well do you think they’d treat you?’ Irene pointed out. She wanted to stamp out this avenue of enquiry before it went any further. Especially as Hu would blame any leaks on her. ‘Besides, I thought that your job was shooting people, not stealing books.’
‘That would depend on whether or not George told me to steal it,’ Lily retorted. ‘And think how much less fuss a book would make than a person, when you put it in a sack.’
Irene forced aside a number of distressing mental images. ‘Fine. Far be it from me to get between you. I can only say I’m not interested – and no thanks.’
Hu’s lips tightened. In the dim light his eyes gleamed like emeralds. ‘Fool of a woman! I’m trying to save your life here. You can call it whatever you like when you’re back at your Library. I’m not trying to win. I’m trying to find a solution that doesn’t involve either of us losing.’
Irene liked compromises where both sides won. But Hu’s offer would involve her making a private deal to influence dragon politics – with all that entailed. This didn’t solve anything: instead it involved two Librarians transgressing, instead of just one. With twice the potential for the Library to be dragged down with them.
And even if Qing Song was the iron hand and Hu was the velvet glove, they were both asking for exactly the same thing. Besides, just because Hu might make promises didn’t necessarily mean he’d be able to keep them. Qing Song was the one in command.
‘No,’ she said. ‘I can’t and won’t take your offer. And for the record, yes, the Library does know I’m here and why. Making me vanish without trace isn’t an option.’
Hu leaned back in his seat. ‘I never thought it was,’ he said. ‘But I wish you weren’t ruling out other possibilities.’
‘Don’t try to put the blame for this on me,’ Irene said calmly. She was keeping her voice down – Lily might be a lost cause, but she didn’t want anyone at the other tables hearing this. But her anger and frustration sharpened her tone to a razor-edge, and she saw Hu draw back a little in response. ‘We have been drawn into this because of your power games. I am not going to make an agreement with you, and I will not be liable for any consequences.’
‘Sometimes you can only play the hand you’re dealt,’ Hu said. ‘And if you’re following orders – well, then so am I.’
His eyes flicked to the door, then to his watch. The movement was casual enough, but Lily tensed. ‘What are you playing at?’ she demanded, her voice low and dangerous.
Hu raised a thin eyebrow, his copper hair dark in the dim lighting. His hand moved to rest against an inner pocket. ‘Why do you assume I’m playing at anything?’
‘Because I’m not stupid.’ Her gaze flickered across to where George was still glad-handing his way around the other tables, slapping shoulders and accepting gestures of respect. ‘Jeanette, or whatever your name is, you’re on your own. My responsibility’s to my boss.’ She was out of her chair as smoothly as a lizard, her blonde hair catching the light as she headed towards George.