There's a big debate over whether half-breeds should be able to join.'
'But Kimlesh offered to let you join her court?' said Sparky.
'The Nymphine court is the only one I can join because my elements are water and air. Kimlesh wants the half-breeds to join the courts. It's her choice who joins and who doesn't, so if I join, it tips the balance, see? She gets what she wants. But the others, Teoth, Krane, some of the others, they're not opening up. If I joined, it could force their hand, and they won't like that.'
'So you ran away,' said Eve.
'I was leaving anyway,' said Alex.
'And they're following you because they want you to join, or because they don't?' asked Eve.
'Both, I guess. Kimlesh says I can join because there's a precedent. Yonna admitted Blackbird to the court of Fey'ree years ago, so it's been done before. There were others, but most of them died when the Seventh Court betrayed the courts and killed all the half-breeds they could find. There are supposed to be a few of the older ones dotted about, but most of them are in hiding.'
'So they're killing the half-breeds, even the ones that are part of the courts?' said Eve.
'That's the Seventh Court, the Wraithkin. They're different. They don't like any of the half-breeds. They don't think we should exist.'
'But the Seventh Court are part of the courts?'
'Yeah,' said Alex, 'I guess. They're the seventh one.'
'I still don't get how they found us,' said Sparky.
'They found us because they're hunting us,' said Eve. 'And if they catch us, they'll kill us.'
'I don't think Fellstamp would have hurt you,' said Alex. 'He's not like that really. He was just trying to take control.'
'They'll kill us when they find us,' said Eve, 'or they'll take us back to their courts and kill us there — if the Seventh Court don't kill us first.'
'It's not that clear cut,' said Alex.
'No,' said Eve. 'But it's what will happen. Whether it's an accident or on purpose, the outcome is the same. We can't afford for them to find us again. Take off your clothes.'
'My what?' said Alex.
'Your clothes. Take them off,' said Eve. Chipper smiled slightly. Sparky openly grinned.
'No! I'm not stripping for you or anyone else.'
'They found you somehow, Alex. They did it once so they can do it again. They could be tracking you through your clothes, your jewellery, anything. You have to get rid of them.'
'I stole my clothes,' said Alex. 'Even my underwear is new.'
'Do you have anything from you past life?' asked Eve.
'No,' said Alex, putting her hand behind her back.
They all heard the lie.
'Give it to me,' said Eve.
'It's nothing. It's such a small thing. They can't be tracking me with that.'
'Give.' Eve held her hand out.
Alex shook her head, but Eve moved in swiftly, grabbing her hair and her arm, twisting her around and pressing her against the wall.
'No! You can't have it! It's mine!'
Alex balled her fist so that the ring was tight on her finger, but Eve twisted it behind her, pushing her into the wall and prying her fingers apart. The ring was stripped from Alex's finger.
Alex screamed, 'No! No! No! No!' She twisted and fought to get free.
Eve tossed the ring to Chipper. 'Stamp on it.'
Chipper caught it and put it carefully on the floor, resting it under his trainer and then leaned his weight on it, while Alex screamed in Eve's grip. The ring twisted and bent, then folded in half. He stomped on it twice for good measure, breaking it into two pieces. He picked up the pieces and threw them down the alley.
Alex sobbed, taking great gulps of air and wailing.
'Grow up, little girl,' said Eve. 'You have no family but us. You have no friends but us. We are everything you have and don't you forget it. When we change the world none of this will matter. Then you'll thank me.'
Eve let her go and Alex stumbled away, screaming abuse at those behind her, but knowing in her heart that she had nowhere else to go.
• • • •
'A library? Why does he want to meet in a library?' I asked Blackbird. 'What's he going to do, stick a pin in an atlas? Borrow the Observer Book of Strange Rituals?'
'It's not the sort of library that lends books.'
We were walking down Euston Road, the constant roar of motorbikes and the growl of taxis and buses almost drowning out our words as the traffic stop-started its way along one of London's busiest thoroughfares.
'What's the point of a library that doesn't lend books?' I asked.
'It's a hidden library,' said Blackbird, 'and it has a copy of almost every book that's ever been published, including some extremely rare volumes. When I spoke to Gregor on the phone he said to meet him here. He has a reader's ticket.'
'You need a ticket to read books?'
'You do when they're as rare as these.'
We turned through huge iron gates that sang with a discordant note that made me pass as far from each of them as I could. Blackbird ignored them and we walked through to a huge courtyard in front of a monolithic block building that looked like a modernised version of a 1930s movie set. A huge clock adorned the frontage.
'Is that it?' I asked.
'The British Library,' said Blackbird, 'or at least the bit you can see.'
'Where's the rest of it?' I asked.
'You're standing on it.'
I looked at the paving that stretched away around the building. 'Below this is just books?'
'Not just books, no. Manuscripts, maps, documents, scrolls. This is a palace dedicated to the written word. Beneath our feet are rows and rows of shelves, and beneath that, the same, and below that more and so on, downwards. You should come and walk around the galleries one day. The public exhibits are worth seeing.'
'Let's find Gregor and see what he wants to show us,' I said.
He was waiting for us on the upper floor, where he rushed over to greet us as we stepped off the escalator.
'Veronica, it is simply wonderful to see you again. Is it not a truly marvellous building; such architecture, such vision.'
He gestured around us, then grabbed my hand and shook it enthusiastically. 'You must be so proud to be a part of a nation that builds such wonders, yes?'
'I suppose?' I said.
'Ah, always the citizens do not see the wonders around them. You take them for granted until they are taken from you. Only then do you discover what you have lost.' His moustache wobbled from side to side in disapproval.
'And what have we lost?' asked Blackbird.
'Come,' he said. 'I wish you meet Julian. He will tell you the story, just as he told it to me.'
He asked each of us to wear yellow Visitor badges and then led the way through to the back of the building, through a door into offices away from the public space. We got a few suspicious glances, but Gregor flashed an orange badge at them and we were allowed to pass. We came to a small office. Inside a thin man in a grey shirt with a black tie looked up at our approach.
'Julian, this is Veronica and her friend, Niall. They are interested in the book I asked you about.'
'We are?' I said.
'I am,' said Blackbird, extending her hand. 'Veronica Delemere, formerly in Medieval History at Birkbeck.'
He took the outstretched hand and smiled. 'I think we have one or two of your books here, Dr. Delemere.'
