A couple of people wearing the Cruaich livery brushed by me, obviously on their way to work. I angled my face away and murmured greetings. As I’d suspected, everyone was too busy to pay me much attention.

Towards the end of the first corridor, I came to a bank of old-fashioned bells, the sort once used in grand houses to summon servants. The signs beneath these bells were new, however. When the one marked ‘Boss’ began to ring, I almost jumped out of my skin. Aifric really was an old-fashioned kind of guy. I was tempted to remove the ringer so that he would sit for hours waiting for someone to bring him a cup of tea but it would be a petty thing to do – and it would get the servants into trouble. Instead I moved smoothly past, happy in the knowledge that he was tucked out of the way, and set off for the library.

This was going to be the most dangerous part of the expedition. I hissed at Bob to remind him to keep out of sight and debated for a moment whether I could afford to use Tipsania’s Gift. I wanted to be sparing with it; it was a finite resource and, if I took too much from her, she might end up with none. Ripping away someone’s Gift in its entirety seemed to be the only way for me to keep hold of it for good but that was too high a price to pay for more power.

I cast my gaze across the wide space, taking in the different people milling around. I couldn’t see the library from here and all I knew from Fergus was that there was a door nearby leading to the dungeons. I’d have to hope that I found the right one without too much bother. Waiting for an appropriate break in the crowd, I took a deep breath and strode out.

I’d barely gone ten metres when a well-dressed woman who I vaguely recognised from the Sidhe Games strolled in my direction. Attempting to look casual, I stayed on my path for a few steps then moved to my right. I craned my neck up as if examining the large painting hanging on the wall. When the woman stopped at my side and also glanced up at the giant picture, my stomach dropped.

‘It’s not often you see people stopping to take in their surroundings,’ she said approvingly.

‘It’s a beautiful piece,’ I murmured, praying she’d keep her attention on the painting rather than look at me. My tell-tale white hair was hidden and I was wearing contact lenses to mask my violet eyes but my weak disguise wouldn’t stand up to close scrutiny. All she had to do was look me in the face to discover the truth. I might have to use Tipsania’s Gift and make like a ghost again after all.

‘Yes. I’m told it was acquired from the Adair Clan after they— Well, you know.’