“It’s done,” she said, standing. He grunted and she sighed. “Listen, Jack... if you have feelings for someone, I’ve found the best thing to do is just, you know... don’t say anything.”

He looked around. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. Keep it all inside. Resist the urge to make any grand romantic gesture. Or any gesture at all, in fact. Ignore her. That’s the key.”

“Is that how Sanguine got you?”

“No,” she admitted. “He waited until I’d been possessed by a bodysnatching shadow-soul. But you... you ignore her. See how she likes that.”

“Yeah,” said Jack. “That might make her realise what she’s missin’ out on.”

Tanith patted his shoulder. “I really don’t care. But try it. You’d better get back now.”

“You ain’t comin’?”

“I’ve got someone to meet. I’ll see you later.”

Jack nodded, then hobbled away to the edge of the building and threw himself into the darkness. Tanith went east. Not even ten minutes later, she climbed through a window as Thames Chabon was sitting down for dinner.

He stared at her. A well-dressed man with a good haircut and a face you’d forget once he passed you in a crowd. There was another man in the room – a heavyset thug. Chabon’s bodyguard. His hand started glowing and Tanith punched him and he hit the wall and crumpled to the floor.

“Hello, Thames,” Tanith said, pulling up a chair and sitting at the table.

“Tanith Low,” Chabon said, quickly regaining his composure. “Last time I saw you, you were breaking my fingers.”

Tanith gave him a smile. “No, no, you’re mistaken. That wasn’t me, that was all Valkyrie. I just held you up.”

“You’re right, of course,” said Thames. He started cutting into his steak. “Forgive me, I was in so much pain the details got muddled. So what can I do for you, Miss Low? Things have changed since last we met, haven’t they?”

Tanith shrugged. “Such is life, I suppose. I do hope, however, that not everything has changed. You are still a purveyor of goods, aren’t you? You lay your hands on things that people want – often very rare things, or... not strictly legal things.”

Chabon chewed his steak and swallowed. “I’ve been known to break the odd law now and then, yes. Is that it? You need me to find something for you?”

“Nothing so time-consuming. I’d just like to know of your delivery methods.”

“I’m sorry?”

“Thames, I know you’ve sourced certain items for certain mages in the London Sanctuary. I know you’ve delivered these items into the Sanctuary with the utmost secrecy. And I know you know of a hidden entrance. And that’s what I need, Thames.”

“Well, I’m very sorry, Miss Low, but that’s a secret I intend on taking to my grave.”