Shanghai Sparrow (35 page)

Miss Cairngrim had no sooner locked the barn than Liu climbed swiftly down the ladder out of the hayloft.

“Eveline! I am very glad you could come, I must discuss something with you.”

“What is it, Liu?”

“Is your mother well?”

“Oh, I think so. At least... Oh, and thank you for the bedding.” He had scavenged, from somewhere, a decent mattress and some warm blankets for her.

“Is something wrong? You are unhappy.”

“I’m just worried. I hadn’t thought about things properly. They might send people to look for Mama, and they might work out it was me got her out, and... and now Mama don’t want me to work on this.” She gestured at the mechanisms, gleaming mellowly in the lamplight.

“Oh. And what do you plan to do?”

“I don’t know! I can’t exactly force her to help, can I? Not after everything she’s had to put up with. But if I don’t do what Holmforth wants, I’ll be out on me ear, and her with me, and maybe people after us both. Oh, it’s such a
mess.
” She slumped down on one of the ancient chairs and tugged her fingers through her hair, pulling out the pins. “What’m I to do?”

“Do you know why your mother does not wish you to do this?”

Eveline sighed. “She thinks this, Etherics, could maybe be used against people. She thinks that’s what Holmforth wants it for.”

“I don’t know if it could be used against people, Lady Sparrow,” he said. “But it could be used against the Folk. And that... that would be very bad indeed.”

“What?”

“The Folk. The Shining Ones, the Fair Folk, the People of the Crepuscular.”

“I know who the Folk are, Liu, I just don’t know what you’re gabbing on about. What d’you mean it could be used on ’em?”

Liu dropped into the straw, folding his legs neatly under him. “Remember you asked me to distract Mister Holmforth for two hours the day we rescued your mother out of the hospital?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I pretended to be someone interested in what he was doing in Shanghai. Someone in the government.”

“And he
believed
you?”

“I can be very persuasive.”

“You musta been! Who did he think you were?”

Liu shrugged. “Someone who appreciates his singular talents more than his current superior, a man called Forbes-Cresswell. But this is not really to the point. What is, is that this machine he has found creates noises of a very particular quality. They are painful and damaging to people... to Folk. That is why he wants you, Lady Sparrow. He wants you so that he can start a war.”

“A war? A war with the Folk? But why? I thought he was half-Folk himself?”

“He is.” Liu hesitated for a moment. “What would be your feeling on a war with the Folk, Lady Sparrow?”

“I don’t know. It’s not my business, is it?”

“It is if you can prevent it.”

“Don’t see how.”

“Refuse to do what Holmforth asks of you. It won’t be enough, it will only delay things, but perhaps it will give time for a solution to be found.”

“If I don’t do what he wants, I’m done for. And so’s my mama.”

“If you do, the consequences could be terrible.”

“There’s always a war on somewhere. What’s it got to do with me?”

“You do not care that people will be killed?”

Eveline hunched her shoulders. “Course I
care.
I don’t want anyone dying. But it’s only a machine,” she said. “One machine. That’s hardly going to do much, is it? I mean, whatever it is he thinks it can do, even if I can get it to work, it’s one thing. All they have to do is break it, and there ain’t no problem, is there? It won’t be a war.”

“Firstly, who do you think would be
in
the machine? You. You will be the immediate target of anything they do.”

“In it? What do you mean, in it?” She gestured at the machines that stood on the bench. “I couldn’t get in one of them.”

“This machine is much larger. It is operated by someone sitting within it. And even if you survive the encounter... it is much worse than that, Eveline.”

“Why?”

“They will know that it is possible. That humans can be a threat to them.”

“What’s so bad about that?”

“Oh, Lady Sparrow. You really have no idea. How do you think the Folk see you?”

“I don’t know. Never thought about it.”

“Yes, you have.”

“Don’t know what you mean.”

“Yes,” Liu said, “you do. I have seen the look in your eyes when they are named. You have no love for them, do you? Do you desire your own vengeance?”

“I just want to be left alone. Get somewhere safe for me and Mama and be comfortable, no Folk, no Holmforth, no people messing in my life, that’s it.”

“I do not believe you,” he said. “You would be bored in a week.”

“Don’t matter what you believe.”

“Perhaps not. But there are things I do not have to believe – things that I know. I know that if the Folk see humans as a threat, they will crush you. Completely, and without hesitation. You are little or nothing to them. A moment’s amusement. A source of Gifts, and entertainment – but that is all.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Why do you hate them, Eveline?”

“I don’t
hate
them. Just don’t trust them, is all.”

“And why is that?”

“Not your business, is it?”

“Please,” he said, and she looked at him, hearing real desperation in his voice. “
Please
listen to me, Lady Sparrow. Your distrust is justified far more than you think. They will
destroy
humanity if for one moment they see it as a threat. And they will unite to do it. The Folk of your country and the Folk of mine, of
every
land. This is the one thing that could create an alliance, after a thousand thousand years of rivalry, if only for a moment. And a moment is all they would need. Against such an alliance, your people would be dust on the wind.”

“I don’t believe you. They don’t care about us one way or the other. They hardly even hang around any more.”

“The noise of the cities, the factories, the airships – they find all this unpleasant, and they have no need to come here, unless it amuses them. But that will not stop them.”

“Still don’t see how one machine could be a threat.”

“Because it shows the potential. If humanity can create such a thing once, they can do it again. They would rather see every city on earth wiped out. And make no mistake, they could do it.”

“How?”

“They are very old, and very powerful. They have everything they need; they need never go hungry, never do without anything. That is why they have this game of Gifts. They give each other gifts of intense subtlety, it is a vast and complex game of position and superiority. That is the only place where humans truly matter to them – as a source of these Gifts.” He tilted his head. “Of course, they might decide to keep you all alive for that – but the punishment they would wreak on you for daring to threaten them would be terrible. Now, you are toys. Pets. That is the
best
you can hope for.”

“I don’t believe you. They’ve never done anything that bad. And we’re not
pets.
”

“No? Would you have me prove it?”

“How?”

“I know of humans who are kept in the Crepuscular. Taken from here, usually as children. The court find them amusing, they even become fond of them, as you might of a puppy. But if the dog should bite, then it is punished. And if it bites too often...” He shuddered. “I have seen that, too. I could find one, bring them to see you.”

Eveline bit her thumbnail, watching him. Could it be true? She had hated Aiden, all these years, because he had abandoned her when she truly needed him; had promised help, and failed to give it. Could that be why? That she was nothing more to him than an amusement?

Perhaps. But she had a whole life at risk. She didn’t even know if this stupid machine could be made to work – especially without Mama’s help. If she simply refused to work on it... she could pretend, try her hardest, but she was fairly certain that Holmforth had no interest in her beyond this one thing.

And of course, if she did make it work, there might be another thing. And another. And another...

She flailed away from the thought. It was too much. Everything had been going well, and now it was all such a terrible
mess.

And there was something else, too.

“How come you know so much about it?” she said. “Here you are telling me all this, and you could be lying through your teeth, f’r all I know. Could be so much bull, the whole thing. How’d you find out what Holmforth wants? No way he’s going to be spilling all that to some Chinee, just on his say so. So tell me how you know all this.”

“I persuaded him that I was someone important in government. I told you. He is a desperate man. He believes that those in power are ignoring something important. He was grateful for anyone to listen.”

“How?”

“I was in disguise. You have done as much yourself – persuaded someone you are other than what you are – and it was not so hard for you.”

“Hmm. All right, maybe. But all this about the Folk – how’d you know it all? And how’d I know it’s true?”

Liu closed his eyes, and dropped his head towards his chest, with a sigh. “Because I, like Holmforth, am a mixtus. My mother was human. My father was a fox-spirit; a kind of Folk that is found in China.
Now
do you believe me?”

“What? No! You don’t look like Folk at all!”

“So sharp-eyed, and you never noticed.” He began to shuffle one trouser leg up his shin. “This is very uncomfortable,” he said. “But it is the one thing that never changes, so it has to be hidden.”

Poking out of the bottom of his blue silk trouser leg was a white-tipped fox tail. It waggled, oddly jaunty.

Eveline stared. “That’s... You’re having me on.”

“No.”

She jumped to her feet, furious. “Oh, you... I don’t know what you’re trying to pull, but I’m not falling for it. All this time, you were
Folk?
You’ve been helping me just so’s you’d get me on side, haven’t you? Make me do what you wanted?
Your Empress and mine are not at odds
, indeed. I thought you meant the Chinese Empress, but you never did, did you?”

“Lady Sparrow...” Liu jumped to his feet.

“Don’t call me that. You’re a spy, a spy for them. You were trying to get me to be a traitor. Well, I might be a thief and I might not care anything for the Empire or any of that business, but work for you lot? Not for a minute. Not ever. You’d better get out of here before I tell them what you are, and what you tried to pull.”

“Eveline, please! I’m trying...”

“Go away.” She realised she was crying, and it made her even angrier. “Go away! Get out of here! Leave me alone!”

“E
VELINE, WHAT IS
it?” Beth said.

“Nothing.”

“What’s happened?”

“Liu.”

“Liu?”

“He’s... he wasn’t... I’m sorry, Beth. I thought – I shoulda known better than to trust him. I thought he was all right. He ain’t.”

Beth’s face whitened. “What do you mean?”

“He’s
Folk
.”

“What?”

“He’s
Folk.
He’s one of them. Half-folk, anyway. He was trying to put one over on me. I shoulda seen it, but I was stupid.”

“The...” Beth glanced towards the hidden shed where she kept the
Sacagawea
.

“I don’t think he cares about that.”

“Are you sure?”

“No, I’m not. I’m sorry. But I don’t think he’d get anything out of telling Miss Grim, if it’s any comfort.”

“Telling Miss Cairngrim what?”

The girls spun around. There, dapper in the lamplight, was Holmforth. “I thought I would come and see how you are progressing,” he said. “I am glad to see you hard at work. What was it someone was going to tell Miss Cairngrim? I really don’t think she would appreciate that sobriquet.”

“Nothing,” Eveline said.

“Really. And you must be Miss Hastings?” He bowed over Beth’s hand. “Charmed, I’m sure. Have you been helping Miss Duchen?”

“I’ve been trying,” Beth said.

“I see. Well, since you have become involved, perhaps we should take you with us. Don’t you think?” He spun around to Eveline.

“Take her where?” Eveline said.

“Shanghai.”

“What? When?” Eveline stuttered.

“Me?” Beth squeaked. “Go to Shanghai?”

“Since Miss Duchen seems to find your assistance useful, yes.”

Beth glanced at Eveline, who gave the smallest possible shrug.

“In an airship?”

“Of a certainty, in an airship.”

“Oh, yes, please!” She beamed.

Eveline bit her lip. She was pretty certain Holmforth hadn’t been
asking.
Why did he want Beth along?