"Grand Mage Sorrows," Riordan Wayward asked as he entered her reception hall.
China let the last snippets of information run through her head before she disconnected from the Whispers. Her body, the chair, and finally, the hall returned to her awareness. Wayward came into focus, standing in front of the protective symbols that circled her chair. He was wearing an excellent suit made from dark brown plaid, with a dark tie and a crisp, white shirt.
Wayward moved a lost, brown hair strand out if his eyes, which had come free from his usually gelled hair. "We just received a letter of censure from the English Sanctuary," he told her, his breath showing no sign of the hurry that had driven him here.
China raised a brow. "A censure? Whatever for?"
"You might want to ask Grand Mage Penn. He is waiting on the secure line."
The brow rose higher. "He called personally?"
"Still is, Ma'am."
She sighed and waved a hand, and Wayward made a step over the symbols. They lit up but did not harm him, as he handed China a cellphone.
"Grand Mage Penn," she greeted politely and leant back into the chair, crossing over a leg. "What a pleasant surprise."
Wayward stepped away and left the hall to give her privacy.
"Not all too pleasant, I'm afraid," Sway Penn replied. His voice was dark but bland, and had a hint of grease to it. As most things went with Sway Penn, he only fostered his appearance and approaches for the sake of political advantage, yet he could never entirely hide his greasiness. "I hope we did not startle you with such an official approach," he said greasily.
"Not at all," China replied. "I am surprised, however, that you did not spare yourself the trouble, and spoke to Mr. Wayward, or sent one of your Elders."
"It's no trouble," Penn disagreed gallantly, even though they both knew she had not meant it that way. "I felt I should extend the courtesy; Grand Mage to Grand Mage."
"Very well," she nodded, "what is this censure relating to, may I ask?"
"One of your agents has been spotted by Sensitives, boarder patrol, and eye witnesses, crossing over into English soil on a regular basis. I would like to know if there is an investigation underway, that I should be aware of?"
"Investigation?" China prodded surprisedly. "Not that I am aware of. Which agent are we speaking of?"
"Detective Skulduggery Pleasant, it would seem," Penn replied with a cool undertone hinting at some disdain. "He remains undercover throughout his visits. But his magic signature is very easily picked up on, as you surely know."
She felt her brow rise again, "and how often, exactly, does Detective Pleasant cross the boarder, if it requires this conversation?"
"About once or twice a week," Penn informed her coolly, "for almost two months now. This is just a theory, but that seems awfully regular to me, for an officer that has no assignment here."
China blinked but did not convey the surprise in her voice. "I assure you, our Sanctuary hasn't sent Detective Pleasant on any assignment to investigate in England. He has several friends there, it would seem that he is simply visiting."
Although that was not a lie, China could clearly hear the scepticism in Penn's voice, "even so, I don't necessarily feel comfortable with Skulduggery Pleasant sneaking about, in territory he has no jurisdiction over," he complained, "while we appreciated the help over the Nuce Evans case, I cannot continously allow breaches of our national security."
China was not sure if she should laugh in disbelief or snap at him. She decided to do neither. "Forgive me, if I may be blunt, Grand Mage, but I have no control over what Detective Pleasant does in his freetime," she told him steadily. "And unless you intend to ban him from English soil, I'm afraid, neither do you."
There was a discontent silence on the other side of the line.
"Would that be all for today, Grand Mage?" China asked. "I am quite occupied with breaches of security of our own."
Penn did not sound like he meant it, in the slightest. "Of course, I shall keep you no longer."
As the call was courteously ended, China tapped a symbol on the armrest of her chair. Shortly after, Wayward returned to receive back the phone.
"Any orders, Ma'am?" He asked expectantly.
"Ignore the censure," she replied coolly, "and call in Detective Pleasant."
"Already have, Ma'am. He is preoccupied with a case, at the moment. But he let us know that he and Detective Cain have picked up on a trail, regarding the human-trafficking ring you assigned them to."
China paused to think, then shook her head. "In that case, tell them to report back as soon as possible."
Wayward nodded into a light bow and turned to hurry off.