‘Maybe next time,’ Charlotte says. ‘Mum’s just texted to say dinner’s ready soon, so we’d better eat our toasties and go. You know what she’s like.’ She rolls her eyes and Gini smiles. In that moment they remind me of Hana and Ib. It’s like they’re them, I’m Aminah, and Izzy is Rawan.

Their friendship makes me happy; it’s how best friends should be together. I glance at Izzy and see she’s looked up Fairy Hunters on her phone.

‘Do you want to stay for dinner?’ I ask her.

Izzy says she would love to, and texts her parents to ask.

‘Please convert her while she’s here,’ Gini says, looking at me with such seriousness that I salute.

After they leave and Izzy and I are left alone, we talk about Elle and Abir. For the whole of secondary school I’ve always sat next to Elle in most of our lessons, and Izzy’s sat next to Abir. But she’s worried they’re going to be weird with us.

‘Promise we’ll sit together?’ she asks a little nervously, like she thinks I might say no. It’s strange knowing I have that effect on Izzy, but I won’t act the way Elle did with me. There are no leaders or followers in our friendship. We’re equal.

Chapter 25

When I watch the memory for a second time, I see her.

The witch throws Aminah into the tiny room in the great big tower again. But just as she’s about to lock the door she stops and looks upwards, and that’s when I start climbing back up the wall.

‘What was that?’ Hana asks, glancing around suspiciously.

‘Just a twig,’ Rawan says dismissively.

I peer over to find Zaina scrambling down the slide. She rushes back towards the kitchen, disappearing inside the house.

I knew it. I knew it wasn’t the cats who toppled the slide a few memories ago, because I saw something by the kitchen door. It was Zaina. She’s been spying on Aminah. And I have a feeling she’s the key to the next object.

Dad’s made us both a cup of tea, which we drink in the kitchen while we wait for Aunt Zaina to answer the phone.

Dad’s already spoken to her before, to update her on Mum’s condition, so this is all normal for him. Whereas I’m trying to figure out how to introduce the memory without looking too suspicious, and somehow not freak out too much about chatting to my aunt for the first time.