‘This is crazy,’ said Dave, pulling up a chair and sitting at the table. ‘Mr Sopweed has given you all the time off school you need. The old farmhands have agreed to come back and help me get this place up and running, but can’t start for another week. Looks like we’ve got a golden opportunity for a holiday. What do you say?’

‘Awesome,’ said Elliot, feeling his insides light up. ‘Where shall we go?’

‘Well . . . I’m not going to lie,’ Dave said slowly. ‘I’m not exactly flush at the moment, so it’ll have to be pretty cheap and cheerful.’

Elliot grinned. He knew just the place.

‘There was this place in Dorset that Mum and I used to go,’ he said, pulling a tattered map down from the bookshelves and showing his dad their campsite. ‘It’s right by the sea and you can go digging for fossils and stuff and there’s this awesome tea shop that does the best cake and . . . Oh, I mean, only if you want to . . .’

Dave took his son’s hand.

‘Sounds perfect,’ he whispered.

‘It is,’ said Elliot, beaming. ‘I’m sure the tent is still in the shed and all the equipment is probably up in the attic. We might need a new burner, cos Mum and I accidentally exploded the last one when we melted marshmallows all over it, but I’m sure we had—’

And then, there was a knock at the door.

‘Ignore it,’ said Elliot, studying the map while his dad peered out of the kitchen window. ‘So if we go to this campsite, it’s way better – it doesn’t waste space with stuff like showers . . .’

‘I think you’d better get this one, son,’ smiled Dave. ‘It’s for you.’

Elliot gave his dad a quizzical look, but Dave said nothing.

He stood up and walked slowly to the door. He turned the handle and opened it. His heart took flight.

Because, standing there on the doorstep, was Virgo.

‘What do you want?’ he asked. She looked different. Had she got changed?

‘Well,’ Virgo began, ‘I’ve been reflecting extensively on our time together . . .’

‘In the last four minutes?’ Elliot said.

‘Some of us can reflect perfectly well very quickly,’ said Virgo haughtily. ‘Anyway, it occurs to me that, based on our time together and given your recklessness, stubbornness and woeful personal hygiene, it would be foolish and irresponsible of me to leave you to live your life without my excellent guidance and wise counsel.’

Elliot felt his heartbeat quicken. What was Virgo saying? She used so many stupid words, it was hard to tell. Was she—

‘I have spoken to my colleagues on the Council and, after extensive consultation—’

‘Four minutes?’

‘They are prepared to sacrifice my invaluable contribution up in Elysium.’

‘Did someone else figure out how to switch on the dishwasher?’ Elliot asked. He heard his dad laugh behind him.