‘I’m Poppy.’ She’s speaking way too loudly.

‘Shhh,’ I touch a finger to my lips. ‘We mustn’t wake anyone.’

‘Are you Merry’s daughter?’

‘Yes. How did you know?’

‘She told me your name and that you live in a caravan.’ She frowns. ‘My mami says we’re not allowed to have visitors in the middle of the night.’

‘I know. But I need to see my mum. Which is her room?’

‘Merry made us a cake. Do you want some?’

‘Can you tell me which is Merry’s room first?’

The little girl turns on her heel, and I follow her back downstairs to the kitchen, where she turns on all the lights. She’s wearing a yellow onesie, and brown ringlets stick out from her head like a dandelion flower. ‘Can you please cut me some cake? I’m not allowed to use a knife.’

‘Sure,’ I say, trying to be patient. ‘But, Poppy, I’ll only do it if you tell me where Merry sleeps.’

She looks back at me with a determined expression. ‘Promise you’ll do it if I tell you?’

‘Yes.’

‘There.’ She points through open sliding doors to what looks like a playroom.

I see a wall of books and baskets of toys and a model train track on the floor. ‘There’s no bed in there.’

‘No. The door there.’

On the far side of the playroom is a white door.

‘Okay. Cake,’ I say. I am about to lift the glass cake cover when I hear a woman’s voice. ‘Poppy! What are you doing up?’

My heart pounds and I drop to the floor behind the kitchen bench.

Please don’t give me away, Poppy.

‘I want cake,’ says Poppy.

‘Not in the middle of the night, darling.’ The woman’s voice is so close now. ‘Come on, back to bed.’ If Poppy’s mother takes even a couple of steps, she’ll see me. There’s nowhere to hide. The cloak of darkness spell is in my pocket but it wouldn’t work in a bright room like this anyway. I curl into a smaller ball, dry-mouthed with fear, my fists clenched tight.

‘But the girl was going to help me,’ says Poppy.

‘What girl?’

The dog appears around the corner of the bench and snuffles me. Go away, Mabli!

‘Toozi. She was in the boys’ room and now she’s hiding just over there.’

‘Is that right?’ the mother says, and I can hear laughter in her voice. Thank goodness. ‘Well, you can have some cake tomorrow. Let’s go. Come on, Mabli. What are you wagging your tail at, you cheeky girl?’ I hear her step towards me.

I point a finger in the woman’s direction and breathe the words, ‘Spell. Walk away, walk away,’ and picture her leaving the room. Please work in English, I think.