‘They did. For a long while. For years. Their mum used to get sick and end up in hospital, and because Sylvie was the oldest, she had to go to shops and beg for food for the three of them. She told stories to the little girls to stop them being scared. Their car leaked when it rained and they didn’t have a toilet. That’s why having lots of money and lots of power helps Sylvie feel safe. Although this Sylvie is even worse than our version.’

‘She is. Way worse!’

‘I think this Sylvie is worse because she wasn’t stopped,’ says Mum. ‘No-one pulled her up.’

‘We did!’

‘We did.’ But she doesn’t sound terribly convinced. After a moment, she says, ‘She’ll want her powers back, nothing’s surer.’ She looks away from me, out the window, as if to hide her face. But I can feel her fear. Why is she still afraid of Sylvie?

The traffic comes to a halt.

‘How long until we get there?’ Mum leans forward and asks the woman driving.

The woman turns. ‘There must be an accident up ahead. I think you’d do better on foot.’

‘Okay.’ I hand her some cash.

‘Thanks, love!’ she says with a grin. I ask her for directions and she tells us how to get to the Ultimate Magic shop. ‘I reckon it will take you at least half an hour on foot.’

‘We’ll have to run then!’ I say.

It’s dark outside. On the footpath, which is thick with pedestrians, Mum looks around for a tree. ‘I can’t walk anywhere, let alone run, until I charge up,’ she says.

We lay our hands on a street tree’s slim, pale trunk, but its energy is weak. We’d have to stand here for an hour to top ourselves right up. We have twenty-two minutes to get to the magic shop.

‘I don’t think we’re going to make it, Tulsi.’ In the streetlight I can see Mum’s trying not to cry. ‘I’m sorry, darling.’

‘We have to try! For Dad!’

Mum looks as stricken as I feel. Then she takes a sharp breath. ‘Is that Claudie?’

Sauntering towards us are Claudie and Haz. ‘So, I guess this is Merry?’ says Claudie. She’s not smiling.

I nod. ‘I’m sorry I left you like that, Claudie, but I spotted Merry … she’s my mum.’

‘Hello, Claudie.’ Mum smiles warmly.

Claudie looks from Mum to me, and shakes her head.

I wish I could tell Claudie everything, but I can’t. ‘Please, can you two lead us to the magic shop?’ I say. ‘We have to be there by five o’clock. It’s urgent.’ Claudie raises her eyebrows. ‘We’ll have to run like the wind.’

‘I can’t run,’ says Mum.