The fairy godmother took their hands. “You are now ready to go to the ball, girls. Good luck!” She pirouetted around and disappeared with another flash.

The footman held open the carriage door. As Delphie waited for Cinders to get in, her attention was caught by a clock tower at the end of the street. It was pearly white and the gold numbers and two gold hands sparkled in the rays of the setting sun. “That’s a beautiful clock!” said Delphie.

“That’s the magic clock of Enchantia,” Cinderella told her. “It’s in charge of time here.”

Something was glittering near the number twelve. Delphie frowned curiously. What was it? It didn’t look part of the design of the clock face.

“Come on!” Cinders urged her.

Delphie stopped looking up and hastily got into the carriage. The horses tossed their heads and set off at a smart canter. It was an amazing feeling to be pulled through the cobbled streets of Enchantia, past little shops and tall houses crammed in side by side. There were people hurrying through the streets. None of them looked very happy. No wonder, thought Delphie. It must be awful to repeat the same day over and over again.

She glanced at Cinderella. “Will your…” Delphie hesitated, thinking it seemed a bit rude to say ugly sisters, “will your step-sisters be at the ball?”

“Oh yes,” sighed Cinderella. “Augusta and June set off a while ago. I’ve been helping them get ready all afternoon. Unfortunately for you, you’ll probably get to meet them!”

The coach stopped outside the Prince’s palace. Delphie stared around in awe. Lights sparkled in the flowerbeds and great pots around the palace overflowed with sweet-scented roses. Music flooded out from the open doors. Guests in beautiful outfits were getting out of carriages but, just like the people in the streets, they didn’t look very happy. Cinderella led the way to the entrance, but just as they reached the palace doors a clock began to strike seven o’clock.

“Here we go again!” cried Cinders, grabbing Delphie’s hand. Darkness fell and the whole world began to spin round as if it was a roundabout in a park. It got faster and faster and then suddenly stopped.

Delphie blinked. They were standing in exactly the same place outside the palace but now stars were twinkling in the night sky and the moon was shining.

“You see!” Cinderella said turning to Delphie in despair. “Time’s jumped forward. It’s midnight now. I haven’t been inside and danced with the Prince so there’s no point in me running away and leaving one of my glass slippers behind because he doesn’t even know they belong to me!”

The clock inside the palace began to chime midnight.

“Everything’s about to change again!” gasped Cinders. She squeezed Delphie’s hands. “Hang on!”