Her eyes widened. “Fool? Fool, is that you?”

A silhouette appeared in the gap ahead. “Caught,” said Fool. “If the Master knew it’d be this easy, he wouldn’t have sent the Hounds after you. All he needed was a tight space.”

“Help me.”

“Why?”

“I’m stuck.”

“No – why would I help you?”

She did her best to smile. “Because … because I’ll help you in return. I’ll take you away from here.”

“Away?”

“I’ll bring you back with me.”

“Away from here? But the castle is my home.”

“Then what do you want?” she asked. “Tell me what you want and I’ll do it. But first get me out of here.”

“Hmmm,” said Fool. “I don’t know. You’re a tricky one, Amber Lamont. You gave me Edgar Spurrier and told me it was Gregory Buxton.”

“I’m sorry about that, I really am.”

“The Master was not pleased with me. The Master punished me.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“The Master did not want Edgar Spurrier. He let me have him. I changed him. He wouldn’t stop talking so I gave him a new name. He is Bigmouth now.”

“Edgar did talk a lot.”

“It’s nice,” said Fool. “Having a pet is nice.”

“I’m glad you like him,” Amber said. “It’s always good when people enjoy their presents.”

“Bigmouth was a present? For me?”

“Of course,” said Amber. “And you like him, don’t you?”

“Bigmouth is ever so much fun!”

“Good,” said Amber. “I’m so glad. But you owe me now. You get that, right? I brought Bigmouth here for you, and now you have to repay the favour. That’s how presents work. You understand?”

“Yes.”

“Take my hand, Fool. Pull me out.”

Fool’s hands closed around Amber’s and she was pulled and tugged and she didn’t budge.

“Come closer,” she said. “Closer.”

When Fool was close enough, she grabbed what clothes she could and pulled. Fool made some strangled noises, but she was dragging herself through now, inch by inch, and then she pushed Fool back, reached over with her other arm, gripped the edge of the wall and kept going. Her head was out. She gasped and sucked in a breath and heaved again and stumbled out into the corridor beyond.

“Holy crap,” she said, raking her claws through her hair. “Holy crap.”

She got herself back under control as Fool stood. The patchwork robe it wore was torn where she’d grabbed it.

“Sorry about that,” said Amber, and Fool turned to her. Its bald head was caked in ash-grey foundation and its thin lips were hidden somewhere in that smear of red lipstick. All of this Amber had seen before. Its teeth of broken glass that rose from bloody gums no longer shocked her. Instead, it was the thick shards of glass that had been plunged into each eye that now made her gasp.