Mama shivered. ‘Are we going to make it to morning?’

‘We’ll be fine, Mama,’ said Mary. ‘We could leave now if we wanted, and no one would stop us. Right, Bell?’

The doors, flapping in the wind, were tamed again.

‘Then why don’t we?’ Mama wore a hopeful expression. ‘Stanislav was a good man, but he’s turned into all kinds of wrong now. He’s beyond our help, and we’re putting ourselves in danger – more danger by staying.’

‘How far away is Crows’ castle?’ asked Dalip.

‘A day’s walk. Down the river, turn towards the rising sun. Keep going. We can get there no problem, but we can’t just leave Stanislav as he is. Can we?’

‘You can. You can go. Seriously, that makes sense. Take the others and go to Crows’ castle; yes, it’s not the best of weather, but it’s not like before in London. It’s not going to kill us.’

‘Don’t be too sure of that,’ said Bell.

Mary gazed at the ceiling. ‘Go on, then. Tell us.’

‘The storm, like so many other things on Down, is alive. It’s not just wind and rain, thunder and lightning. It’s spiteful. It’ll change direction just to hunt you down. It’ll find you and be fiercest where you are.’

‘Terrific. Why the fuck would it want to do that? I thought Down liked us.’

‘Do I look like I’m in charge?’ Bell shrugged. ‘It’s having a tantrum. You should know what that’s like.’

Thunder rolled down the mountainside, close and loud.

‘It’s just taking the piss now.’ Mary stared at Dalip. ‘What do we do?’

‘I really don’t know.’ He held his hands out to show he had nothing. Nothing but a knife, which was all but useless. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘Anyone? Anything?’

No one had.

‘Fuck it,’ she said. ‘We need a better plan than waiting for Stanislav to come crawling up the stairs and cut us into little bits.’

‘You arm yourselves with the bottles. I’m going to try to talk to him,’ said Dalip. ‘That’s all I’ve got left, and I’d rather do that down there than up here. If it all goes wrong, then we’re trapped.’

‘We’re trapped anyway by a storm that actually hates us and wants us to die. Which means you can’t go out.’

‘I’ll risk it. Take one for the team.’ He even smiled as he said it.

‘That’s just stupid. We have to do better.’ Mary balled her fists. ‘Come on! This is not how it’s supposed to end.’

Any reply he might have made was lost in a deep bass rumble that shook the tower to its foundations.

‘Do you want me to come with you?’ she asked.

‘You might want to put on some more clothes first.’

‘I’m not distracting you, am I?’