‘In any event,’ she said, ‘HiberTech need Tricksy nightwalkers for Project Lazarus. Particularly like the one your thicko Novice has lost – you need to go and get her back.’

‘You want her, you get her back.’

‘Because you can’t?’

‘She’s dead, I don’t like you, you didn’t say please, I can’t be arsed, it’s cold outside – take your pick. You have no jurisdiction over me during the Winter.’

He was right over jurisdiction, but it didn’t much matter. Mrs Tiffen was his responsibility, and since Aurora could make serious trouble for him, he would have to go and look for her. Logan glared at me, then at Aurora, then had another thought and gave a soft smile that I felt uneasy about.

‘Okay,’ he said, ‘this is a terrific opportunity for a Graduation Assignment. Worthing here is tasked to find your precious dead woman. Once that’s been achieved – or not – and if Charlie is still living, we will both travel to Sector Twelve. Whilst there, I will meet up with Toccata – without your meddling.’

‘This is bollocks,’ said Aurora, taking a step closer, ‘and to relegate important work to the level of training exercise is grossly irresponsible.’

‘It’s not Slumberdown for another thirty-two hours,’ I ventured, ‘and I’ve not spent a single minute in the Winter. I’m not sure I’m ready—’

‘You’re ready when I say you are,’ snapped Logan, ‘besides, you lost her, you can get her back. This is now your operation. Win and you get to be a Deputy Winter Consul, fail and you’re minding breedstock. So, what’s your first move, Bright-eyes?’

It was like being back at St Granata’s, being given some impossible task to perform – such as getting on the Great Hall’s roof without a ladder, or making a soufflé with cauliflower instead of eggs, or trying to stop the Ford girls from squabbling.

I took a deep breath.

‘I  . . . need to follow a lead I’ve established.’

He pressed a finger hard into my sternum.

‘Wrong.’

‘It is—?’

I was interrupted by two muted blasts from the train whistle. It was five minutes before the last train to Sector Twelve.

‘Exactly,’ said Logan. ‘You need to delay the train.’

‘How do I do that?’

‘Your head on the rails?’

‘Seriously?’

‘I don’t know. But put it this way: if you don’t delay the train, I will punch you five times hard in the head.’

‘Once would probably be enough as a punishment.’

‘You don’t need to be punished, you need motivating. And not getting punched five times is a terrific motivator. Take my word for it.’

‘I’ll be making an official complaint about this,’ said Aurora.

‘Yes, why don’t you?’ said Logan, and picking up his jacket, he made for the door. ‘Don’t fail me, Worthing.’