“I understand so much more now that I’ve been in the Flow,” said Effie.

“I know,” said Clothilde. “There’s a lot that can’t be put into words. You just have to feel it.”

Effie didn’t stay in the Otherworld as long as she usually did. Although she still loved it there more than anything, she found that today she was keen to get back to her friends in the Realworld.

She walked to the portal on the Keepers’ Plains in a happy daze, between two parties, on the threshold of something, although she wasn’t sure exactly what. Studying at the Lodge. What was that going to be like?

The party at Maximilian’s house was in full swing when Effie arrived. All her best friends were there. Raven introduced Effie to her new familiar, Neptune, and Lexy looked happier than Effie had seen her for a long time. She brought Effie a slice of carrot cake and a banana smoothie, and slipped a green tonic in Effie’s pocket as well.

“What’s that for?” Effie asked.

“To help you get in the Flow,” said Lexy. “I’ve started reading about it already. You might need some homoeopathic sulphur as well. I’m not sure. Or maybe phosphorus. I haven’t decided.”

“I’m so glad you’re all right,” said Effie, putting down her cake and her drink and giving Lexy a big hug. “Why didn’t you tell us about JP? We would have helped.”

“I know that now,” said Lexy. “But I didn’t know how to put it into words. I didn’t know if I was just overreacting to something other people might think was normal.” She shuddered. “He really got in my head for a while.”

“Well please, next time something like that happens, promise you’ll tell me?”

“I will,” said Lexy. “But I hope it’s not going to happen again. That poem taught me something. To be an authentic person you have to be brave enough to act for yourself and not just hide behind the idea of doing good for others. If I’d thought that way more, then maybe I would have told someone sooner. I just thought it would be selfish to make a fuss.”

“So JP’s philosophy went against him in the end,” said Effie. “I like that.”

Maximilian and Wolf came over.

“Meet my new brother,” said Maximilian, proudly.

“What?” said Effie. “What do you mean?”

“My mum and Dill Hammer are getting married,” said Maximilian. “And Wolf’s coming to live with us.”

“Seriously?” said Lexy. “That’s amazing!”

Wolf handed Effie two keys. “These are for your grandfather’s place and the bookshop,” he said. “You own the Old Rectory, and we need to discuss what’s going to happen with the bookshop. No one’s come to claim any of Leonard Levar’s things. They’re basically ours.”