EFFIE SAT DOWN ON the large white sofa in the drawing room of Truelove House. Cosmo sat next to her. The female wizard sat on a dark pink armchair and peered at Effie closely.

“This child needs to return to her own world soon,” she said to Cosmo.

“I agree,” said Cosmo. “She is running low on lifeforce.”

It was true. Effie’s headache was intensifying.

“She has not . . . ?” said the woman.

“I don’t think so,” said Cosmo. “We’ve been waiting.”

“Oh dear,” said the woman.

Effie wanted to ask what they were talking about. But the atmosphere in the room suddenly became dense and heavy, and then sort of ethereal and then, gradually, very, very still and calm. It was as if someone had dimmed the lights and lit a particularly beautiful scented candle. Effie felt both sleepier than she’d ever felt, and more awake. Great smoky waves of relaxation settled over her like powerful incense. Was this magic? If so, it was the best magic Effie had ever experienced. She tried to will more of it to come wash over her.

“Yes, and she has no resistance either, has she?” said the wise-looking female wizard, lowering her hands. Was that a spell she’d been casting on Effie? Effie didn’t want her to stop.

The female wizard got up, walked over to Effie and touched her lightly on the head. Effie’s headache disappeared. She felt strong again. She wanted to ask what the wizard had done, but she suddenly felt shy and a little afraid. Whatever it was, it was something even Cosmo couldn’t do. Effie could just tell.

“My name is Suri,” said the woman. “I’m a member of the Council of Wizards. Like your family, we’re based here in Dragon’s Green. I’ve been told you don’t yet know much about our world.”

“No,” said Effie. “But I’m trying to learn.”

“And you had an unfortunate encounter today, I believe?”

Effie told Suri as briefly as she could what had happened in Frog Hole.

“And then you attacked her?” said Suri, when Effie got to the part in her story about Dr. Wiseacre turning the lever that she’d said would hurt Clothilde.

“I was trying to protect Clothilde,” said Effie.

“I see.”

“I don’t know what else I could have done,” said Effie. “She wanted me to tell her where Dragon’s Green was. Apart from anything else, I don’t actually know how to explain how to get here, so I couldn’t have told her even if I’d have wanted to.”

“Would you have told her, if you’d known how to explain it?”

“No,” said Effie. “I would never help anyone get here who wasn’t supposed to be here.”

“What made you so sure she wasn’t supposed to be here?”

“Um . . .”

“People do come here sometimes for meetings, or after completion of a Wizard Quest.”

“I—”