I cursed inwardly. Thanks a lot, Bob. The genie continued to wiggle around as Malcolm turned round and looked at me suspiciously. I folded my arms to try and prevent Bob making a bid for freedom and smiled.

Malcolm sniffed. ‘The Kincaid key has done its job,’ he intoned, spreading his arms wide.

I rolled my eyes at the melodrama and, taking my place at the rear, followed the others in. I looked back at Lily. She beamed and waved at me. ‘See you soon,’ I called. Or so I hoped.

Bob took advantage of my momentary distraction and shoved his way upwards, appearing at my collar before hopping down my arm.

‘I’m bored,’ he mouthed.

I glared at him and tried to grab his tiny body. He danced away. ‘Get lost!’ I hissed.

William Kincaid, directly in front of me, turned and frowned. I tried to smile at him but it came out as a grimace. He turned back, fortunately without noticing Bob, who was stretching languidly.

I lunged for the genie and he leapt backwards.

Trying to convey the importance of the situation to him, I glowered and put my finger to my lips. He smirked and nodded, then lifted his hands to mimic a rolling camera. Eh?

He held up two fingers. Exasperated, I realised he was playing charades. I tilted my chin, pointedly ignoring his antics. When he finally worked out I wasn’t going to play, he tutted loudly, making Kincaid turn round again. I took advantage of the moment, seized Bob’s squirming body, then thrust him behind my back.

‘Sorry,’ I apologised. ‘I almost slipped.’

‘Don’t you dare fall into me,’ he hissed.

I started to nod, just as there was a painful nip on my index finger. I let out a cry. This time everyone turned round.

‘Is everything alright?’ Aifric called out from the front.

‘Fine! Fine! I was just making sure you were all paying attention!’

I received a few scowls. Oops.

Once they were facing ahead again, I pulled Bob out. The little bastard had bitten me. I mimed pulling his head off and he pouted. He pointed to my ear and gave me a pleading puppy-dog expression. Sighing, I lifted him up. He perched between my ear and my skull and I pushed my hair forward to cover him. That was when his incessant chatter began.

‘I’ve been paying close attention, Uh Integrity. These guys are very dull and most of them really don’t like you.’

Tell me something I don’t know, I thought, concentrating on not tripping on the sharp scree as the path grew steeper and more precarious.

‘The only one who thinks you’re alright is that Byron fellow. The one you want to cover in whipped cream and eat for dessert. The Diana woman is starting to soften too. Everyone else hates you. Even the fat pony.’

Unable to answer him without drawing attention to myself, I grimaced.