I picked up speed, moving faster now that I had a bead on where to go. Even with my decent footgear I slipped a few times, but such minor mishaps only made me more determined. I ran around this sort of place for a living so a wet, bruised arse wasn’t going to slow me down.

Just an hour or two after I was supposed to be at the starting point, I finally arrived there. The hills were smack bang in front of me and there were footprints. Most were going in the same direction although a few competitors had decided to take less direct routes. That was what I’d planned to do as well, but I was so far behind that I had little choice but to opt for the shortest possible distance.

‘Yay!’ Bob shouted, perched once more on my shoulder. ‘We made it! Now we can go back and you can wear that bikini!’

‘No,’ I said patiently. ‘Now the challenge is really on.’

He blew a raspberry. ‘You’re not going to win. You might as well quit now.’

‘Adairs don’t quit.’

‘Uh Integrity, how many Adairs do you know?’

‘I know me. Now hang on.’ And with that I took off.

Anyone who’s ever run on a beach – or through snow – knows how hard it is. What the organisers hadn’t counted on was that the feet that had gone before me had done a great job of stamping out a path. I knew that I was moving faster than the others. It didn’t mean I’d catch them up but it did mean I had a chance.

I hit the tree line before noon, just as the first buzz of a drone sounded overhead. It hovered above me, as if even the machine couldn’t quite believe what it was seeing. I tipped back my head and addressed it.

‘You thought you could delay me by dropping me in the wrong place,’ I said. ‘Or maybe even kill me. But here I am anyway.’ I grinned and stuck out my tongue. ‘You can’t keep a good Sidhe down.’

Unfortunately, because I was still moving and not looking where I was going, I slipped again and landed flat on my back. I eyed the drone while it continued to watch me. As soon as it gave up and took off, I pushed myself to my feet and continued.

The Carnegies had picked a pretty spot for their Hunt. Even in winter, with the branches of the evergreens bowing with snow, and crisp cool air that was less gusty now I was out of the open, it was a stunning vista. I called up a mental image of the map. I didn’t think the first clue would be too far away now.

My vision cleared and I frowned at the path: something was wrong with those tracks. No sooner had the thought entered my head than a shape barrelled out of the trees with an inarticulate war whoop.