‘No, they’re not.’

‘Eh?’

‘Watch.’ I pointed across the frozen lake as the frustrated yells from the competitors reached our ears.

‘But the map said…’

‘We’re in the right place but the flags are in a slightly different position.’ I grinned. ‘Imagine looking into a mirror.’

He was still confused. ‘I don’t get it.’

‘The flags you can see are an illusion. It’s a mirror image of them.’

Angus’s expression cleared. ‘Oh,’ he said, finally getting it. ‘You mean they’re in the loch.’ His troubled look returned. ‘Under the ice? But…’

‘I know,’ I nodded. ‘It’s dangerous but it makes perfect sense. It is supposed to be a challenge and,’ I lifted my head towards one of the drones, ‘the audience will be hoping for some action.’

Angus swallowed. ‘Why would the flags be under the ice here? Why not at the other end?’

‘Because when you look in the mirror,’ I said serenely, ‘everything is reversed.’

He licked his lips. ‘You didn’t have to tell me about this.’

I patted him on the shoulder. ‘Yes, I did. I’m going to need your help.’

He frowned and I jerked my head towards the rope he was carrying. Suddenly a smile spread across his face. ‘You can’t beat a length of rope.’

We shared a look of mutual understanding. ‘Indeed.’

A few other competitors appeared, pausing to stare at us and look dubiously at the ice before shrugging and picking up speed to head round the loch.

‘How can we break the ice?’ Angus asked.

Tipsania had almost managed that. ‘I don’t think it’s as solid as it looks. If we walk onto it, our weight will probably do the trick.’

He grimaced. ‘That’s what I’m afraid of.’

We waited until most of the other competitors had gone past. Angus even gestured to three of his fellow MacQuarries to go on ahead. When I shot him a questioning look, he shrugged. ‘It’ll look odd if all of us hang around here.’

He had a point. Most of the challengers were still near the flags, trying to puzzle out what was going on. It wouldn’t take them too long to work it out. The longer we could give ourselves, the better.

Now that darkness had fallen, I felt extraordinarily shivery – and with our impending dip in the loch’s frigid waters that would probably get worse. Byron’s other Gift was pyrokinesis and it was tempting to enrol him in this breakaway escapade but I couldn’t get hold of him without drawing the attention of dozens of others. He was probably at the other end of the loch with the cluster of Sidhe.

Angus uncoiled the rope and looped one end round the nearest tree. It wasn’t long enough for both of us; we’d have to do this one by one.

He held it out to me and raised his eyebrows. ‘Ladies first.’

‘You’re giving me the advantage if you let me go first,’ I warned. ‘Once I get my flag, I’m going to the finish point.’