“You see?” I said when I was done.

Lej gave us a slightly crooked smile. “I don’t think I played a part in any of that.”

“Are you kidding?” I said in disbelief. “Who brings Jojo the stuff he uses to make costumes and clothes? Who buys the seeds Suki needs? Who finds the books, the swords, and all the weird things Pip must have used to make that stink bomb? And who,” I added, “flew up to the top of that palace with only a pair of very odd, dubious wings just to warn me about Ashwini? You were a part of all of it, Lej.”

Before he could reply, from somewhere inside Crow House, Simha’s voice boomed out: “WHY IS THERE CAKE ON THE TABLE? WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT SUGAR?!”

• • •

At last, I couldn’t put it off anymore. I had to go home.

On my final night in my golden kingdom, there was a party in the square, with music and fireworks. Crowds of excited people turned up to dance, thank me, and give me heaps of extremely delicious food (my favorite of the three).

At the very end, before the fireworks, I stopped for a second and looked up at my marble statue on its plinth. There she was, the heroic Kiki I had once wanted to be. I still didn’t know if I was like her. I would never be the kind of girl who saved the world with cool superpowers or battled monsters with swords, but those were not the only ways to be a hero. And I knew now that I was brave, and I was strong, in my own way.

Maybe I would always fight with my own brain, and maybe I would always be a little anxious and a little afraid, but there was nothing wrong with that. And when I went back to London, I’d talk to my mum and she’d help me and, one way or another, I’d be okay.

The sun had started to climb up the sky when the twins, Simha, Chamundeshwari, the boys, and I broke away from the party and made our way to the tear between worlds. By the time we got to the balcony of the tall house on Pretty Corner Market, the sky was pink, the rest of the city was awake, and Suki had started to bawl.

“I’m going to miss you,” she cried.

I hugged her, then each of the others in turn. “I’ll miss you, too. All of you.”

“Even Lej?” Suki demanded.

I looked at Lej, who looked deeply suspicious at the idea of a hug. “Even Lej,” I admitted.

“Come back if you can,” he said, much to my surprise.

I was about three seconds away from bursting into tears that would rival Suki’s, so I quickly nodded. “If there’s a way, I’ll find it,” I promised them.

The crack between worlds was in the corner of the balcony, a small slash of bright light that hummed with energy when I got close to it. I looked back one last time at the six faces behind me.