‘If only there was a fire cloud around here. It might warm us up a bit!’ Ben glanced around. ‘I have no idea which way is back to the house.’

Just as I pointed in what I was fairly sure was the right direction, Calvin and Lincoln sprinted around the side of the building, chests heaving from exertion.

‘Please tell us there’s a clue here somewhere.’ Lincoln gasped. ‘You don’t need to be specific, but I can’t take much more of this. We’ve been looking in a fountain and I’m so numb I can’t even tell if it’s still cold.’

‘Look.’ Calvin pointed at where I still grasped the container, seemingly unable to wheeze out any more words.

Glancing at Ben, who gave a firm nod of agreement, I handed the container to Calvin. Ben and I had just turned to go when two more people staggered into sight.

‘Grab it!’ Summer shrieked, launching at Lincoln, who was closest to her. As they both tumbled into the snow, struggling to untangle themselves, Henry merely stood there, arms folded, while Calvin read the clue, took his token, and started hurrying away, throwing the container into a holly bush as he jogged past it.

‘What the hell, man?’ Lincoln yelled after him.

‘Only one winner!’ Calvin called back. ‘I need this job.’

‘You should try to catch up with him,’ Ben said, as Summer yanked Lincoln onto the ground again using the back of his trousers. ‘You can still win.’

‘Calvin did the dirty on his own team member.’ I shook my head. ‘That’s not fair.’

‘Baxter doesn’t do fair,’ Ben reminded me.

‘Maybe not, but I do.’ I approached the holly bush, scanning around for a big stick to knock the container free until Henry reached past me into the branches and pulled it out.

‘Yes!’ Summer cried, elbowing Lincoln in the stomach as she pushed past him to get to Henry. Her teammate merely waited until she was two paces away then ducked past her and threw it to where Lincoln had finally managed to right himself.

‘Cheers, mate!’ Lincoln said, looking astounded.

‘Traitor!’ Summer screeched, giving Henry a solid shove before she spun back around to where Lincoln had already grabbed his token and started off after Calvin, dropping the container as he ran.

Henry, who had absorbed Summer’s shove like a crash mat, looked at me and Ben. ‘Time to get back in the warm?’

‘Please, yes!’ Ben shivered. ‘Lead the way.’