‘You’re lying. If that’s true, then why can’t we meet up outside?’ Masamune looked stern. ‘That’s how it is with parallel worlds, isn’t it? If each of our realities is different and we can’t meet in the outside world, then what reason is there to gather us here other than to weed out our worlds?’

‘You can’t meet outside? I don’t remember ever saying that,’ the Wolf Queen said casually, stifling a yawn.

‘You mean – we can meet?’ Ureshino asked.

The Wolf Queen gave a small giggle. ‘Um. I’m not saying you can’t.’

‘You are such a liar!’ Masamune was enraged. ‘We cannot see each other!’ His cheeks and ears turned bright red. ‘I’m telling you, I asked them as a favour to meet me, and they did, but we still couldn’t see each other. How do you explain that?’

Masamune clenched his fists. Kokoro shut her eyes. Watching a boy cry was just too much to take. ‘Masamune!’ Enough already, she thought.

‘That’s right, Wolf Queen. We couldn’t see each other.’

‘But I never said you can’t meet up, or can’t help each other. It’s time you people worked things out. Don’t start barking up the wrong tree. Think about it, and don’t expect me to tell you everything. I’ve been giving you clues all along to help you find the key.’

The group fell silent. Masamune was still breathing heavily.

‘What do you mean, clues?’ Aki asked. The Wolf Queen turned to face her, and the group felt a force and tension in Aki’s words that hadn’t been there before. ‘You said you gave us clues, but what does that mean?’

‘Just what I said.’

The Wolf Queen’s voice sounded neither fed up nor irritated, just even-toned and unflappable.

‘I don’t get it. You always skirt around things. I mean, for one, you’re the biggest mystery in this whole place. With that mask over your face the whole time, and calling us lost Little Red Riding Hoods. You’re just making fun of us.’

‘Well, you’re right, I call you all Little Red Riding Hoods, but sometimes you all seem to me more like the wolf. Is it really that hard to find it?’ The Wolf Queen seemed to suppress a smile.

‘That’s what I said – the way you talk to us is so tricksy.’

‘I’ll say it again: this is the castle in the mirror, where you look for the key that grants your wish.’

‘Then I have a question.’ Rion raised a hand. He waited for the Wolf Queen’s full attention before he spoke. ‘This search for the key. I’ve sort of been looking for it all along. Under the bed in my room I found an X, so what does that mean?’

‘What?’ The others all looked at him in surprise.