‘Let me finish,’ the Wolf Queen said, glaring at him. ‘Hear me out before you decide to do anything. First, your entry and exit will be through the mirrors in your bedrooms or in the castle. From now on, you’ll come straight here, to this foyer. To prevent anyone from attempting to flee.’

The Wolf Queen looked meaningfully at Kokoro, and she felt everyone’s eyes on her. A wave of shame flooded through her.

‘The castle will be open from now until the thirtieth of March. If you don’t find the key by then, the entire castle will vanish and you will never have access ever again.’

‘So – what if we do find it?’

This was another new voice, and the Wolf Queen turned towards it. The boy gave a small yelp and crouched behind the banister of the stairs. Only his chubby fingers were visible.

‘So if someone finds the key and their wish is granted, then the mirrors won’t connect up here any more?’ he carried on bravely from his hiding place.

‘Once the Wishing Room has been unlocked, it’s game over. The castle will immediately close down.’ The Wolf Queen nodded sagely at her own words. ‘I should add that the castle is open every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Japan time. So you absolutely must get back through the mirrors by five. If you stay in the castle any later, you’ll face a truly horrible penalty.’

‘A penalty?’

‘A simple punishment. You’ll be eaten by a wolf.’

‘What?!’ The group gaped at the Wolf Queen.

You’re joking, aren’t you? Kokoro wanted to ask but couldn’t.

‘Eaten? You mean – by you?’

A chilly silence fell over them.

With a moment to think, a new possibility occurred to Kokoro. Yesterday the Wolf Queen had said to her, It’s already four o’clock and I’m nearly out of time. When she got back home, her favourite TV soap had already started. The hands on her clock had moved forward. Meaning that while they were in the castle, time had passed in the real world as well.

The castle was open from nine to five. Until 30 March.

It sounded a lot like a school timetable.

Kokoro scanned the faces of her peers:

The handsome boy in the sweats.

The girl with the ponytail who seemed to have her act together.

The girl in glasses, with the high-pitched anime voice.

The brash boy absorbed in the game console.

The quiet boy with freckles who reminded her of Ron.

The meek, chubby boy hiding behind the banister.

Seven of them altogether.

Kokoro thought about the question posed by the ponytailed girl. Why have you even called us here? Kokoro didn’t know, but she was sure everyone here had one thing in common.

Not a single one of them was going to school.

‘ABOUT THAT – PENALTY YOU MENTIONED.’

It was the ponytailed girl.