The castle was the Wolf Queen’s home, yet she seemed so detached from it. The handsome boy seemed unconvinced, and was about to add something, but then he looked away and muttered, ‘OK.’

‘Is that actually real – a wish coming true?’

This time it was the boy fiddling with the game console. He turned his body moodily towards the Wolf Queen. Kokoro looked curiously at the game console, since she didn’t recognize it, though she couldn’t tell for sure from where she was standing. The boy’s tone had a scathing ring to it.

‘You’re saying if we find the key, any wish can come true? We can use the kind of weird supernatural power that got us here to make it come true? Like we can become a wizard, or enter a video game or something? Is that what you’re saying?’

‘I am, though I wouldn’t advise it. I don’t know anyone happy who wished for any of those. Enter the world of a game, and the enemy might kill you in an instant. But if that’s what you want, feel free.’

‘You’re so downbeat, aren’t you? If I go into Pokémon, it won’t be me doing the fighting, it’ll be a monster.’

Still clutching his game console, the boy said this so matter-of-factly it was hard to tell how serious he was. He nodded to himself.

‘And then there are certain things you need to be aware of while you’re in the castle,’ the Wolf Queen continued, surveying her group a little more closely.

‘Only the seven of you are allowed entry. If you try to bring someone with you, they won’t get in. So don’t attempt to get any outside help to find the key.’

‘What about telling other people about the castle?’

This, again, from the good-looking boy. The Wolf Queen turned to face him. She’d answered all their questions so smoothly, but this one seemed to stump her.

‘If you think you can talk about it with others, go ahead and try.’ She paused. ‘If you think anyone will ever believe you. The problem is, people will think you’re weird. You’re the only ones who can get in, so it will be very hard to prove it exists.’

‘But we can go through the mirror in front of someone, can’t we? If someone actually saw their kid disappear into a shining mirror, they’d be worried enough to believe it’s true.’ This from the boy with the game console.

The Wolf Queen sighed. ‘You said kid. So you’re talking about getting your parents to help you. Not your friends, but adults?’

‘Yeah.’