The Wolf Queen’s back seemed to tremble, ever so slightly. But her shiny, toy-like little shoes were planted firmly on the floor.

When had she created all this?

In her last year of life, she’d mostly kept her eyes closed, as if sleeping. Even little Rion thought it better that she sleep if she was in that much pain.

Was it then? he wondered.

Eyes closed, asleep, she had come here every day.

If I’m not here any more, I’ll hope for one single wish for you, Rion.

I want to be able to walk with you to school.

Rion said this innocently enough, his one modest wish.

If I do go back to that school, then I want the same as you – to walk to school together, Rion, and to play with you.

His sister had said it. This is surely what she had wished for.

His sister had always loved making up stories, and this castle and the quest for the key were exactly the kind of thing she would have come up with.

The Wolf Queen still didn’t turn around.

She seemed resolved not to face him, no matter what.

Rion knew well how strong she was; she would not give in.

‘At first, I thought my dead sister had come back since she wanted to see me. But when I saw the way the seven-year timeline seemed incomplete, I finally understood. That you must be travelling here from that hospital room, too. Your reality is still in that room with me when I was six, isn’t it?’

Rion’s voice began to crack as he fought back tears.

‘You were coming over here every day back then, weren’t you?’

He gazed around the castle.

‘That last long year – you spent it in here, in this very doll’s house, together with me and all the others.’

He finally began to understand what her last words to him really meant.

Rion … I’m sorry I scared you. But I had a good time.

On that day, when he was just six, he’d thought she was referring to her frightening him by dying. But she wasn’t. Those were the true feelings of this Wolf Queen who now refused to turn and face him.

His sister had meant the words I had a good time for this Rion, the one here now.

The next day, the castle would close for ever.

30 March.

The day she died.

My sister will leave me. The Wolf Queen is about to die.

‘You did this all for me, didn’t you?’

He choked now on his words; he couldn’t finish them though he was trying.

Rion and his sister were seven years apart in age.

So there was no way they would ever go to school together, even if she hadn’t been sick. Rion was now thirteen years old.