‘You and the princess you are so close to,’ Haru went on, his voice not matching his cold expression. ‘Your relationship seems to cause a lot of drama for everyone. Of course, this is only an observation.’

This time Haru didn’t need to squeeze her shoulder to make her flinch. The words were painful enough. Everything she’d feared about herself, everything she knew to be true, was spewing out of her enemy.

‘And you talked about this with Jamie?’ It came out ragged and defeated.

‘It has come up,’ Haru replied.

It was the last push and sent Ellie over the edge.

‘I know what you’re doing,’ she snapped. ‘I know you’re trying to get inside Jamie’s head. I’ll kill you before I let you do that.’

Haru took a step back. ‘What do you mean?’

‘I’m not going to let you get away with this,’ she snarled. ‘We’re watching you too.’

When Haru narrowed in on her this time, he looked less like a mischievous fox and more like a bird of prey, who would swoop down at any moment and eat her alive, and deep, deep down there was just a hint of something human. ‘Does Jamie know?’

Ellie hesitated, hot panic making her realize how stupid she’d been, that she was only digging herself further into her own grave. ‘Maybe.’

Relaxing, Haru leaned casually against the stone wall, the gift still nestled under his arm. ‘I didn’t think so, although it’s strange that his princess never told him,’ he pondered, passing the present from one hand to the other.

Ellie gulped. ‘Maybe you don’t know her as well as you think you do.’

‘Let me assure you,’ Haru mocked, ‘we know the princess of Maradova better than she knows herself.’

Haru took a step towards her now, and she bared her teeth, preparing to strike if she needed to. ‘If I were you, I’d get as far away from the princess as possible.’ His words came with a warning. ‘She is not good for anyone.’

If only he knew who really needed protecting, Ellie thought, part of her wanting to laugh. The other part wanted to scream and destroy something.

‘You think you know her, but actually it is you who is the most oblivious.’

‘What are you –’

Haru patted her on the head condescendingly. ‘It’s simple, really,’ he began. ‘Every important choice she’s ever made, everything she’s ever done – it’s all been laid out for her.’

‘What?’

Haru smiled, pleased with her reaction. ‘We started the rumours about her reckless behaviour that kept her locked away and desperate to leave. We sent her the information about this very school. We are the reason she went to Japan. The Maravish royal family are as predictable as the changing seasons; all we had to do was give them a little push and –’