The evidence was there, whether she liked it or not, and what it was telling her was that somehow, though entirely unfathomable, Haru believed Jamie to be the prince of Maradova.

Why is Jamie your Partizan?

The question hit her so hard she jolted upright. Lottie stood up and immediately stumbled back to the door. She had enough sense to quickly place the diary and its contents back in the box and shove the other clues into her bag before she raced outside.

When she reached the laundry room, Max was gone, but Stephanie was there, picking at one of her long nails, which were decorated with a shell design.

‘That was quick.’ She looked as if she was about to make a joke, but her face fell when she looked at Lottie. ‘What did you find?’ Her voice had dropped an octave, a dark hunger there to know what could have terrified Lottie.

Lottie shook her head, shoving the box back into Stephanie’s hands, not able to articulate any of her discovery. ‘You need to get it back into Haru’s drawer. He can’t know I saw it.’

Raising an eyebrow, Stephanie looked down at the box in her hand like it was a poisoned apple. ‘He was in the Ivy building not long ago.’

‘What?’ Lottie nearly choked.

‘Max saw him just now. He had an envelope in his hand. They walked over to the gym so that we can make sure Haru doesn’t return before we have a chance to put this back.’ She waved the box in the air.

Lottie panted, adrenaline rushing through her body. ‘I have … I have to go,’ she managed to gasp out, only vaguely aware of Stephanie calling to her.

Her feet felt like they were made of lead as she ran, knowing exactly what was waiting for her.

There was a letter in her cubbyhole. A manila envelope that she knew must contain all the answers. She picked it up and when she turned it over the top simply read in Haru’s writing: Time’s up.

It was early evening as she dragged herself through the school grounds, students like ghosts in her vision fading in and out of focus, until she reached Stratus Side and the entrance to Liliana’s study.

Usually it felt peaceful to be alone in the heart of the school, in her secret place, but now it was tinged with fear. She didn’t want to be alone any more. She had to help the Wolfsons and fix whatever this mess was, no matter how much it hurt. That way she, Ellie and the Wolfsons could always be together, happy.

With all the pieces in order, she laid them out in front of her on the rug. The Bambi imagery, the stag, the usurping wolves and Jamie’s mother.

In the very centre she placed the unopened envelope. The answers she’d been searching for.