‘It is our last resort. If they will not admit what they did themselves, forcing you to become a Partizan as punishment, banishing me, all for falling in love with the wrong woman, then we have the means to make them confess. I think the world deserves to know who really runs the world, what these people are really like and what they are capable of. Then the people can choose how they wish to be governed. If you had known all this, if the people working in the palace had known, I’m sure they wouldn’t have taken these jobs of servitude. Do you agree?’

It felt like he was talking specifically about Lottie, that he’d reached inside his mind and located the very reason he’d come here.

‘Yes, I agree.’ Jamie already knew what he had to do next, all he needed was everyone else. ‘Can you call in the other members of Leviathan?’

Claude tilted his head. ‘Haru says you have something to tell me.’

‘I do, but I need the rest of you here first, to make sure you understand how important it is. All of you.’ He paused. ‘Especially Ingrid.’

A smile crawled back over Claude’s lips.

How had he been so afraid of this man, shivering at the idea of Lottie getting near him? The thought of Lottie reminded him why he was here.

Claude left the room again without a word. After a few minutes, the rest of Leviathan began filtering in. The first ones to come through after Claude were Phi, who prowled the room as if she expected a fight, and Haru, holding a plate of food. They were followed by two mousy teenagers Jamie had never seen. From their similar height and build he imagined they must be twins. Both of them stared at him in unison, giggling to each other, noses crinkling identically.

The last to enter the room was Ingrid, who stood in the furthest corner of the room from Jamie and crossed her arms, sulking.

So, this was the Leviathan. The monsters he and his friends had been fighting for so long. Their stance made it clear they were all Partizan trained.

‘Where’s Julius?’ Jamie asked, looking over his shoulder, trying not to react to how the name tasted in his mouth.

‘He’s on an important errand,’ Claude said quickly.

‘I understand your plan involves bringing in the Maravish princess?’ asked Jamie, looking straight into Claude’s eyes.

They looked among each other, except for Claude who continued to stare at him.

‘Is that a problem?’ Claude’s voice stayed level.

‘Yes,’ Jamie said, and all eyes trained on him. ‘You can’t go after her.’ He paused, thinking of Lottie, the way she’d been betrayed by Ellie – the way both of them had been betrayed by the Wolfsons. He swallowed. ‘You can’t go after her. She’s not the real princess.’