‘Either way,’ Binah said, not hiding her lack of confidence, ‘you’re welcome.’

The next morning was exceptionally cold, a wind coursing through the school that whipped at everyone’s uniforms, and blew their hair around in great bellows, obscuring faces and making the school appear filled with flickers, haunted and ghoulish.

Trudging through the gale, Binah and Lottie went to meet Anastacia and Saskia in the Conch common room.

‘Feels like we’re at the beach,’ Lottie said, shaking off the last of the wind as she hung up her jacket.

‘Or heading into a storm,’ Binah countered, but Lottie didn’t want to think about storms right then.

Anastacia had commandeered a spot at the bay window, reclining against the plush sofa, wrapped up in Saskia’s arms, the two of them looking like the deadliest couple in the whole world. For the first time ever seeing them together made Lottie’s heart ache in a way she wasn’t used to, her brain flashing up images of Ellie and Jamie in her head without her permission.

‘Any news?’ Anastacia asked, when Lottie came to sit beside them.

‘No,’ Lottie said, defeated. ‘No messages left for the school, and I asked permission to check my phone – nothing, no note, no letters.’

‘What will you do when school closes?’ Saskia reminded her unhelpfully.

‘She can stay with me,’ Binah said so Lottie didn’t have to reply.

‘The most important thing right now is that we get this information to them about when Leviathan will execute their plan regarding Ellie and her family,’ Lottie announced, ignoring how her voice cracked. ‘We have to warn them.’

Nodding in agreement, Anastacia pulled out a notebook. ‘I’ve jotted down a few possibilities that –’

‘Hey, Princess,’ a Conch student called across the room, cutting Anastacia off and gesturing to the large television mounted on the wall. ‘Your parents are on TV.’

Lottie felt her skin go hot, like the start of a fever. ‘Excuse me?’

‘Turn it up,’ Saskia called, while Anastacia gave anyone making noise a death glare that quickly had them shutting up.

‘We are now live with the king and queen of Maradova who have relayed that there will be an official announcement,’ the news anchor declared, and, sure enough, the image on the screen showed King Alexander and Queen Matilde stepping on to a podium, both dressed in the regal attire and sashes that Lottie knew were used for important addresses.

‘No.’ The word escaped Lottie’s mouth in a squeak, throat closing like she was drowning, because behind the king and queen was a girl in matching attire, a sash draped over her shoulders. ‘Ellie.’ The name sent a dizzy jolt of pain through her head.

Lottie could barely concentrate on the king’s speech, her brain only snapping back into focus when Ellie stepped up to the podium.