‘Don’t talk about her like that – unless you want to take this outside.’ The response was instantaneous, an electric current that she couldn’t stop. She could never control herself when it came to Lottie, and that’s exactly why she was here.

‘OK, OK, we won’t make fun of your little girlfriend,’ Eyebrows said, relenting, but Ellie could tell by the way she scrunched her nose that she’d learned her lesson. ‘Do you have payment?’

‘Yes,’ Ellie said quickly. ‘But I’ll only give it to Stephanie.’

Once more the panel slid shut and once more the murmuring started up, until the door opened again, revealing the full extent of Eyebrows and Spiderwebs. Ellie didn’t have much time to take them in, only catching a glimpse of their torn uniforms and brightly coloured hair. She stepped inside and Eyebrows shut the door behind them with a thud that left the tiny corridor in total darkness. The two of them strolled towards a second door with ease, and Ellie could almost believe they could see in the dark.

The loud groan of the heavy darkroom door was followed by a flood of red and blue light.

‘Welcome to the Parlour,’ Spiderwebs said with a grin, revealing a surprisingly elegant gap tooth.

The Parlour, as they called it, was one of the darkrooms that had been commandeered by the Artistocracy. The windowless room was hazy with bergamot incense that scarcely covered up the smoke that clung to their clothes. Displayed proudly was a selection of shock-value art pieces, ripped-up baby dolls whose limbs grew out of the furnishings, their dead eyes cut out and glued to the walls, watching all who entered. There were two others in the room. One of them was someone Ellie knew from her maths class – Max. Their hair was shaved short and dyed in red and white stripes. And finally there sat their leader, leaning back casually in a black-velvet chair with her legs flung over the armrest. This was who Ellie had come looking for.