The room was getting warm from Lottie’s frantic energy, only the slight breeze coming from the half-open balcony keeping the temperature bearable, but it came at the price of occasionally blowing Claude’s letters about. Both of them were starting to look like little creatures, rustling for attention if she ignored them for too long.

‘Oh, absolutely,’ Binah agreed, ‘but how on earth would we get it?’

Lottie had secretly been hoping Binah would suggest something reckless like breaking in and grabbing the box themselves, and to hear her discuss it so cautiously was a reminder of how serious this was. Even Binah wouldn’t tempt fate when it came to Haru.

Claude’s most recent letter fluttered again, and Lottie quickly put a book over it in an attempt to force herself to stop worrying about it.

She wasn’t any closer to solving anything, not Leviathan’s plan nor Claude’s goal, and now she was fixated on that box and what might be inside it.

What would Sayuri do? Lottie thought, spreading out on the rug and seeing the dark spot under her bed where her sword – or, rather, Liliana’s sword, was wrapped in cloth and hidden away. It looked lonely, out of place and useless, everything Lottie was afraid of becoming.

‘What’s this?!’ Binah exclaimed, her voice full of curiosity.

Lottie sat up just in time to see her pluck one of the postcards Lottie had displayed on her wall by the bed.

It was the one she’d got from Sayuri back at the palace, the front illustration depicting the bamboo forest where they’d found the first sword, Sayuri’s sword.

‘It’s a postcard from Sayuri.’

‘You two became quite close, didn’t you?’

Lottie nodded. ‘I promised her I’d help figure everything out and that she could trust me, but so far all I’ve done is push us into a corner.’

Binah hummed thoughtfully to herself, carefully putting the card back. ‘What did you do with the postcard you received the other day?’

The question made Lottie pause, having buried the thought in the bin along with the postcard. To her relief, footsteps sounded on the landing, and Binah and Lottie quickly shoved the letters and notes they’d made under Lottie’s pillow just as the door creaked open. Ellie stood there, looking sweaty but invigorated in her fencing clothes.

‘Well, I’d better go.’ Binah grinned at Lottie, but Lottie hardly noticed; she was too caught up in seeing Ellie looking so well after her class.

‘Oh, yes, thank you for the science help, Binah. I’ll see you later.’ Lottie could have kicked herself for how terrible the excuse sounded, and Binah rolled her eyes as she made her way outside.

‘Have a pleasant evening, you two,’ she called over her shoulder, leaving the two girls alone.