Trying to keep calm, Lottie pocketed the postcard. It felt warm nestled next to her heart, despite the terrible reminder that Haru was waiting for them when they returned.

‘Is this why you wanted to meet me?’ she asked, wishing she could do something to put Ellie’s mind at ease.

‘No.’ Ellie shook her head. ‘I need to ask you a favour.’ Her gaze wandered once more to the painting of Claude.

‘Anything.’

‘I need you to promise you won’t tell my parents about Haru being part of Leviathan tomorrow. Not unless I say so.’

‘Wait, what?’

Ellie’s eyes snapped back to Lottie’s, her sleepy demeanour melting away. ‘I’m serious, Lottie. After what you found out about my … about Claude, I feel like my parents are hiding things. Tomorrow I’m going to tell them I’m sick of it.’ Ellie’s hands curled into fists. ‘I can’t believe they’re not letting Jamie attend. We can’t let them keep things from us. We should be vigilant; we have to –’

‘Jamie’s not attending?’ Lottie’s mind felt muddled, sure she’d misheard, but Ellie shook her head again, letting her know it was very real.

‘It’s weird, isn’t it?’ Ellie looked vindicated for a moment, glad to see Lottie equally as perplexed. ‘They won’t say why, but they’re keeping it intimate, just me, you, Grandmother and my parents.’

The news was like a boulder, knocking Lottie right back into the Rose Wood, Ingrid’s voice snaking into her thoughts once more. Why is Jamie your Partizan?

Shaking it off, Lottie grabbed one of Ellie’s clenched fists and squeezed. From the way her friend’s hand trembled, Lottie could sense a long-growing resentment in her princess towards her secretive family. ‘Let’s see what your parents and grandmother have to say tomorrow. Then you can decide what you think is right for everyone.’

‘But –’

‘I’m on your side, Ellie, no matter what.’ This was the truth – a fact she could always fall back on. Everything she did was for the good of her princess, the girl who made her feel whole. ‘And if you decide that’s what you want to do after we’ve spoken to them, then OK.’ Lottie spoke steadily but her chest felt hollow at the idea of keeping Haru a secret any longer. ‘Can we do that?’

Seconds felt like decades while she waited for a reply, and all the while Claude stared down at them, watching, waiting.

‘OK, yeah,’ Ellie said at last, her fists uncurling. ‘I’ll try to keep my cool tomorrow, for you.’ A semblance of Ellie’s old charm crept back into her smile, but it faded quickly. ‘We should probably go to sleep. I’m not thinking straight. I’m tired and it feels weird being back here, and … yeah.’

‘Don’t worry, I understand.’ Lottie linked her fingers with Ellie’s.