‘No, I mean, I’m going to Maradova, of course, continuing my Portman duties. I’m sure the work will truly start once school ends and we’ve defeated Claude once and for all.’

‘But what about when Ellie takes the throne?’

The question was so unexpected that it felt like someone had pulled the ground out from underneath her feet. An image of Ellie came into her head, but it wasn’t the princely figure she usually saw. It was scowling down at her, trying to get rid of her, and it was so painful it made her eyes sting.

‘I don’t …’ Her words dried up. Without Ellie and the Wolfsons, what did she have? ‘I don’t know.’

Above them a slow pitter-patter began, the world beyond the skylight shifting with the building rain.

‘I have to go. Looks like it’s going to start chucking it down any minute now, and, silly me, I don’t have an umbrella. So I’d better get back, shouldn’t I?’ Lottie laughed. ‘I need to get back to solving the rest of this puzzle anyway.’

Binah’s eyes narrowed, seeing right through the excuse.

‘May I ask, have you told her about these letters yet?’

Lottie waved off Binah’s concern, hiding her face. ‘It’s part of my Portman duties to handle all the tricky stuff,’ Lottie declared, packing up her things. ‘Thanks for the help, Binah. I really appreciate it.’

‘But don’t we need to open the other letter?’

‘It’s fine. I’ll handle it on my own from here.’ Throwing her bag over her shoulder, Lottie marched off, desperately needing to get out of the suddenly stuffy library. ‘I shouldn’t have dragged you into this anyway.’

Using her satchel as an umbrella, Lottie rushed to the exit before Binah could say any more. Surrounded by others running to shelter, Lottie’s path was clear, and she was determined to get back before any of that rain could get to her. She knew what she was doing, didn’t she?

Lottie marched through the Ivy Wood gate, nearly bumping into another boy on his way out. It made her jump – too many eyes, too many people, everyone watching.

Without hesitation, she headed straight to Room 221.

‘Please!’ she whispered, needing something, anything to distract her, to anchor her back to the Wolfsons, to give her a purpose. ‘Let me solve this.’

And there it was locked in her bedside drawer, something to keep the chain that tied her to Ellie strong and unbreakable: the second envelope.

She grabbed the manila envelope, running her fingers along the slit and pouring the contents out on her bed.

She was surprised to find only one item inside. She had been hoping for something more to sink her teeth into. Instead what fell on to her bedspread appeared to be a photo, an old one.