I let the hatch slam shut, and when I turn around I see that Rose has curled up and fallen asleep. Just looking at her makes me yawn, so when Win offers to take first watch I don’t argue. I stumble into the hammock and snuggle into my onesie. “Wake me for the second watch,” I mutter, before adding, “and, Win, make sure you don’t fall asleep.”

I don’t drift off straight away. I think about Crowky and the Box, and how he must be hunting for us. Then I think about Rose dancing in the Dark Disco, her head thrown back, laughing at the top of her voice. Can our laughter really make the fears vanish?

I puzzle this over, my hammock sways and the fire crackles. And then, in the way that often happens just as you’re drifting off to sleep, the pieces of the puzzle fall into place. What if it wasn’t the laughter that made our fears go away, but the fact that we could laugh? You can’t really, truly laugh at something you’re scared of.

When we stop feeling scared, the fear goes away . . .

Could it really be that simple? I wonder as I slip into a sleep that’s as deep and quiet as the sea that’s swirling below us.

Chapter 44

A long deep growl creeps into my dreams. It runs down my spine and makes the hairs on my arms stand on end. I hear it again, and I realize that I’m not asleep, and that the growling is coming from somewhere near my face. Then I feel hot breath panting on me and I smell something disgusting.

With my stomach clenched tight with fear, I open my eyes.

A wolf is centimeters away from my face. It has eyes the color of dirty snow, and when it growls I see wet gums and stained teeth. A jaunty whistle makes the wolf slink back. Hati Skoll is standing in the middle of the room.

“Hello, Arthur Trout,” she says, peering at me from under her hat.

I sit up. The window has been thrown open, letting in freezing air and the odd snowflake. The door is open too, and wet footprints are dotted across the floor. Two more wolves prowl around the room. Rose is standing pressed against the wall, trying to get as far away from them as possible, and Win is tied to a chair. He struggles from side to side, and makes a grunting sound. He’s got something stuffed in his mouth. There’s another chair behind his, and I know it’s for me.

Seeing my shocked face, Hati grins and says, “My wolves can be very, very quiet when they need to be.”