Win hooks his finger around mine and when my eyes meet his, he smiles. I don’t think he can hold on for much longer.

I swallow. I have to find the strength to talk. I have to say something that will stop Win from giving up. “Win, listen.” My voice is a desperate whisper. It makes Crowky laugh, but I ignore him and carry on. “Friends like us, we have a powerful magic. It joins us together, even when I’m in Home and you’re in Roar.”

His eyes flicker. “Does it work when I do stupid things?”

I nod. “That’s when it’s stronger than ever.”

His finger tightens around mine and I feel warmth creeping into my hand and up my arm. Crowky doesn’t seem to notice. He gets up and stands over us. He could easily kick Win back into the water or finish stuffing me, but instead he stares down at us. “Magic?” he sneers, then he bends close to Win’s face and says, “You really are stupid if you believe that!”

Doubt flies across Win’s face and his other hand slips into the water. Now the only thing stopping him from falling into the sea is our linked fingers. “Our magic is immense, Win . . . It’s mind-blowing. It’s . . .” I feel dizzy and so tired. I let my head fall back. Up in the sky Rose’s ice dragon stretches out its wings.

“Better than Mitch’s?” Win’s voice pulls me back.

I smile. “It’s way better than Mitch’s.”

This is too much for Crowky. “Prove it,” he says.

“Can you reach your wand, Win?”

He shakes his head.

“It doesn’t matter,” I say. “We just need to say the magic words.” He nods but I’m not sure if he’s listening to me. His eyes are half closed. Frost seems to be sealing them shut. I say the first thing that comes into my head. “The magic words are Winthur Arinja. When we say them together the magic happens.”

“What’s your incredible friendship magic going to make?” sneers Crowky. “A couple of stars? Some smoke? A big snowball?”

“No,” I say, and I realize that the heat has moved up my arm and is now spreading through my body. I turn and look him in the eye. “It’s going to make a dragon.” Then I squeeze Win’s finger. “Now, Win!”

Together we say, “Winthur Arinja!”

Nothing happens. Crowky starts to howl with laughter. “Where’s the dragon, Arthur? Let me guess, it’s invisible!”

I shake my head. “It’s right behind you.”

A roar tears through the sky and ice showers down on us. Crowky spins around, and there, plunging toward us, is our dragon.