It’s fair to say he uses a lot of exaggeration. In his version of events he fell off the ice floe doing an “epic flying tiger kick” and would have died if he didn’t have fingers “like steel.” By the time he’s describing the moment we cast the Winthur Arinja spell, even the orangutans have gathered around to listen.

“So where’s Crowky now?” asks Mitch.

“We left him in the sea,” I say. “I tried to get him to come with us, but he refused.”

We talk about what we should do, and if we should go looking for him. It’s Mitch who makes the final decision. “I’m captain of this vessel,” she says, “and I’ve got to look after my crew. Look at Win. He’s still blue! I need to make him a potion and get us to warmer waters. Plus, this ocean is vast. Where would we even start looking for him?”

I know she’s right, but as she pulls herself out of the hot tub and disappears into her cabin I still scan the waves for any sign of Crowky. It feels wrong to leave anyone out here.

Mitch reappears with blankets and a red smoking potion for Win to drink. We heave our aching bodies out of the hot tub and start to dry off. Win ties one of the blankets around his waist like a sarong and then downs the potion in one go. “Arthur, look at me!” Smoke is pouring from his nostrils and when he opens his mouth it rolls out over his tongue. “I’m a dragon!”

Rose pulls her blanket tight around her shoulders and frowns. “Arthur, what day is it?”

I do a quick calculation. I know we arrived at the Vampire on Tuesday, but after that everything went a bit hazy. Time doesn’t mean much in Roar. “Thursday?” I say.

“Then we need to go. Mum and Dad are expecting to pick us up on Sunday, and we don’t know how long it’s going to take us to sail back!”

“I’ve got this,” says Mitch, and she starts bellowing instructions to her crew. She includes Win, much to his delight, telling him to go on watch in the crow’s nest.

“Coming, Arthur?” he says as he starts to climb the rigging.

“In a minute,” I say. Unlike him, I’ve not drunk a fire potion and my legs are still wobbly.

Just then the ice dragon’s shadow falls over us. Ever since it dropped Win and me in the hot tub it’s been circling the boat, sending out blasts of ice.

“Look at our dragon, Arthur!” shouts Win. Then he continues climbing up to the crow’s nest.

I turn to Rose. “You won’t tell him it’s your dragon, will you?”

She shakes her head. “You two deserve this one.”