Stella and the Lost Girls are obviously proud of their new home. Stella stands there, arms folded, with a satisfied smile on her face, while the Lost Girls clamber up and down the staircase, treating it like a climbing frame. “We had to clear up loads of muck,” says Stella. “There were feathers and bits of straw everywhere. Still, it’s good to have a roof over our heads again. Getting rid of Crowky was the best thing that could have happened to us.”

Win, Rose, and I glance at each other.

“What is it?” says Stella.

“He’s back,” says Rose. “Arthur saw him last night.”

Stella glares at me as if this is all my fault. “Tell me what happened.”

And so, with the Lost Girls gathered around me, I describe what happened last night—skipping the bit about me falling asleep—and ending with the message we found written on the wall of the cave. “That’s when we decided to come here,” I say. “It seemed like the safest place to be.”

“Well, you’re right about that,” says Stella, then she snaps her fingers at two of the girls. “Clara, Shania, go out to the bridge. You’re on guard. Keep your eyes peeled for Crowky and if you see any sign of him, cut the ropes.”

“What if he’s flying again?” says Clara.

“Then run in here and lock the doors!” With a sigh the girls trudge off and Stella turns to us. “I remember the Box. What was that clown’s name again? The one who used to tread on Arthur? He was funny!”

“He was called Candyfloss,” I say. “And he wasn’t funny.”

Stella laughs. “Oh yes he was! But Crowky can’t have the Box, can he, because your mermaid friend got rid of it.”

“Exactly!” says Rose. “That’s what I keep trying to tell Arthur. The Box is gone and if we’re going to worry about anything, it should be Crowky.”

I shake my head. “But what if Crowky finds the Box? He’d fill Roar with things that scare us, and I don’t know about you, Rose, but I’m not scared of clowns or big fluffy cats anymore!”

She shakes her head as if she doesn’t want to hear what I’m saying. “It’s gone, Arthur. Crowky only wrote that message to freak us out. I bet he hasn’t even thought about the Box in years!”

There’s a moment of silence, then the Lost Girls start giggling. “Oh yes he has,” says Stella. “He’s crazy about the Box!” Then she grabs a torch and heads toward the staircase. “Come on,” she says. “There’s something you need to see.”

Chapter 18

“How much farther?” Win asks, collapsing on the twiggy staircase.

Stella peers up. “I reckon there’s six more turns to go. You get used to it pretty quickly.”