“Right.” Mitch leaps into action, reaching up and snatching a bottle of deep blue powder off the shelf. “Let’s send a message to Crowky.”

But before she can even unscrew the lid, the crow has nudged the window open with its beak and dived into the cabin. Its huge wings knock the bottle from Mitch’s hands, then it swoops around the room, once, twice, shrieking as it goes. I throw my arms up to protect my head and its claws graze my skin. Bottles smash and dried mushrooms rain down on us.

Then, as quickly as it arrived, the crow flies out of the window and back across the icy sea.

We take in the destruction in the room. The crow has done considerable damage, smashing a whole row of bottles and scattering their contents over the floor. Next to my feet some little fish wriggle in a puddle of sparkly liquid.

Then I see a folded piece of paper has been dropped in my lap. “Look,” I say. When I open it I find four words scrawled inside: WHAT’S IN THE BOX?

“Do you think he’s found it?” Rose’s voice is quiet. I can tell how scared she is.

Mitch notices Rose’s fear too. She slams her tail down and lets out a growl of rage. It’s so scary I shrink back against Win. Then she jabs a finger at the tattoo on her wrist and says, “We are going to find the Box before that stupid scarecrow can get his hands on it because I do not like it when people mess with my magic, and I hate it when they MESS WITH MY FRIENDS!”

Then she scoops up some of the spilled ingredients and slaps them on her tail. She pulls herself over to the window and flings the whole lot out. We hear a rumble of thunder, quiet at first then building in intensity. Next comes a flash of lightning that’s so colossal it jolts my heart and seems to split the sky in two.

“TAKE THAT, CROWKY!” she screams out of the window.

Chapter 31

“Hot tub, anyone?” Despite having just made a storm, Mitch’s voice is unnervingly calm.

Without waiting for an answer she reaches up and pulls herself through a hatch in the ceiling. We go outside and find her swimming around a circular pool overlooking the deck. The pool is similar to her bath, only bigger, and steam rises from the water. She rests on the copper side and pulls up her sleeve. “Right, let’s work out where I hid the Box.”

Her tail flips from side to side as she stares at the tattoo. We all hold our breath.