When I lift my face out of the water I see my foot clamped in Flea’s jaw and her shoulders straining as she drags me back to shore. I kick out, as hard as I can. The pain eases, but still I’m being pulled toward the ledge, and I’m taking Rose and Win back with me. Flea has her teeth sunk into the leg of my fur onesie. She tosses her head from side to side, and my leg flies around in the air. My head is forced back under the water.

Hati walks toward us, taking her time, followed by the rest of the wolves.

I splutter to the surface. “The wolf’s got me,” I shout. “Rose, Win, let go!” But when I glance back I see that it’s just Rose holding on to my shoulders. Win, inexplicably, has taken off his onesie and is wriggling out of his trousers. I don’t have time to think why he’s doing this because while Flea pulls me closer to shore, I realize Rose is losing her grip. I reach out my hand and Rose grabs hold of it. Her fingers feel warm and strong . . . but not strong enough. My fingers are icy. Twigs like Crowky’s, I think, and then I realize that I no longer feel cold. In fact, I feel warm. This can’t be a good thing.

“Rose,” I whisper, or maybe I just think it because everything has started to slow down and even the color seems to have disappeared from my sister’s face.

A coil of rope flies past me and lands on the ice between Rose and Win.

“Pull yourself in, Rose!” shouts Hati. “Can’t you see your brother is freezing?”

I try to shake my head, but my body won’t work anymore.

“Boggle hiss!” I only just hear Win’s spell. Water washes over my face, but I see him waving his trousers over his head and pointing his wand. “Boggle hiss. BOGGLE HISS!” he yells.

An explosion of black stars fills the cave and my foot shoots free. Rose drags me out of the river and onto the lump of ice. Our raft bobs and spins toward the dark tunnel.

Back on the ledge Flea looks confused. Win’s trousers dangle from her jaws and Win is now clutching my onesie.

Hati’s eyes fill with rage. “I’m going to hunt you down, Rose Trout!” she shouts as we slip into the darkness of the tunnel. “You can never escape from me!”

Chapter 40

I lie on the ice, my teeth chattering and my body numb. I listen to Win talk about his magic and I enjoy the incredible sensation of being swept farther and farther away from Hati Skoll and her wolves.