‘And with the traces of crap magic we’ve found around the set…’ I sighed. It did seem likely that the television show and at least one of its crew were connected.

‘The situation is different now. Even if the production company agreed to shut down Enchantment, we’d have to start from scratch again. At least this way we’re in the right place to catch the bastard who’s doing this.’ He squeezed my arm. ‘There are back-up teams already on their way from Oxford. They’ll stay out of the way unless we really need them but we know that they’ll be there.’

My bottom lip jutted out. I really didn’t like this. ‘Can I at least stop being a runner now?’

‘Your cover remains in place. We need to provide for every eventuality and you can sneak around less noticeably than me if you’re just another crew member.’

As if to add credence to that irritating sentence, someone shouted to me from the other side of the path. ‘You! You’re wanted in the tent!’

‘I have a name!’ I yelled back.

‘Ivy,’ Winter warned.

‘Yeah, yeah. I don’t see why you get to be the expert swanning around while I have to be the dogsbody.’

He lowered his head to my ear as the ghost of a smile crossed his face. ‘Join the Order and become my partner for real then maybe things will change.’

Not in the way I wanted them to. I lifted my head and breathed in Winter’s musky scent, filling my lungs with it. Good grief, he smelled divine.

‘Get a move on!’ bellowed the same plonker from before.

I cursed. ‘I’d better go.’ A few drops of rain began to fall from the sky. I supposed at least I’d be inside for a while. Small mercies.

Winter’s hand still lingered on my arm. ‘Be careful, Ivy. If you see or suspect anything, you come and find me first. Don’t put yourself in any unnecessary danger.’

There was something about the look in his eyes that made me think he was very earnest. I nodded and tried to smile.

‘I mean it,’ he growled. ‘No matter what it is, if there’s any hint of danger then we investigate it together. Promise me.’

‘I promise,’ I whispered. Very, very reluctantly, I plodded off to the entrance of the producer’s tent. I was pretty certain that Winter watched me the entire way and I couldn’t help injecting a tiny bit of extra sashay into my stride. Unfortunately, it seemed to be about the only part of all this I had control over for now.

***

First of all, I had to sweep the floor. Then re-arrange the schedule board to show the updated version. Then make copies of the new schedule and deliver them to all the crew. When I got back to the tent just about ready to collapse, I was ushered into the main space and told to make coffee for all the producers who were sitting around a large table and too deep in discussion to manage a please or thank you.