Gumble turned to Kat. “You’ll know what to do, Miss Bateson. We can make our own way through the, well, the protections. The castle will be in your capable hands.” She glared at Baines. Then she and MacLarren stepped out into the cold, damp mist, which seemed to have grown mistier, damper, and a little darker, and Baines slammed the great door in their wake.

He turned and surveyed the children with a stern expression. “A terribly small group of children. Not much of a school, is it? Costly endeavor. Well. Why don’t we start by having each of you demonstrate your, ahem, magic?”

As the children exchanged glances, Baines’s expression changed and he launched into a barking laugh.

His laughter echoed through the castle, up and down and around. The echo went on for so long that it was as if the castle had joined right in.

CHAPTER 20

Isaac

1942

The children exchanged glances again. Amelie said under her breath, “I think he’s daft.”

Baines broke off abruptly and glared at each of them in turn. “Well?”

“You want us to demonstrate our . . . magic?” Kat asked. She sounded as if she could hardly wait to get started.

Baines tugged at his cuffs. “Let’s get this nonsense over with.”

Colin whispered to Canut. The dog lowered his head and bared his teeth at Baines, a rumble in his throat.

Baines took a step back. “Remove this menacing creature at once! Outside. All these animals outside, now.”

Colin’s dogs encircled him protectively. Several began to whine. Canut growled. “What?” Colin said. “No. They stay with me.”

“Out,” Baines cried, brandishing a short crop he yanked from his belt. Isaac remembered with a sick feeling the crops wielded by Nazi soldiers in Prague, and he shrank away.

Colin whistled, turned, and ran for the stairs, all the dogs following at his heels.

“I’ll find you later,” Baines called, flicking the crop, and Isaac flinched.

Amelie muttered under her breath. Willow appeared with a pop, directly in front of Baines. They began to make rude noises at the man, and Isaac suppressed a snort. But Baines glared after Colin and the dogs, looking straight through the wight.

“He doesn’t see Willow,” Amelie whispered. “He doesn’t even see them there, right before him.”

Willow hung upside down, bobbing like a cork, but Baines registered no notice at all. Willow made a loud pfft, and lifted up to the ceiling, muttering.

“How disturbing,” murmured Kat.

Leo cleared his throat. “I can predict the future, and I have visions of what’s happening in other places.”

Baines stared at him. “What are you talking about?”

“It’s my gift,” Leo said. He closed his eyes, his face scrunching in concentration. “A great storm is coming,” he whispered. “A storm to end all storms.”

Isaac shivered. A storm to end all storms?