His mother had been casting spells. She was magical. And his father—his father had given him a pendant that was also (Isaac was sure) magical. Isaac had inherited a magical gift from his mother. And been given a magical gift by his father. Which made the initial conclusion pretty clear, even if the why was still elusive.

Not only did Isaac Wolf have magic, he had it from both his parents. They’d given him magic and he had a whole ton of it.

Now he had to find out why.

CHAPTER 34

Ralph Baines

1942

Ralph Baines was thoroughly confused. Why were vines covering the windows? Why were trees pressing up against the walls of the castle? Why had he become so entangled with grasping thorns and sticky brambles? His fingers found rips in his jacket and he pursed his lips.

This was his best jacket, a personal purchase, acquired at great expense.

He paced across his commandeered bivouac, rubbing his forehead. He was never fooled for long. There was always a logical explanation.

The forest, when he’d arrived yesterday, had been a mass of thorns and brambles, but this overnight growth was ridiculous. He hadn’t been able to make a dent with the tools before that pack of wild dogs taken in by the youngest boy was at their heels. Well. It was obvious, wasn’t it? The groundskeeper had been negligent for so long that the ivy was running amok and that small rain shower had given a boost to new growth. As for the dogs—they would be dealt with.

Ralph Baines did not like dogs.

He didn’t like children either.

And this lot had been able to pull the wool over some eyes, but they weren’t fooling Ralph Baines.

He would recommend taking this castle, tearing it down, and putting up a practical fortification in its place. A modern facility with guns and barracks. Concrete. Ready to defend the coast against a Nazi incursion. Not a bit of it to do with magic.

He marched to the door to make his way to the kitchen. He was hungry after dealing with all this nonsense, too hungry to rely on his rations alone. He’d have to chance the food of Rookskill. Leo had told him not to eat the bangers and mash. Some nonsense about it not being bangers and mash but slugs and glowworms in some kind of magical disguise. And that addlepated child who claimed to be the cook was no doubt being coached by an adult he hadn’t yet seen.

Ralph Baines liked bangers and mash. He would eat them with gusto.

CHAPTER 35

Isaac

1942

“Are you ready?” Isaac asked.

The watch sat open on the floor between him and Amelie. He was wearing the snake-bracelet—Amelie refused to touch it—around his right wrist.

The skull grinned its hollow, chilling grin. The hands of the watch were fixed at eleven o’clock.

Amelie asked, “Will it hurt?”