Her feet were clumsy. She took a step towards Raz, almost staggering.

‘Here.’ He hurried towards her. ‘Your daughter, Miss Emily! Mr Dominic. Your daughter is here.’

Casey collapsed back in her seat, her legs unable to hold her.

Ed was beside her, staring down at the tiny bundle as Raz deposited the baby in Casey’s arms, as if he were delivering a parcel.

‘She was born just an hour ago,’ said Raz, almost fatherly. ‘And she is perfect.’

Casey stared down. She was beautiful, this little girl, and almost unbelievably tiny. The baby opened her eyes, just for a second, and stared up at Casey blearily. The little eyes were that strange clear blue.

‘There were no problems,’ said Raz. ‘All was as it should be.’

The baby had a scattering of dark brown hair. Those eyes, thought Casey. Dominic’s eyes.

‘Hello, little one,’ she murmured.

Casey glanced up, over the baby’s head, and there was Ed, his eyes so solemn.

‘Poppy,’ he said, and there was a break in his voice. ‘Her name is Poppy.’

Flowers fluttering like pale pink silk . . .

Underneath the white blanket, someone had tucked the baby into a babygrow. Pink with blue spots: Mummy’s little princess.

The little girl kicked her legs, her fingers curling into tiny fists, and Emily’s face, crying with happiness, flashed before Casey’s eyes.

‘Bloody hell.’ Casey’s smile glittered. ‘Dominic! Our baby. Our child.’

Ed was staring at her.

We steal these moments, Casey thought. And by stealing them, we lose them for ever.

This baby, born of a lie, announced to a lie.

The old fairy, cursing over her cradle; a shadow, over her grave.

‘Emily, my darling.’

Ed was reaching towards her, wrapping his arms around Casey and the baby. And she was stretching up, finding his mouth for the kiss.

‘My love.’

He pulled back, just for a second, the rainbow eyes upon her. And then he kissed her, hard, and so familiar, yet unfamiliar.

‘A baby,’ she whispered.

‘Darling Emily.’

For a second, the name was a shock. He saw her startle, and jerked her closer.

‘I can’t believe it,’ Casey managed to beam at Raz. ‘I never believed that this would happen. Never.’

Emily’s smile, Emily’s words.

‘You miracle worker,’ she said.

He spread his hands wide. ‘For you.’

Hands, clenching. Flesh, tearing. The dark, becoming the world.

A body, torn apart. And the screams, and the screams.

And all this, for someone else’s joy.

Casey pushed the screams away, quite deliberately. ‘I can’t believe it,’ she said again.

Raz grinned down at her. ‘I will leave you now, in peace. I will be back with a passport for her soon. But she is a good girl, that one.’

He backed away, still smiling.

As Casey looked down, a wave of protectiveness washed over her. ‘We will get you home, little girl,’ she whispered. ‘We will get you home.’