She glanced at her mum, making sure she wasn’t about to do anything desperate, but for once her mum’s attention wasn’t on Alice. She was frowning, looking out of the window.

“Mum?” Valkyrie said softly.

Her mum’s frown deepened. “Do you hear something?”

Valkyrie peered out into the darkness, where the black shapes of trees and hedgerows blurred and melted together. She listened to the minivan’s engine, to the rock and roll of the tyres over the poorly maintained road, to the sound of the heater blasting out warm air … and behind all that, what? What was that? Another engine?

“I see something,” her dad said, his eyes on the rear-view mirror. “I think there’s someone—”

Headlights flicked on, singular beams that cut through the gloom on either side of the minivan. There was a loud bang, like a gunshot or a small explosion, and the minivan wobbled violently. Her dad cursed, but Vex’s eyes were open and calm.

“Everyone hold on,” Valkyrie’s dad said, and Valkyrie braced herself right before he braked. The minivan skidded to a shuddering, juddering halt, and two motorbikes sped into the yellow glare of his headlights and rode onwards, vanishing into the dark.

“Alice,” Melissa Edgley said, starting to scramble into the rear seats as her husband flicked on the interior light.

“She’s fine,” said Vex, holding up his hand to block her way. It glowed briefly, but it was enough to make Valkyrie’s mum freeze.

“Put your hand down,” Valkyrie’s dad said. “Melissa, stay where you are. Mr Vex, do not threaten my wife. Put your hand down.”

Vex gave a little smile, and lowered his hand.

“Who was that?” Valkyrie’s dad asked. “Steph, did you know those people? They blew out a tyre or something.”

It was Vex who answered. “A man named Vincent Foe and his gang ride motorcycles, Desmond, and they happen to be working with Darquesse.”

“You think she’s here?” Valkyrie asked.

“No,” said Vex. “She sends Foe out to do the little jobs she can’t be bothered with. The only people out there are Foe and Samuel.”

“We can take them,” Valkyrie said, without much conviction.

“I’m sure you can.”

She frowned. “You’re not coming? I don’t have my magic back yet.”

“You’ll be fine,” said Vex.

“You have to go with her,” Valkyrie’s mum said. “She can’t go out there alone.”

“She’s got her stick, hasn’t she? She won’t need me. Besides, I’m babysitting. Hurry now, Valkyrie. We don’t want Alice waking up.”

She could have argued, but she knew it’d be a waste of time. She unbuckled her seatbelt.

“I’m coming with you,” her dad said.