Vex smiled straight at her. “And as for you and your sparkly new powers, if you even think about using them against me, I’ll kill Alice and then kill you before you’ve even learned how to aim properly.”

Valkyrie’s mum shifted in her seat. “Could you please stop threatening my children, Mr Vex? I would very much appreciate it.”

Vex smiled. “But of course, Melissa. My apologies.”

“I don’t see anything,” her dad muttered. “You said there was a huge wall and a gate. You said there was a city.”

“Give it a few more seconds,” Valkyrie said.

And then, suddenly, Roarhaven. One moment there was the road the headlights picked out, long and narrowing, hedged in on both sides by thin trees. The next, a brightly-lit wall, high enough to fill the windscreen and block out the stars.

Her dad went to brake when it materialised, but stopped himself. They drove on to the open gate.

Cleavers and sorcerers stood guard, and a man named Krull waved them to a stop. He went round to the passenger side, and Valkyrie lowered the window.

“Welcome back,” said Krull, his eyes flickering over the people in the minivan. Valkyrie doubted he could make out Vex, sitting in the dark in the back.

“Thanks,” she said. “We’re just headed to the Sanctuary.”

Krull nodded, but made no sign he was going to let them through. “Interesting times we’re living in,” he said.

Valkyrie gave him a nod. “Yes they are.”

“Mind stepping out for a moment?”

“All of us?”

“Just you, if you wouldn’t mind.”

“Sure,” she said, hesitating only a little. She glanced back at Vex, wondering how tense he was, wondering if he’d react to this. But he just sat there, an outline in the dark.

Valkyrie undid her seatbelt, opened the door and went to get out. When she was halfway out, Krull grabbed her wrist, yanked her forward. She hit the ground and tears sprang to her eyes and there was suddenly a lot of movement and a lot of shouting. Her folks were telling Krull to leave her alone, the sorcerers around her were telling them to stay in the minivan, and Krull was commanding her to lie still. Cold steel closed round her right wrist and she felt her magic dwindle. It snapped shut round her left wrist and jarred her broken bones.

“I’m Valkyrie Cain!” she cried, Krull’s knee in her back.

“For all I know you’re Darquesse,” Krull said, grabbing the back of her collar. He hauled her to her feet, slammed her against the minivan. “You move and we kill you, you understand me?”

Her face was squashed against the glass. Her mum stared at her from the other side, horrified. On the seat behind, Vex was inching towards the far door.

“You killed my son,” Krull said into Valkyrie’s ear.