“Mum. Listen to me. I might be the only person who can stop her. I have to do it. Nothing you say will make me change my mind. I’m doing this for you, and I’m doing this for Alice, and I’m doing this for everyone. Everyone, Mum. If I don’t, they all die.”

Her mother’s face crumpled. “But we can’t stay with you. We have to protect Alice.”

“I know,” Valkyrie said softly. “That’s what I’m counting on you to do.” Bile rose in her throat as she held out her hands. “Let me have her. Just for a minute. I have a charm I can put on her.”

“Like a magic spell? To keep her safe?”

Valkyrie nodded, not trusting her voice.

Her mother passed Alice over. She felt incredibly heavy in her blanket.

“I have to do this alone,” Valkyrie mumbled. “If you’re nearby, it won’t work.”

Her dad wrapped his arm round her mum. “We’ll wait here. Don’t be long.”

Valkyrie turned, hurried away as fast as she could so they wouldn’t see her face.

She turned a corner, found a building still standing and went inside. The living-room table had a bowl of fruit on it. She swept it on to the ground, and put Alice lying in its place.

She stared at her little sister.

“I’m so sorry,” she said. “I’m so sorry, sweetie.”

Tears sprang and she sagged against the table. Great racking sobs sent new spirals of pain running through her. She barely noticed.

“Please forgive me. I love you so much, Alice. I love you so much, sweetheart.”

Her face was wet with tears. Her nose ran and spittle flew with every word. Her crying became a roar. She curled her right fist, slammed it against her own head. The edges of the gauntlet drew blood. But it wasn’t enough. It wasn’t enough pain. It wasn’t enough suffering. It wasn’t enough punishment. She put her injured left hand flat on the table and slammed her right fist down on to it. She screamed, fell back, curled up on the floor and screamed until her screams became long, anguished wails. A part of her was aware of how pathetic she sounded. This part of her was glad she sounded pathetic. She deserved to sound pathetic. For what she was about to do she deserved everything bad that was coming to her.

It was only Alice’s crying that brought her back.

She got up, her whole body trembling.

“I’m sorry, honey, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you, please don’t cry …”

She didn’t mean to scare you, but hold on, because she’s about to do something much worse.

“Shut up,” said Valkyrie.

Arguing with yourself, eh? First sign of madness, that.

“Shut up, I said.” She leaned over Alice, soothing her cries.