Since arriving they’d been spending their time exploring and scavenging. They’d tried to get David interested in engineering plans. A pump and filtration system to get clean water from the lake, a plan to get some heating set up for the winter using the gas bottles they’d found in a shed, even a plan to generate electricity, but David wasn’t interested. His sights were firmly set outside the palace. He even said that it would make the kids tougher if they didn’t have too many luxuries. Ben and Bernie realized that the big welcome of the first-night feast, the show of abundance and opulence, had been just that—a show—to impress the newcomers. Since that night the food had been steadily getting worse. Tonight it was boiled potatoes with cabbage, and canned peaches for dessert. Ben and Bernie weren’t complaining—they weren’t that bothered about food, and at least this bland stuff filled them up. They’d noticed it, though. How the portions were getting smaller. How they never had any meat.

They’d had such high hopes when they arrived. A new life with new opportunities. But David had set the palace up to be little more than functional. They could survive here, and that was about it. The two of them often talked about how they’d been more appreciated at Waitrose, and how much they’d enjoyed inventing things. They even missed all the stuff they’d left behind. They felt part of things there, an important part. Now what were they? They couldn’t fight and they didn’t look forward to spending the rest of their lives as farmers. But food and fighting were all that David cared about.

They looked up from their plates as Achilleus came in, wearing a bathrobe. He was a mess. Limping. His face and chest bruised and bandaged. A young boy they didn’t recognize was with him, a stocky, bullet-headed kid carrying a shield and a collection of weapons in a golf bag slung across his back.

“There you are,” said Achilleus. “Been looking all over for you.”

“What’s up?” said Ben.

“Nothing. I just need to know where everybody is. Can you make sure you’re in the dormitory by eleven o’clock with everyone else?”

“Why?” Bernie asked. She’d never much liked Achilleus, and resented his bossy manner.

“Why? Because I say so. I need everyone to stay together.”

“What is it, like a curfew?” said Ben.

“Dunno,” said Achilleus. “What’s a curfew?”

“Doesn’t matter.”

“We’re busy anyway,” said Bernie. “Might not be able to make it by eleven.”

“You will be able to make it,” said Achilleus. “I’m not asking you—I’m telling you. If you’re not there, things’ll go bad for you.”

“What about Maxie?” said Bernie. “She gonna be there?”

“She’s in the sick bay,” said Achilleus.

“She all right?”