Villiers nodded in agreement. ‘He certainly does. The Inconsistent Sage O’Neons has predicted the death of the Dragon, but also mentioned that the Dragon was to be killed by a Dragonslayer. Does this sound correct?’

‘No one can enter the Dragonlands but a Dragonslayer, Villiers. I think perhaps Sage O’Neons is less astounding than you think.’

‘Insulting the King’s advisers is an offence, Miss Strange.’

I’d had enough of all the beating-around-the-bush stuff.

‘What do you want, Norton? This isn’t a social call.’

Villiers and Norton exchanged glances. The door to the Sisters Karamazov’s apartment opened and they both popped their heads out.

‘I’m fine, sisters, thank you.’

They nodded and withdrew. It was Villiers who spoke next.

‘Sage O’Neons said a young woman named Strange would be involved in the Dragondeath.’

‘There must be hundreds in the phone book.’

‘Perhaps, but only one has a Quarkbeast.’

The Quarkbeast looked up quizzically.

‘Quark,’ he said.

They both stared at me as though I was somehow meant to account for myself appearing in one of the royal seer’s visions.

‘Pre-cogs,’ I began, measuring my words carefully, ‘even royal ones, don’t always get it right. Any seer worth his salt will tell you a premonition is seven-tenths interpretation. And remember, Strange isn’t just a name, it’s an adjective.’

Villiers and Norton shuffled uneasily. It didn’t make a whole lot of sense to them either, interviewing someone on the basis of a vision, but when the King speaks, they have to do his bidding.

‘We’re just following a number of leads, Miss Strange. I hope you would consider your allegiance to His Majesty King Snodd IV (may he live for ever) above all else?’

‘Of course.’

Villiers nodded.

‘Then I would expect a call if you knew anything?’

‘Goes without saying.’

They knew I didn’t mean it, and I knew they knew. They bade me good afternoon and left, purposefully leaving the front door open.

I went up to my room and switched on the television. It was as I had feared: the news about the potential Dragondeath was going national. The Ununited Kingdoms Broadcasting Corporation was running a live feed from the Dragonlands – they had even sent their star anchorwoman.