Seren edged a fraction nearer, desperate to hear. As she did so her hand slid on the polished floor and the planks creaked, sharply.

Captain Jones turned at once. ‘What on earth was that?’

He hurried towards the desk.

Seren froze.

She couldn’t move!

Her heart thudded and she went cold all over. Captain Jones’ slippered feet came right up to the desk. She saw his knees.

He was bending down.

His face was staring right at her.

Their eyes met.

It was a moment of nightmare.

Seren swallowed. She opened her mouth to say something, anything, but somehow she couldn’t manage a word and at the very same moment Captain Jones blinked and shook his head, puzzled. ‘Nothing here. Must have just been the floorboards relaxing.’

He scrambled back, leaving Seren staring at the darkness in amazement.

He must have seen her.

Why hadn’t he said anything?

She was so baffled she only realised they had both gone when their voices faded and the door closed with a click.

The library was dark and silent for a whole minute.

Then the Crow snapped. ‘That presumptuous woman! How dare she call me disgusting! If I don’t turn her into a worm…’

Seren scrambled out. ‘He saw me! He looked right at me!’

‘Ah, but he didn’t see you.’ The Crow looked smug. ‘I made sure of that. It was an extremely tricky feat of magic.’

‘You mean I was invisible?’ She stared down at her hands and nightgown and feet. ‘Oh my goodness! How can I still see myself?’

‘No! Invisible! What does that even mean? He didn’t see you. I convinced him there was nothing there. His eyes were working all right and you were actually there but he didn’t believe it. Call it a sort of hypnotism.’ The Crow flapped down and strode to the door. It seemed immensely pleased with itself. ‘Ha! Superb timing. Had to hold it just so… Another thing no one else could have done with such … panache.’

‘No,’ Seren said. ‘Thank you.’

‘Now you’d better get back to bed in case they come back.’ The Crow turned. ‘What’s wrong?’

She frowned. She wanted to say Why was Captain Jones asking about me like that? but the Crow would have just shrugged that off so instead she said, ‘You’ve forgotten the invitations.’

Instantly the Crow groaned. ‘Another problem to sort out.’ It yawned. ‘And after those two electrifying spells I’m feeling way too tired to think.’

An hour later, curled up in the dark bed, Seren lay worrying. Everything seemed to be going wrong. She had to be very careful. Behave really well. Not get in anyone’s way. Not read too many books. There was a deep small cold fear inside her that wouldn’t go away, and for a moment she let herself imagine the journey in the train back to the orphanage, and the doors opening and her small self walking in, down the double row of girls sitting at supper, and all of them turning to look at her and laughing.