She could see the flicker of the flames even before she turned the corner of the stables. Denzil had lit it in an out of the way corner, by the wall, so as not to scare the horses.

It was small and bright and the wood blazed in the iron brazier.

Tomos was already there. Enoch was standing with his hands knotted together, more nervous than ever.

Only the Crow looked bold.

He was standing with his head held high and when Seren came closer he held out his wing and shook her hand with formal stiffness. ‘Goodbye, Seren.’

‘Don’t say that!’

‘Well, not for ever, of course. Just a few minutes really. But I just wanted to say … in case, well, these faery creatures, you can never quite trust them, so … I just wanted to say thank you.’

‘What for?’ she whispered.

‘Well, lots of things … I mean, you are not perfect: you are stubborn, ridiculously fond of rubbish stories and have no idea at all how to behave like a young lady. But your Latin is coming on, your Maths is reasonable, and you do write an interesting paragraph. You have been a pleasure to teach. And er, ahem, of course, you have been a very good and loyal friend.’

Seren’s eyes were wet.

The Crow coughed and harrumphed and suddenly flicked the key out of its side.

‘Well then, let’s get on with it. No point in hanging about. I’m sure it won’t hurt a bit.’

Seren ran forward. She kissed the Crow on its moth-eaten head. ‘You’ve never been a coward,’ she said. ‘And now you’re really brave.’

The Crow looked a little surprised. ‘Yes,’ he said, ‘I am rather, aren’t I? Well, I have to saay thaaat I raaather hope I caaaannn keeeeppp it upppppp….’

And then he was perfectly still, because the clockwork had run down.

Seren sighed.

‘Let me help you’, Enoch said anxiously. ‘I know how to…’

‘No.’ She shook her head. ‘It’s all right, really. I can do it by myself.’

She took the Crow apart. It was just the opposite of when she had put him together, tugging off the wings and beak, unscrewing the cogs and wheels, unclicking the wiry talons. It was horrible but she tried not even to think about it, and in a few minutes a pile of pieces lay on the cobbles of the yard, with straw between the two jewel-bright eyes.

Tomos breathed out. ‘That’s so strange! I mean it’s just bits now. So where is he?’

Seren shook her head.

Behind them, the music started up again.

Denzil looked at her. Then he said, ‘I will do this part, bach, and don’t say I won’t.’

He picked up the pieces of the Crow, and very gently stacked them on the small fire.

They burned with a strange blue flame, and then a red crackle.