It was headed 16 Marshalsea Lane, Preston.

‘PR e S toN, not prison!’ she whispered in dismay. Then she read,

Dear Brother,

I’m so sorry I can’t get to you at present due to such a foolish mistake on my part. I stepped off a moving tram and I seem to have broken my big toe. (Left foot.) It’s in plaster and I have to keep it still for a few days.

Please don’t feel upset. I was so sure that the alchemist in Wolverhampton would be the answer to your problem, and it was such a shame that he blew himself up just before I got to speak to him. But don’t despair, dear brother! We will get you back to your human shape! Please don’t do anything rash, and BEWARE of Them because as you know They can’t be trusted in anything.

Your affectionate brother,

Enoch.

‘Oh.’ Seren felt very small. ‘Prison … Preston … it’s an easy mistake to make.’

‘Seren, I’m going to confiscate every detective story you have. They are total rubbish and quite clearly a very bad influence on your imagination.’

No! She couldn’t have that!

‘Poor Enoch,’ she said quickly. ‘His writing is just like him. Tall and thin and nervous. I hope his toe doesn’t hurt too much.’

‘Enoch needs to look where he’s going. As for you,’ the Crow folded its wings with grim intent, ‘I intend double homework for a week and then…’

‘I bought you a present,’ she said quickly.

The Crow blinked. Its jewel-bright eye fixed on her. ‘What did you say?’

‘I bought you a present. From the Fair.’

‘Oh dear. Some tatty ballad-sheet…’

‘NO! A Box. A really interesting Box. Look. I’ll show you.’

She went over to the drawer of her dressing table and opened it, remembering for a moment that last night, even though she had been so tired, she had not wanted to leave the Box out, as if it might be dangerous. She lifted it out now and put it on the table.

‘It’s this. It was on a sort of stall, but then the stall disappeared. I think it belonged to Them, because there were all these ugly eyes and faces, and I sort of stole it though I did leave a penny and They were angry and ran after me, and it rained but it couldn’t have really because I wasn’t a bit wet…’

The Crow was not listening. It was sitting very still and its eyes were wide as moons.

It was staring at the Box’s starry cover.

‘My goodness,’ it said at last, in a faint whisper. ‘My giddy goodness.’

Seren smiled happily.

‘I knew you’d like it. There are words look, all around…’ She reached out.

‘NO!’ The Crow snapped.

Seren’s hand stopped in mid-air.

‘Don’t touch it! It could be a trap. It smells … dark.’

From far below, the breakfast bell tinkled.

The Crow hopped closer, looked sidelong at the Box. Cautiously, it stuck out a talon to touch the dark lid, but drew back shaking its head. ‘Breakfast first. Then lessons. I have to think about this.’