I can tell from how he rubs his thighs that he’s still hungry. When he doesn’t take any, I nudge the plate towards him. He grabs a slice and waves it in my direction. ‘So, any exciting plans for today?’

I sip my drink and blink at him.

‘No? I thought you were going witch training with your fish-loving sisters.’

‘What?’

‘You know, your sisters from a different mister.’

My face flushes and I lower my mug, feeling stupid. So he did hear everything I said last night. ‘You don’t believe me?’

He flicks his fringe. ‘The crazy thing is that I do.’ He huffs and then mutters, ‘God knows, I wish I didn’t.’

I frown, unsure how to take that, how to take him. He’s acting so weird. Is he angry I didn’t tell him everything when he asked last night? Does he blame me for making him come to the island? Watching his reaction, I ask, ‘So how are you feeling this morning?’

‘Actually not that bad, considering. I’ve had worse hangovers – tequila is evil, I tell you – and I woke up to find I was still alive, which is always a bonus. And no, I don’t blame you.’

‘What?’

‘I said tequila is evil.’

‘No, the other bit. What made you say you don’t blame me?’

He shrugs. ‘I don’t know. You seemed worried about it last night, something about it being your fault I was here.’

‘Oh, right.’

For a moment it seemed like he’d heard what I’d just been thinking, but I must be mistaken. Still, something doesn’t feel right. I take a bite of toast and try to sound casual.

‘Do you remember what you said to me before you fell asleep last night?’

‘Sleep tight, hope the demons don’t bite?’

‘Are you OK, Tom? Only you’re acting a bit …’

He drops the saucepan and it clangs on the table. ‘I don’t know, Ivy.’ He sighs and rubs his head. ‘All of this is so surreal. Actually, I feel like I’ve gone beyond that. I’ve left surreal and have entered the hysteria stage.’

‘Stage of what?’

‘Insanity, I suppose. I tell myself to get on with things like I always do at a new place – forage in the fridge for breakfast while everyone’s still sleeping and pretend to be house-trained so they’ll let me stay another night – and then it hits me and I remember I’ve entered the Twilight Zone. The only thing weirder than what’s happening is how calm you’re being.’

‘Calm? I don’t know about that.’

I think about how terrified I was the first time I met Morgan and how the last couple of days have been like a dream. At the same time, there’s something so achingly familiar about her and the others that spending time with them has felt like coming home.