“Indeed. You will notice that while the bodies of the personifates replicate the natural world, they are generally faster and stronger than their animal equivalents.”

Every part of it fascinated Prue. There was so much to take in, and she couldn’t help but ask question after question about all the technology.

At the end of the lesson, Craftsman Primrose gave them all a worksheet to complete on the internal components of personifates, then informed them that the attendance of the new apprentices would be required at the factorium at eight in the evening in Master White’s office. When they asked him about it, he wouldn’t say any more.

As they left the lab, Cora was telling Agapantha how brilliantly they had worked together and how they should pair up all the time. Prue whispered to Edwin that they should skip dinner back at the house and check the trap, but they’d have to make sure Cora wasn’t around.

“I think I’ll grab something to eat here rather than go back,” said Prue loudly. “Agapantha, can you stay and go over those equations you were showing me? Edwin’s struggling with them too. We could go to the library.”

Agapantha frowned, and Prue tried to tell her with her eyes to just go with it.

“You’re skipping dinner to do maths?” Cora said in disbelief. “Mind you, I guess you need all the help you can get. I’ll tell Lavender you’re so behind you have to work on. See you later, losers.” With that she breezed away.

“She’s certainly a force,” Agapantha said.

“That’s one word for her,” said Prue. “I guess she has quite a lot to live up to with Larkin being super apprentice. Not that that’s an excuse.”

“I shouldn’t have let her get to me with the hat,” said Edwin. “I know she just likes to push our buttons for her own entertainment.”

Prue hooked Agapantha’s arm. “Come on, let’s check the trap. If we’ve caught a wolf, we could always put it in Cora’s bed as a surprise.”

Edwin laughed. “Looks like personifates aren’t the only ones with a wild spark. I like it!”

They made their way to the forest.

“I wonder what we’ll be doing later at Master White’s?” said Edwin.

“I forgot to ask: where are the masters’ offices?” said Prue.

“Top floor of the factorium,” said Edwin. He leapt ahead, weaving his body this way and that.

“Don’t go too far!” Agapantha called. “You know – what with hungry wolves and foxes and all that.”