“It was like a stag, but not. Worse. It was hard to see in the dark, but there were antlers. I think it stopped not far from the forest edge. I couldn’t see properly.”

The pneumerator appeared – they hurriedly opened the hatch and clambered inside. Prue sat down and put her hands on her knees, taking several breaths, trying to reassemble what she had glimpsed. They all sat in silence for a moment.

“So it was just a stag?” Edwin said, letting out a small laugh of relief.

Agapantha huffed out a lungful of air. “Yes, must’ve been.”

Prue shook her head. “No. It said something to me.”

Agapantha looked to Edwin. “Maybe it was a personifate, then – a guard. Are there any stag personifates?”

He thought for a moment. “I don’t think so. Not that I know of.”

“But it wasn’t like a normal personifate. It said…” Prue shook her head.

Edwin put a paw on her arm. “What?”

The pneumerator slowed to a stop at the house.

“What did it say, Frances?” Edwin asked, as they all climbed out.

After drawing a long breath, Prue said, “‘Need to kill.’”

Agapantha shivered her shoulders. “We should tell someone.”

Prue shrugged. “It’s going to sound pretty ridiculous. I mean maybe it was a deer, or a personifate guard thinking it was funny or something.”

There was a whirring sound as the pod disappeared. They climbed the stairs back into the hallway of the house. Chatter was coming from the dining room and the sweet waft of cocoa and cookies filled the air.

“Perhaps we should keep this between us,” said Prue. “I mean, what evidence do we have?”

“I agree. Cora would probably only jibe us about it and say we’d made it up,” said Edwin.

Then footsteps sounded behind the mouse painting. Cora and Larkin appeared, laughing.

“What are you three doing lurking in the hallway?” said Cora. Larkin carried on to the dining room.

“Where have you been?” Prue said, narrowing her eyes.

Cora raised her eyebrows and said, tight-lipped, “We had to run an errand for Master Sollentude.” She pushed past them and carried on to the dining room.

Prue stared after her.

“Do you think they saw it too?” Agapantha whispered.

Prue and Edwin exchanged a look.

“Think about it, Ag. They arrive not long after us. Don’t you think that’s a bit strange?” said Edwin.

Prue nodded. “Exactly. I think it was their idea of a joke. I mean it’s not exactly hard to find the materials to make you appear like a scary animal around here, is it? Well, we’re not going to let them see it got to us one bit. Come on – cocoa’s waiting.” Prue strode forward to the dining room.

Chapter 19: Trapped

TRAPPED