either of us says another word for the rest of the journey home: we’re both locked in our own private miseries.

I’ve been waiting to come back down to earth with a bump for a while now. Wilbur, on the other hand, has almost definitely never been near it before in his life.

Finally, the taxi stops and I gently tell Wilbur to wait in the car while I get my things. He stares at me blankly, and then looks at the leather seats. “I suppose,” he says, “if I’m going to cry and snot uncontrollably it may as well be somewhere wipe-clean, right?”

“Umm, yes,” I say with a tentatively supportive little pat. “That’s the spirit?” Then I climb out of the car and make my way over to the flat.

Nobody else appears to be at home, so I tiptoe into the bedroom as quickly and as quietly as I can.

I need to get out of here before either Rin or Poppy returns.

I’m like a feather. I’m like a mouse. I’m like a ninja of invisibility and poise and—

“Are you going?”

Sugar cookies.

I turn around, and there is Princess Poppy: leaning against the doorframe with her perfect golden hair spilling over her shoulders and her perfect shoulders tensed and her perfect arms crossed and her perfect mouth set in a totally straight and expressionless line.

I start throwing items haphazardly into my suitcase. “Uh-huh.”

“That’s such a shame.”

I flinch and start lobbing everything faster: trousers, shoes, shirts.

“I mean, what with you sneaking around with other people’s boyfriends and stuff, it’s a real pain that you can’t stick around.”

My stomach plummets. Poppy’s cheeks are pink, her blue eyes are gleaming, and I’ve never, ever seen anyone look more angry or more perfect. “God, no, Poppy: I didn’t—”

“I know everything so don’t lie as well.”

I shut my eyes briefly. Thanks, Nick. Thanks for blaming me. “Poppy, I didn’t see it coming, I wasn’t prepared. I would have pushed him away, I-I didn’t mean to hurt you …”

“Why can’t you just LEAVE. HIM. ALONE?”

I feel sick. Is this all my fault too?

Did I want Nick back so hard that I somehow turned it into a real, physical thing? Maybe I should start focusing my magical powers on curing cancer or winning a Nobel Prize, instead of hurting people.

“I should go,” I say quietly. “I’m so sorry, Poppy. If I had known all the trouble I’d cause, I wouldn’t have come.”

I zip my suitcase up, even though some of my belongings are still scattered around the room, and start wheeling it into the hallway. My sleeve gets caught on the door handle, and I’m now so utterly desperate to get away I strongly consider leaving my arm here and just going home without it.

“I’m glad Rin did what she did,” Poppy says as I finally yank myself free and stumble into the hallway. She puts her hand on the door and my stomach goes cold. “I think maybe it’s best for everyone if you’re not here.”

And she slams the door behind me.