Is that barking in the distance? It’s hard to tell because of the roar of the water in my ears and the feeling of drowsiness as the cold seeps in and my strength leaks out. But above the foaming, frothing river comes the definite sound of barking. And it’s getting closer.

I turn my head and see Mystic with Raffi beside him. He must have gone to get him. A flame of joy burns away the fear within me.

Raffi rushes to the water’s edge. ‘Ziggy Truegood, hold on,’ he cries. ‘I will get you out. Hold on.’

Kalila lifts her head when she hears Raffi and begins to struggle. I can’t hold her and we both go under. I reach out for Kalila. I am not going to let her drown, not now, not when we are so close to being saved. I kick hard and we shoot up, emerging together.

Raffi screams out something in his own language. At once, Kalila stops struggling.

He quickly takes off his shirt and sandals. I see the dagger in a sheath at his hip. He wades into the river, carrying his shirt. The swirl of the current catches him and drags him in the other direction, and it seems like hours that he struggles against it until he reaches us.

Kalila puts her front paws onto Raffi’s shoulders. He speaks to her calmly. My arms are heavy. I can hardly keep myself afloat. How easy it would be not to fight it any more, to let the river take me. Is this my destiny?

You are mine, Ziggy. Come to me . . .

Raffi ties a shirt sleeve around Kalila’s waist. Then he ties the other sleeve around my wrist. ‘Hold on, Ziggy Truegood,’ he cries as he treads water.

I am so weary even the roar of the river is becoming a soft din in my ears. I feel a pull. Raffi is dragging Kalila and me to the shore. Keeping my head above the water takes all my remaining strength. Each time Raffi gets close to the bank, the river seems to pull him back.

I see a flash of silvery green above his head. The jinn! I open my mouth to warn Raffi but I swallow froth and bubbles instead. I’m drowning. The jinn darts out over the water and hovers in the air as if it’s telling the river what to do. But Raffi’s will seems stronger and he reaches the bank. He turns and begins pulling us towards him.

The jinn changes into a large wasp that stings his hand over and over again. Raffi cries out in pain. Then, as I watch helplessly, it becomes a snake that curls around his legs. It puffs itself up and squeezes. Still Raffi doesn’t let go of us. The snake vanishes and I see someone come out of the trees.

I can’t believe it – it’s Grandpa Truegood! He’s come to save us.

‘Save yourself first, Raffi Tazi,’ Grandpa Truegood says.

What’s he talking about? It must be the sickness that’s making him say such things. ‘Grandpa Truegood! It’s me, Ziggy,’ I choke.

Raffi’s hands have swollen up from the wasp bites. But he’s still holding onto us. His face is filled with agony.

‘Grandpa Truegood,’ I cry. ‘Please, help us.’

Grandpa turns to me and laughs.

‘That is not your grandfather, Ziggy Truegood,’ Raffi says through gritted teeth.

A look of fury comes over Grandpa’s face. ‘Another Truegood! I fought a Truegood once.’ His voice is weird. It screeches high and booms low at the same time. ‘He tried to trap me, trap me in a bottle.’ Grandpa gives a demonic laugh. ‘I took his mind for that.’

Mystic pounces forward. His lips curl back into a snarl, and Grandpa Truegood disappears. In his place is a creature of fire. Mystic runs at the creature, snarling, and it diminishes in size. Then it flares up again, spitting fire at Mystic.

Mystic cringes away, yelping, the hair on his face singed.

With one hand, Raffi grips the shirt tied to Kalila and me. With the other, he whips the dagger from its sheath and throws it at the jinn.

‘Injali bismallah!’ he shouts.

The blade pierces the jinn and I hear a forlorn cry come long and high from its flaming mouth. Then the jinn and the dagger sink into the water.