‘Um. Not really,’ Cinders said. ‘I don’t think.’

‘Yes it was! You cast a spell!’ the king insisted. ‘What are you, a witch?’

‘I didn’t cast a spell,’ Cinders replied, slowly realising what had happened. ‘You made a wish and I granted it. By accident.’

‘She’s a witch!’ the king insisted. Joderick looked at his new friend, evidently uncertain of what to say or do. ‘She’s a witch and witches must be locked up! Guards, seize her!’

‘But I’m not a witch,’ Cinders argued as she backed away. ‘And, quite frankly, I don’t think witches are nearly as bad as you think. There’s one living in the woods near us and she’s ever so nice, always gives me a card on my birthday. Her name’s Veronica and she’s a delight. Of course there was all that nonsense with Hansel and Gretel, but Hansel was totally in the wrong there: everyone knows he ate her gingerbread door and then made up the thing about the kidnapping and the oven to get out of trouble.’

‘She’ll be defending fairies next,’ the queen said, grabbing her butter knife and thrusting it forward to defend herself. ‘Guards, take her away!’

The two guards either side of the door looked at each other uncertainly, as if they were there for purely decorative purposes and unsure about tackling an unpredictable, if very little, witch.

‘Joderick, I promise I’m not a witch,’ Cinders said, eyeing the floating pig in the middle of the room. To be fair, she could understand why they were all a bit confused. ‘Please don’t let them lock me up!’

Just then there was a commotion outside in the hallway. Her trusty best friend bounded into the dining hall, knocking over the guards in their shiny suits of armour as he ran full throttle towards Cinders.

‘Never fear! Sparks is here!’

‘A talking dog!’ the king shrieked. ‘She’s definitely a witch!’

‘I think it’s time to leave,’ Sparks said, pausing to nab a string of sausages. ‘What?’ he asked as Cinders arched an eyebrow at him, making her way towards the door. ‘I came to save you, didn’t I? No harm in grabbing a snack on the way.’

‘Guards!’ squeaked the king. ‘GUARDS!’

‘Yes, guards!’ squeaked the queen. ‘Guards, guards!’

‘Oof,’ groaned one of them. ‘Can’t get up. Give us a hand, Georgie.’

‘All those pumpkins, Peter.’ Georgie staggered to his feet and stuck out his hand, puffing as he tried to pull Peter to his feet. ‘That’s what it is, innit? You’re a bit squished in that there armour.’

‘You’re a fine one to talk, Georgie!’ huffed Peter, struggling to stand up. ‘You ate all the pudding and all the pies— Oi!’ Peter snatched at Cinders, who was sidling towards the doorway, lost his balance and pulled Georgie on top of him with a crash.

‘Cinders!’ yelped Sparks. ‘Come on!’

‘Jodders!’ yelled Cinders, turning to her new friend. ‘Are you coming with me?’

‘Don’t even think about it, son!’ yelled the king.

‘Yes!’ yelled the queen. ‘Don’t you dare leave with that girl!’

Joderick looked from Cinders to his parents, then back to her. Then he smiled and ran over to Cinders.

‘Joderick Jorenson Picklebottom!’ shouted the queen. ‘Don’t move another muscle!’

The guards were clanking to their feet, but kept pulling each other over, crashing this way and that, still shouting about too many pumpkins and pecks of pickled peppers.

‘Quick!’ said Joderick to Cinders, dashing for the door. ‘Follow me!’ He tore out of the dining room and into the hallway, ignoring his shrieking mother and furious father, even though he knew he’d probably be grounded for all time.

‘Thanks, Joderick,’ Cinders said, hurtling after him and tearing off her wig and loosening her corset as she ran.

‘Hurry,’ panted Sparks. ‘Before those guards are back on their feet.’

‘This way.’ Joderick pulled on a candelabra and a small, Sparks-sized door opened in the wall underneath it. ‘This tunnel leads all the way to the stables. No one will know where you’ve gone.’

Sparks leaped into the tunnel without a second thought and disappeared into the darkness.

‘My dress is too big!’ exclaimed Cinders, trying to wedge herself into the narrow stone doorway. ‘I’ll never fit.’

‘Here.’ Joderick pulled off his jacket and his trousers. ‘Put these on instead.’

Cinders looked at the crown prince of the kingdom, standing before her in his shirtsleeves and long johns. He had never looked more regal.

‘Thank you, Jodders,’ she said, swapping clothes with her new friend. ‘Thank you for everything. I want you to know I would never have done anything to hurt you or your family. At least not on purpose. Even if I laughed a little bit when the pig bit your dad’s bum.’

‘He’ll survive,’ Joderick said, almost smiling. ‘When you get to the stables, grab your horse and head east. Whatever you do, don’t go west or you’ll end up in the Dark Forest.’

‘Will I see you again?’ Cinders asked, suddenly sad at the thought of leaving her friend behind. ‘And won’t you be in terrible trouble?’

‘I’ve a feeling you will see me again,’ he replied, turning as the sound of guards’ footsteps thundered up the hallway. ‘And I’ve a feeling I will be in trouble. Unless I can come up with a story – it wouldn’t be the first time. Now go, before they catch you!’

Cinders took a deep breath, closed her eyes and jumped head first into the pitch-black of the tunnel.