illy tried to get her breathing under control as she watched Oskar disappear off down the road. Jack, however, didn’t seem especially perturbed.

‘Good luck to him, I say!’ he said, waving after them. ‘He seemed quite friendly, I thought. I’ve never met a prince before!’

‘Firstly, he was awful,’ Tilly said. ‘But way more importantly, Jack, I really need to get Oskar back. I can’t go home without him. And didn’t you notice that Oskar really didn’t want to help?’

‘Oh,’ Jack said, deflated. ‘Well, do you want me to help find him?’

‘Yes, please,’ Tilly said. ‘As quickly as possible! Do you know where Rapunzel’s tower is?’

‘I’m afraid not,’ Jack said. ‘But I do know someone who might … Let’s stop in with the Three Bears.’

Tilly and Jack set off down the road, past a wooden signpost with pointers towards ‘Forest’, ‘Castle’ and ‘Village’. Before too long they ended up at a quaint thatched cottage with a beautifully manicured garden and three rocking chairs of different sizes on the porch. A picturesque twist of smoke curled out of the chimney and the smell of freshly baked bread wafted in their direction. Jack pushed open the white gate and Tilly followed him up a garden path lined with flowering lavender plants buzzing with honey bees.

‘The Bears are lovely,’ Jack said. ‘But do just be aware that they can be a bit jumpy around visitors. There’s this local girl who used to keep sneaking in while they were out, and messing with their stuff and eating their food, and now she just wanders in any time of day and acts like it’s her house.’

‘She’s blonde, right?’ Tilly said, knowing exactly who he was talking about.

‘I don’t know, I’ve never met her – have you?’ Jack said, confused. ‘I thought you weren’t from around here. Anyway, just don’t touch anything without asking and you’ll be fine.’ He knocked on the candyfloss-pink door, and it opened to reveal a very large brown bear wearing a flowered apron and pink cat-eye glasses.

‘Jack, my darling!’ she said in a high-pitched growly sort of voice, kissing him on both cheeks. ‘And you’ve brought a visitor, how … delightful.’ She eyed Tilly up and down suspiciously. Tilly followed Jack over a ‘Welcome’ mat into a pristine kitchen connected to a beautiful living room. Everything was decorated in shades of rose pink and white, with gold accents, and the whole house smelled of fresh bread and clean linen. The bear put out her paw and shook hands gracefully with Tilly.

‘Welcome to our home,’ she said. ‘Please take your shoes off and make yourself comfortable. But don’t even think about eating anything. Sorry, I’m getting carried away!’ She giggled nervously. ‘My name is Mummy Bear. Let me put the kettle on!’ She retreated to the hob and put a pink kettle on to boil. ‘Now, Jack, my love, have you been into the village recently? Did you hear that the old lady at the end of the street – you know, the one who lives in a shoe – has taken up with the woodcutter? They were seen dining together only last night! Can you imagine! But enough about them, you know I can’t abide gossip. How are you?’

‘Oh, you know,’ Jack said, stretching his arms out. ‘I traded Mam’s cow for some magic beans, accidentally grew a huge beanstalk, stole a magical hen from a giant. Bit of this, bit of that.’

‘Oh, Jack, you are a sort,’ Mummy Bear said affectionately. ‘Now, did I tell you that I heard there’s some kind of competition going on at the castle because the king can’t work out where his twelve daughters are going every night? He’s offering any one of them for marriage if someone can solve the mystery! Can you imagine!’

‘Do the daughters get a say?’ Tilly couldn’t help but ask, even though she knew the story of the Twelve Dancing Princesses and was well aware they didn’t.

‘Whyever would you think that?’ Mummy Bear smiled at Tilly. ‘What a thought! Letting a princess choose her own husband! Whatever next!’

‘What’s that I heard about husbands?’ a deep voice boomed, and down the stairs came an even bigger bear, wearing a tie complete with a tie-pin clipping it to his fur, and a big gold watch on his huge, hairy wrist. He gave Jack a slap on the back that nearly winded him, and gave Mummy Bear a kiss on the nose which made her giggle.

‘Guys,’ a squeaky voice said, and a very tiny bear emerged down the stairs wearing thick-rimmed glasses and a tutu. ‘Stop being so embarrassing.’

‘Sorry, Baby Bear,’ Daddy Bear said, giving Mummy Bear a tickle.

‘Ughhh,’ Baby Bear said, ambling off again, with its paws over its ears.

‘But I’m being a terrible host!’ Daddy Bear said, walking over to Tilly, who involuntarily shrank back a little bit. He really was a very large bear.

‘No need to be afraid, new friend!’ he boomed. ‘Not unless you’ve got your fingers in our porridge! Only joking, only joking!’

‘I’m Tilly,’ she said, nervously putting a hand out.

‘And what brings you here today?’ Daddy Bear asked, trying to shake her hand as gently as possible.

‘Well, actually we were hoping you might be able to help us find someone,’ Tilly started. ‘They just passed this way.’

‘Did we see anyone, my dear?’ Daddy Bear called to Mummy Bear.

‘Oh, I wouldn’t know!’ she called. ‘What do you take me for, someone who watches from behind their curtains on the off-chance they see something scandalous? I would never!’ She absent-mindedly straightened the lacy curtains that were a little askew.

‘Well, I did,’ a twinkly voice said from the doorway, and everyone turned to see a radiantly beautiful young woman standing in the doorway, framed in sunlight. Jack was staring at her as if she were made of magic beans. The Bears looked less enthusiastic.

‘Did you see a man on a horse, with a boy?’ Tilly said eagerly.

‘I’m not really sure,’ she said. ‘I wasn’t paying attention, to be honest. I think it was a horse. Could have been a donkey. Or a rabbit. But who cares, really?’

‘I do!’ Tilly said. ‘It’s actually quite important, if you wouldn’t mind trying to—’

‘Maybe it shall come back to me once I’ve rested and refreshed myself,’ the woman said, sitting down on the sofa, before grimacing and moving to a love seat, then frowning and settling in a cosy armchair. ‘Just right,’ she said, smiling.

‘But could I just ask you exactly what you did see?’ Tilly pressed on. ‘If you could try very hard to remember. There was a prince, and—’

‘A prince!’ Goldilocks shrieked. ‘Whyever didn’t you say before that there was a prince? I would have paid way more attention if I’d known that!’

‘He’s actually already got his eyes set on Rapunzel,’ Jack said, unable to peel his own eyes from Goldilocks. ‘So I think he’s, sort of, unavailable.’

Goldilocks pouted.

‘Rapunzel, you say?’ Mummy Bear said.

‘Yes!’ Tilly said, desperately wanting to steer the conversation back on track. ‘Do you know where she lives?’

‘Oh, have you heard the same rumours I have?’ Mummy Bear said conspiratorially. ‘Of course I don’t like to follow gossip, but I did hear word that she went through the crack in the sky. But it came via Tom Thumb who heard it from Rumpelstiltskin, so who knows if it’s true.’

‘Do you know where that is?’ Tilly turned to Jack impatiently. ‘The crack in the sky?’

‘Yes,’ he said slowly. ‘I do. But I’ve never been through before.’

‘It looks ever so dangerous,’ Mummy Bear said. ‘Do be careful.’

‘I promise,’ Jack said affectionately. ‘We’ll just go and have a look and see if we can find any clues.’

‘Great!’ Tilly said, springing to her feet. ‘Can we go now?’ She heard a not-very-well-disguised tut of annoyance from Mummy Bear.

‘I’m so sorry to dash off,’ Tilly said, trying to placate her. ‘It’s just that we’ve lost my best friend, and his father will be so worried if we don’t get him back before dinner! Thank you ever so much for having us – your house is very lovely!’

Tilly glared at Jack, who thankfully got the cue. He approached Goldilocks to say goodbye but she steadfastly ignored him, focusing instead on her immaculately painted fingernails.

‘Come back any time, Tilly,’ Mummy Bear said, not sounding especially sincere. ‘And do tell me what that Rapunzel is like, Jack. I’ve heard her hair is as beautiful as spun gold. Can you imagine?’

‘Hmph,’ Goldilocks said. ‘I doubt it. More like straw, I’ve heard.’

After a round of hugs from the Three Bears, Jack and Tilly were back on their way.

‘So, what’s the crack in the sky?’ Tilly asked as they walked.

‘It’s just what it sounds like,’ he said. ‘It’s not too far from here. Oh, shoot.’ He stopped walking. ‘I’ve left my golden egg at the Bears’ cottage.’

‘Do you need it right now?’ Tilly said, impatient to be on the way.

‘Yes,’ Jack said. ‘It’s my lucky charm! Not to mention it might be the only one she ever lays!’

‘Okay, fine,’ Tilly said, turning round. ‘Let’s be quick.’

They half walked, half jogged back towards the Three Bears’ cottage, and Jack knocked again, but there was no answer.

‘How strange,’ Jack said. ‘It’s been, what, five minutes since we left?’ He knocked again, more firmly this time, and then tried to look through the windows. ‘I can’t see anything,’ he said. ‘It’s very dark in there – like all the lights are turned off.’ He looked worried, and came back to the door, shrugged, and turned the round gold handle, gently pushing the door open a crack.

‘Anyone home?’ he called. ‘It’s Jack and Tilly! Oh –’ he stopped talking abruptly and swung the door open so Tilly could see. It opened on to nothing. Just blackness, with no light, no shade, no edges.