‘But what—’ said Rose. ‘Why— How—’

Aunt Delilah swept towards them with her electric torch lighting up the tunnel. ‘Such a relief, child. I did not want to start a panic, so I put out a proclamation that you were visiting your old nursemaid in the countryside. Meanwhile I have been turning Hallow upside down to find you. Are you all right? Are you injured?’

Her eyes fell on the pup, and she frowned. ‘I hope that beast does not bite. And this is – what is this? Some sort of … pixie? And it has a little toasting fork. How quaint. Did these creatures kidnap you, Felicia? I cannot imagine how else you would be in their company.’

‘They’re my friends,’ said Rose.

‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ said Aunt Delilah. Now tell me, what are you doing in these dreadful tunnels?’

And suddenly Rose was sure that everything was going to be all right. Aunt Delilah might be bossy and bad-tempered, but she was an adult, and she wasn’t afraid of anything. She would know what to do.

‘It’s the dragon, Aunt,’ she said. ‘It stole the pup’s parents. And it stole the Floating Forest, too. That’s why Flax is here. And – and Uncle Edwin is here! We thought he was dead, but he’s not. And he’s a dragon, too, at least I think he is. Except he’s locked up, so I really don’t understand what’s happening.’

Aunt Delilah’s eyes widened. ‘Edwin is alive? The Duke of Spurr? And he is a dragon?’

‘He’s got red scales on his hands,’ said Rose. ‘And claws.’

‘I have heard that some dragons can take human form.’ Aunt Delilah frowned again. ‘But I never suspected it of Edwin Spurr. I hope you did not try to release him.’

Rose would have told her about Flax’s toasting fork, which was really a sword but could also be a key if you asked politely.

But Flax pinched her ankle, as if the sword was a secret she didn’t want to share.

Rose understood about secrets. So she simply said, ‘We tried. But we couldn’t. Now we don’t know what to do. We thought you were another dragon coming … ’

Aunt Delilah’s face was grim. ‘It is just as well I am not. We must—’

She broke off. ‘Did you hear a noise?’

‘What?’ whispered Rose.

‘Beetles,’ said Flax.

Aunt Delilah ignored her. ‘Something moved. Near the entrance to the labyrinth. Could it be the other dragon?’

Ice-water scorched through Rose’s veins. Yes, the dragon she had seen flying overhead was beautiful. Yes, she wanted to ask it if it had stolen her parents.

But she wanted to ask it from a safe distance.

Not when she was trapped inside a mountain.

‘We have to get out of here,’ she breathed.

‘I can’t smell it,’ said the pup. It was the first time he’d spoken since Aunt Delilah appeared. ‘Not a now dragon.’

Aunt Delilah shone her torch in his face. ‘Do you doubt my word, dog?’ she demanded, in the sort of voice that made visiting prime ministers quail. ‘Of course there is a dragon. We will hide until it leaves again. Come with me. Quickly now, all of you.’

She strode away, and Rose picked up Flax and hurried after her aunt.

Close behind them, the pup said, ‘I can’t smell a now dragon, I really can’t. I think we should stop.’

But Rose knew they mustn’t stop. Not when her aunt used that tone of voice.

They hurried down one tunnel after another, with Aunt Delilah urging them on. ‘Quickly now! We must not be caught by the dragon.’

On Rose’s shoulder, Flax whispered, ‘I can’t hear—’

‘Hurry!’ hissed Aunt Delilah. ‘We are nearly there.’

They rounded a corner. And suddenly the torch snapped off, leaving them in utter darkness.

Rose felt someone move past her. ‘Aunt?’ she whispered. ‘Is that you? What are you doing?’

‘I am making sure the dragon is not coming,’ whispered her aunt from somewhere behind them. ‘You keep going. Just a few steps more, and you will be safe.’

Rose took a step forward, running her hand along the rock.

‘Rose!’ whispered Flax. ‘I can’t hear your aunt’s heartbeat!’

For one dreadful moment, Rose couldn’t make sense of the words.

By the time she understood, it was too late.

There was a sudden smell of rotting eggs, and Aunt Delilah shouted, ‘Forward!’

It wasn’t just a word, like the ones Flax, Rose and the pup used.

It was a Word.

And there was no standing against it.

The pup yelped with shock and terror, and bumped into Rose. She staggered, trying not to drop Flax – and some great force shoved the three of them forward in a scrabble of arms and legs, paws and tails.

Behind them, a door clanged shut.

A door made of bars.

Rose lay on the ground with her whole world crumbling around her.

‘You’re a witch, Aunt Delilah.’

But then an even worse thought struck her.

‘You’re the Lady!’