Ellini got through the night by determinedly not going through the doorway in her dreams which led to Jack and the Indian room. She got through the day by reading.

She'd finished all the slim, meagre novels Robin had let her pack in her case. But the attic room at the Birdcage had obviously once been a nursery, because she found a broken rocking-horse, a few china dolls, and a box full of books wedged under the bed.

Ellini fell upon this box greedily. She almost dived headfirst into it. But most of the books were disappointing. There were a few sermons and moral tales – little children getting lost in the woods and dying of exposure because they'd disobeyed their parents, that sort of thing. But there was also, right at the bottom of the box, a battered copy of Children's and Household Tales by the Brothers Grimm. And it was an early, unsanitised edition too, with murderous mothers and pre-marital sex.

This was better than anything she could have hoped for. It felt like a personalized gift. She wouldn't have been surprised to open it up and find a dedication written on the fly-leaf:

For Ellini,

Because I know I've made things difficult for you over the past twenty years,

Yours sincerely,

Your implacable fate.

She read all day, and was genuinely surprised when she had to get up to light the lamps. According to the clock on the mantelpiece, it was half-past four, and she had arranged to meet Miss Lloyd at six. This didn't exactly make her late, but she had a lot of getting ready to do. It was a horrible, Robin-inspired trait, but she spent a long time dressing herself these days. It felt like putting on armour. Somehow, Robin's insistence that the revenge game required style had sunk in.

She put on her plum-coloured bustle dress. It even had the matte blue sheen of plums. Robin had chosen it for her, and she had been disturbed to find how much she liked it. It announced her arrival in any room with an expensive, swishing sound.

She tied her hair up, carefully tucking away every loose strand. She didn't want to lose her temper and set fire to anything. Mari Lloyd deserved better than that. And besides, she had some lovely rare books.

Robin walked her as far as the flight of rock-cut steps that led up to the school-gates. She didn't know why. Perhaps it was part of his dastardly plan to torment Jack. At any rate, she didn't protest. Things were moving too fast, and she couldn't swim against the current anymore.

The snow was falling thickly now – little feathery flakes that softened the air and nestled companionably on her shoulders. And it was the ideal kind of companionship – cold companionship that didn't talk. Perhaps Robin knew this was what she needed, because he was silent for most of the walk. He only opened his mouth to speak when they were within sight of the steps.

"What will happen if you lose this contest?"

"I don't know," said Ellini truthfully.

"All right, what could happen if you lose this contest?"

She started up the steps. They were two or three inches deep in snow, but it was soft, yielding snow, and she could easily keep her footing. "I could lose my ability to perform magic."

"You mean no more bubbling lakes and small forest fires when you lose your temper? Shame."

"But I won't lose," she said, in what she hoped was a firm, authoritative voice.

"How confident are you really?" said Robin, starting up the steps behind her.

She turned to face him, trying to usher him away without actually touching him. It didn't work. He remained fixed on the steps beneath her, looking up.

"I think it would be simpler if we-"

"Goodnight, Robin," Ellini insisted.

He climbed another step. He was taller than her, so this placed him right in her eye-line. In fact, it brought him disconcertingly close. Ellini tried to keep her feet firmly planted and not move backwards – she shouldn't have to move backwards. But surely he wasn't going to-?

"Robin," she said, her voice hardening. "You take one step closer and I'll burn you alive in that well-tailored suit. I thought I'd made myself clear."

Robin lingered for a moment, his eyes unfocused, as if calculating. Finally, he stepped back, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Oh, you did. I was just testing a theory."

"What theory?"

"I'll tell you when the test is finished," he said, rubbing his hands together with the same air of greedy anticipation she had seen from him yesterday. "It's looking good, though. I'd be very surprised if I'm mistaken."

"Just so long as you're not surprised when you're burned alive," said Ellini, turning to leave. "You've had your warning."