I smile humourlessly; it’s the Mayor’s benign, Santa Claus-like appearance that gives me the idea.
I cross the roof and stoop behind the chimney. I take a moment to steel myself and double-check that no one is looking up in my direction, then I drop my legs down the stack. As I’d hoped, the chimney is fairly large. I have to wriggle my hips to get fully inside, and twist my shoulders to avoid getting stuck completely, but in seconds I’m fully enveloped by the stifling, claustrophobic darkness. At least the tight squeeze means I’m not going to fall down to the fireplace and break a leg.
I shimmy my way down, inch by inch. The soot tickles my nostrils and makes breathing hard. By the time I’ve pushed myself round the curve in the chimney flume and can feel my legs dangling in air, I’m coughing and spluttering.
‘What on earth...?’ I hear Esme say from below.
I call down. ‘Hi Esme!’ My cheery tone is spoiled somewhat by the hacking cough that follows it.
‘Zoe? You again?’
‘Yup. Can you grab my legs and pull? I’m a bit stuck.’
There’s a moment of stunned silence before Esme helps me out. I feel a sharp tug around my ankles. Using my fingers to scrabble against the bricks, I shove myself through. There’s a popping noise as the air above me is freed, then I’m crashing into the fireplace in an ungainly heap of limbs.
‘Well, this is certainly unorthodox,’ I hear Esme say.
I wipe my eyes and give her a weak smile. ‘Hi.’
‘You know there’s a door, right?’
‘I’ve been travelling incognito,’ I tell her, scrambling to my feet.
She sighs heavily. ‘The Mayor again? I told you I didn’t want to get involved.’
‘I’m not here about him.’
‘Then why? If you want something, you’re not going to get it for free. Not this time.’
‘Actually,’ I say, dusting off my hands, ‘it’s about the castle.’
‘What about it?’
‘Well, I thought you said people tended to avoid it.’
She puts her hands on her hips, clearly running out of patience. ‘So?’
I shrug as nonchalantly as I can when I’m covered from head to toe in black soot. ‘I saw Ashley walking inside a few minutes ago. She was marching through the door very purposefully.’
Esme frowns. ‘Ashley? She has no reason to go in there.’
‘From what little I know of her, she’s always keen to help people out.’
‘She has a big heart,’ Esme agrees.
I nod and step over to a shelf to examine an old-fashioned phone. I pick up the receiver and hold it to my ear as if I’m expecting to hear something. I hold my breath. Come on Esme, I plead inwardly.
She tuts. ‘That foolish girl is probably trying to help the sleepers. She should know by now that they can’t be woken up.’
‘Oh?’ I say innocently. ‘Well, it’s probably nothing to worry about then.’
I turn away from the phone and glance at Esme. Emotions flicker across her face and she shakes her head, irritated. ‘I’d better go and stop her before she does something to disturb them. Stay here and look after the shop. Those kids are hanging around outside again.’ She flings open the door and throws me a glare. ‘Don’t touch anything!’
I give her a mock salute. When the door closes behind her, I heave a sigh of relief. ‘Watch out, Mayor,’ I whisper. ‘I’m coming for you.’
***
Despite Esme’s order for me to stay put, I count to one hundred in my head then leave. This time, I don’t hide my presence. I want the Mayor to find me.
It’s not long before I’m noticed. The group of teenagers have moved further down the street but a tall brunette on the periphery of the group spots me. She nudges the boy next to her and heads swivel in my direction. Unlike more circumspect adults, they waste no time in confronting me. Their leader is a lanky boy who swaggers up to me. ‘You’re the one who controls the mares, right?’
I don’t stop walking. ‘They’re wild animals. No one controls them.’
‘They’re not just wild animals. They’re vicious creatures that’ll eat you as soon as look at you. Which makes you either Doctor Doolittle or a witch.’
I flick him a lazy smile. ‘Well, I guess I’m a witch then.’ I see a suited and booted guy stare at me before taking off at high speed round the corner, no doubt to inform the Mayor or his guards. Or both. I speed up: it’s imperative I get to the square for all this to unfold.
‘Are you trying to run away from me?’ the boy inquires.
I almost snort. There are plenty of things I’m afraid of; this kid isn’t one of them. ‘No. But I have a prior engagement in the square. In fact,’ I say, ‘you might want to come along.’ I glance at his buddies who are close behind us but bunched up together. Safety in numbers. ‘You lot too.’
‘Why?’ one of them asks. ‘Are you going to bring out the mares again?’