.

The pudding exploded.

Mei didn't even flinch. She'd seen this coming, the same way one sees two trains speeding towards each other on the same track. Hot guilt mixed with regret, as it always did when she had no choice but to escalate and let things happen. And after so much practice… she'd become very good at being rude.

Frosting rained down on the surprised faces around the table, which shook as Luna sprang to her feet. "You literal piece of garbage!" she snapped, glaring daggers at Mei. The yellow crescent moon marks on her cheeks glowed with anger. "My cousin swore by you, he said you could act like a human being for at least one afternoon, but you're the same stuck up bitch you've always been! It boggles my mind how you got him to invite you here! I don't care what I promised him; I can't stand you one second longer!"

With that, she turned on her heel and left. Mei watched her go, eyes cold. Oh Percy… I'm sorry. But she'd warned him. She'd told him that this wouldn't work.

The others exchanged awkward glances around the table. She ignored them, staring out the window. A conversation slowly picked up, but Mei wasn't listening.

A lake, Percy had promised. A lake where swans swam all day, and they could go there and feed them. He'd even said she could take a feather for her collection. Mei had never seen a swan in real life, but she'd heard how beautiful those birds were. Could they really still go? Even after this?

Purple tint crept along the edges of her vision. Recognizing the tell-tale signs of her premonitions, Mei let the familiar sensation wash over her.

She found herself in a dark room. Rows of podiums and plinths hugged each wall. Various objects stood atop them — some looked like innocuous everyday objects, while others swirled in mid-air, bathed in magical energies. Strange paintings and tapestries covered patches of dark brick, occasionally obscured by the odd bookcase. There were no windows or doors, only a single exit that led up into a twisted stairwell.

In between the artefacts, Luna crept in semi-darkness, examining each one. "What are we looking for again?" The only source of light came from a crescent moon-shaped wand in her hand, which glowed just enough to let Mei see her, leaving everything else in shadow.

"It'll be… small," a male voice replied from the gloom.

Mei's attention suddenly snapped into sharp attention, and she squinted, trying to make out the other shapes in the darkness.

Three more figures emerged between the rows. One of them, thin and lanky with hair so light it was almost grey, stood next to a bookcase, running its finger down the spine of a green tome. Another, black-haired and shorter, was bent over a blue bowl atop one of the plinths.

"Will, you don't want to be touching those books," the same voice warned. Mei concentrated on it, following it like a thread, and soon enough the sunny blond head of Prince Perceval Fitzherbert finally appeared a bit further down the path. "Most of the stuff in here's dangerous. Zeph, put down that bowl, man."

"Percy, we need to hurry it up," Luna said, her voice urgent. "If my sister finds out I took the wand I'm dead meat!"

"We're almost done, just gimme a second." Percy continued his search up ahead, peering into glass cases and down empty vases. "I'm sure it's in here somewhere."

A loud click echoed in the dark room. The boys turned as one, only to find Luna backing away from a big, ornate mirror. The glass rippled like water, shining with magic.

"Whoa." Will approached, fingers extending towards the glowing surface.

Percy jogged over, just in time to catch his friend's wrist. "I told you five seconds ago not to touch stuff! We're not supposed to be here!"

"Guys..." Light reflected off of Luna's green eyes, giving them a creepy, ghostly shine. "Look." She pointed to the top of the mirror, at a strange symbol that looked like a winged eye.

Will instantly withdrew his hand. "Not good. That's not good."

Energy burst out of the mirror, nearly knocking them to the floor. Magic, untamed and powerful, became a suctioning force that pulled everything towards the rippling surface. Will managed to grab onto a bookcase, drawing Percy with him, while Zephyr slowly made his way to Luna, barely dodging a gold-wrought box that flew past his ear and sank into the mirror.

"IT'S TRYING TO SUCK US IN!" Percy clung to the bookcase as the wind violently whipped his hair. "LUNA!" he yelled, "WHAT DID YOU DO?"

"I JUST TOUCHED IT!" she shouted back, crouching next to one of the plinths. Zephyr had one arm around her protectively, shielding her as best he could from the gale.

The premonition was starting to fade. Mei tried desperately to hold onto it, but the control she had over her magic was almost non-existent — the vision took her where it wanted, and she was just along for the ride. Percy shouted something that she couldn't quite make out. Luna and Zephyr slid against the floor. Will's fingers slipped away from the smooth wood of the bookcase.

Then they were all sucked into the mirror, and everything went still.

Mei was rocketed back into her own body, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the sunshine streaming through the window. The formal lunch was still in full swing, and no one had noticed that their prince wasn't sitting at the royal table.

The chair clattered to the floor as she shot to her feet. "PERCY!"

Four faces turned to stare at her in bewilderment.