They stare.
‘Jala!’ cries Lisbeta. ‘Really? That’s a helicopter?’
They’ve never even seen a car.
‘Yes! Look! You see?’
From a hundred metres, the rotor is clearly visible. She can see the pilot’s dark glasses, and the shadows of the passengers in the back. It is shiny white. Stripes of gold and azure run along the sides from nose to tail, a painted azure shield with a golden coronet and a silhouette of their own castle on the door.
Felix frowns. ‘That’s our flag!’ He has to shout, for the air is throbbing now. ‘What the—’
‘The duke!’ yells Donatella. ‘It’s el duqa!’
The helicopter beats over their heads and continues towards the castle as they turn to stare at each other. Sirenas forgotten, they take to their heels and run in the great bird’s wake, to see where it lands.