Sylvie leaps to her feet, eyes wide. ‘Did you do that?’ I nod. I feel sick. I brought down that beautiful tree. But I’m also filled with a thrilling realisation. I just did big magic. I’m a real magician.

Everything is quiet now. The birds are silent and there’s a great hole in the forest where the tree once stood. Its mighty body lies in front of us, cracked and splintered, its pale insides exposed.

Sylvie is staring at me. ‘Did you use a spell? You shouldn’t be able to do this yet.’

‘No. I just pointed at the tree and kind of imagined energy coming from my finger.’ I lift my hand to demonstrate and Sylvie snaps, ‘Put that down!’

‘I was missing Mum and feeling … angry that no-one’s doing anything to get her back.’ I’m still pulsing with amazement and excitement – but Sylvie’s face is horrified.

‘I shouldn’t have let that happen,’ she says, gazing at the tree. ‘You must have absorbed a lot of energy from the rock. Maybe hearing your mother somehow boosted your energy … or your anger did. Actually, I have no idea what happened. But for heaven’s sake, keep your hands in fists until I figure it out.’ She sighs. ‘Can you hear it?’

‘No.’

‘Really?’ She shakes her head. ‘You can flatten a tree but don’t hear it groaning?’ She crosses and lays a hand on the tree trunk. ‘Well, you better come and tell it that you’re sorry.’

My legs are heavy as I pick my way through the shattered branches. I lay my hand on the smooth grey bark, and pick up a faint buzzing. ‘Is it still alive?’

‘Not for long.’

I imagine Mum’s face if she knew I’d done this, and a few tears spill from my eyes. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to, tree,’ I say. But of course, I did kind of imagine my energy striking the tree. I just didn’t think anything would happen. I turn to Sylvie. ‘Please don’t tell Dad or Vince.’

Sylvie lays a warm hand on mine. ‘I won’t. But you realise there will be a consequence for this?’

‘What will it be?’ I slide my hand out from under hers.

She shakes her head. ‘I have no idea. But we should get out of here.’

Sylvie makes me drape myself over a moss-covered boulder halfway down the hill, to charge up. ‘Magicians cannot let their energy drain away,’ she says. ‘And especially not while in another universe. If a magician completely runs out of energy in a parallel universe, she will die.’

‘Like, actually die, as in dead?’ I say.

‘Yes. As in dead. Let’s go.’

Make sure you stay charged up, Mum, I think.