Sylvie, Dad and I are in the store tent. Dad is slumped on his bed, holding an ice pack to his shoulder. His voice comes out in a hiss. ‘I can’t believe you two have been going behind my back.’ His lips are pressed tight – with pain or anger, I can’t tell. ‘You promised me, Tulsi. You gave me your word.’

‘I know. I’m sorry. But … I’m the only one who can get Mum back. I have to go.’

‘No way,’ he says. ‘Forget it.’ He glares at Sylvie. ‘And you need to leave the circus tonight, Sylvie. I won’t have you here a minute longer.’

She stares back at him in silence.

‘Listen, Dad.’ I stand as tall as possible. ‘I can do this. I was given my talisman tonight. You know what that means.’

‘I’m sorry, Tulsi,’ he says. ‘I want her back just as badly as you do, but I can’t risk losing you as well.’ His voice gets wobbly and he puts a hand across his eyes. ‘Put yourself in my shoes. I’ve lost one of the two people I love most in the world and now you’re asking me to risk losing the other. If your mum couldn’t get herself back, why would you be able to?’ ‘He’s right, Tulsi,’ says Sylvie. ‘You don’t know enough. You don’t even know the spell!’

I turn to Sylvie, angry tears springing to my eyes. It’s hard not to shout. ‘You’re the one who’s been saying that I’m powerful … You’re the one who’s been encouraging me!’

She gazes steadily at me. ‘You’re not ready.’

‘Why have you been teaching me, then?’ My fingers start up a huge sizzle. Is it telling me that she’s right? That I’m not ready? Or that she’s been lying to me all along and she’s only wanted me to learn magic so she can steal energy from me, and have me retrieve her from parallel universes?

‘I’ve been teaching you because you’re a magician. Because it’s your birthright. And I wanted to spend time with you, get to know you. You’re my granddaughter.’

‘Really?’ says Dad. ‘Is that the whole reason? Tulsi, has Sylvie asked you to collect her from a parallel universe? She has, hasn’t she?’

I swallow, but say nothing. There’s a sickening sliding sensation inside me, like things are being rearranged. I understand now. Sylvie has been teaching me for her own reasons.

‘Don’t be ridiculous, David.’ Her voice is steely. But when I try to meet her eyes, she looks away.

Dad’s voice is quiet. ‘The answer is no, Tulsi. No. You are not going. For once, Sylvie and I agree on something.’