It was very dark by the time they finished and returned, and it seemed that the watcher had either given up for the night or wasn’t able to find them. The grounds of the Oktoberfest were astonishing. There were electric lights strung down the main thoroughfare—an innovation Giselle had never actually seen for herself until now—and the effect was quite startling to someone used to the light of candles, lamps and fires all her life. Of course, most of the grounds were still lit by lamps and even torches, but seeing those glass bulbs glowing steadily without so much as a flicker seemed more magical than the use of her own powers.

“Do you want me to help ward your vardo?” Rosa asked, as they entered the now-quiet grounds of the show. It looked as if the visitors had just been cleared out; people were relaxing at their tents, rather than being “on show,” and people were eating various delectables they had gotten out in the grounds and brought back to share. Pastries and pretzels mostly; Giselle spotted a lot of decorated gingerbread and jelly-filled donuts being devoured, as well as both hard and soft pretzels.

“Yes, please,” Giselle said gratefully. “And . . . I think I ought to start refusing presents of food. Or at least we should start testing it somehow. I didn’t like the way that watching felt, if you know what I mean. It . . . it seemed cold, measuring. Not at all friendly.”

“I completely agree, and it will be easy enough to for me to make sure anything you are given is safe to eat,” Rosa replied, waiting to mount the stairs of the vardo behind Giselle. “Earth Magic is good for that sort of thing.”

“I’m glad you don’t think I’m being silly.” Giselle lit a paper spill at the coals in her stove, and lit her two hanging lanterns with it.

Rosa snorted. “I’ve been stalked by werewolves, hunted by other Elemental Magicians and by a ghost, threatened by vampir, and . . . well, I am the last person to think you are being silly if you feel as if you are being watched by something or someone unfriendly. I don’t know what enemies you could possibly have, but who knows what enemies your Mother collected! And for all we know, that wretched Blood Witch has an ally here, and that’s what’s watching you!”

“Or it might be an Elemental of some sort. I don’t know enough about what’s likely to be around a city,” Giselle said doubtfully.