Air-music was already singing in her veins and pulsing in her head, smooth and cool, light and flowing. A breeze came with her first thought, blowing light and steady. Part of her mind noticed that the sails of the Bellum harrier ships, which lay only a few ship-lengths away, did not so much as flutter. Precise magic indeed! She felt a stir of pride as the stern of the first of Yanlin’s ships disappeared from sight into the tunnel, but pride was immediately replaced by panic. What if the tunnel changed direction? If the narrow channel twisted right or left, her wind must shift in turn, or the ships would be left stranded, becalmed.

“Is the tunnel straight?” Storm grabbed at her uncle’s arm.

Lake understood at once. “No, by the Ancestors! Halfway along it twists like an eel and doubles back on itself. Shall I sound a warning bell and stop the ship?”

“No. Wait!” Storm glanced at the sky and saw the Albatross near overhead, wings set wide, like twin sails. As she watched the Elemental, Storm saw, as though with a second pair of eyes, a curving canyon below her. She saw a winding path of blue water twisting between red-black walls.

A shiver of joy and fear combined ran up and down her spine. I am seeing through the eyes of the Albatross itself! This was magic indeed! It was intoxicating.

“I can see,” Storm said. “It’s all right.” She marvelled that her voice was so calm. With her human eyes, Storm watched the tunnel eat the second ship. At the same time the Elemental spirit showed her the first ship, as it reached a turn in the channel. She adjusted the leading edge of her wind.

Storm guided each ship, following the twists of the tunnel, adjusting her magical wind for each vessel. Her second sight watched the first ship break free of the tunnel and enter the wide blue lake that was the harbour of Bellum Island. One by one, the Yanlin ships passed through the tunnel, making rapid progress. The Wayfarer joined the end of the queue. At last her uncle’s ship burst out of the confining walls of lava and her two sights became one.

“Cracking!” breathed Lake. “No one will have ever seen anything like that before. And look – the grandees have come themselves to see us arrive. It’s the head of the Pact himself! Old Talon, with a welcoming committee.” He gripped her arm, pulled her closer and said in a low voice, “Remember my warning – the old spider is spinning his web. Don’t get caught!”