The table-master, who had been watching the confrontation with lazy amusement, began to shout and curse. The sailor still held Storm’s arm, so she drew in a deep breath, breathed it out in a twisting curling sigh, and watched with satisfaction as a tiny whirlwind lifted the table high into the air. Storm sucked the whirlwind away. The table crashed to earth in an explosion of wood that knocked three sailors to the ground.

The man holding her let go at once, his face pale. Storm stepped back, rubbing her arm. “That answers your question: I’m a witch. And if you don’t want me to blow you into the next life, I suggest you go away and leave us alone!”

The drunk looked at the broken table … looked back at her … took a step backwards.

“Let go of him!” she shouted at the men holding Cloud, and they dropped his arms and backed away.

“Come on,” Storm said to Cloud. “Or stay with your friends. I don’t care.”

“The main square is the other way.” Cloud had been following her at a safe distance for at least three hundred heartbeats. Storm marched down one street, then another, paying no attention to where she was going, too angry to speak.

“I’m sorry! I screwed up.” Cloud sighed loudly. “Will you talk to me, please? And the main square is the other way. If you really want to go there. I don’t mind. We can go somewhere else.”

“Don’t ever brag about me to strangers again!”

“I won’t. Sorry.”

“I don’t belong to you. I don’t belong to anyone!” Storm knew it was a lie. She seemed to belong to almost everyone – except herself.

“Sorry. Really. It’s just…” Cloud sighed. “No. No excuses. I was an idiot. I was trying to get attention. It made me feel more important, which is… Well, it’s pathetic. It won’t happen again.”

Storm lurched to a stop, whirled round. The expression on his face made her want to laugh and cry at once. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to blast you. That was a handsome apology. I accept.”

The tension went out of Cloud’s face. “Friends?”

Storm nodded. “I could use a good friend right now.”

“You’ve got one.” He examined her. “You showed those idiots. Now, that is how to use Air-magic! Ancestors! I’m jealous.” He grinned, as if to make it a joke. Only Storm knew it wasn’t.

“You want to talk about what’s bothering you?” Cloud asked.

Storm rubbed her nose in frustration. She couldn’t tell him about the Fire-witch. Teanu had been clear: the Salamander’s attacks must remain secret. She examined her parcel, knowing she was delaying: the boat was fine.