They strolled deeper into the enormous tent, winding through the crowd. Every face was stained red by the sunlight filtering through the sun-scorched canvas.

“Over there!” Cloud pointed to their right. “Air-magic! You can watch another Air-witch in action.” He grabbed her hand and tugged her towards the performer.

A man was standing on a shoulder-height platform, facing his audience. He had a begging bowl at his feet, half full of coins. He was thin and stooped, his grey topknot perfectly combed and tied; his hands, face and feet clean; his elegant tunic made of bright-blue silk. Storm stared at him, fascinated. Despite the bowl, he wasn’t a beggar in any sense she recognised.

The witch had a row of brightly coloured paper whirligigs arranged beside him on his platform. Storm watched as a young girl pointed to a red toy. The man with her put a copper in the bowl and the witch picked the toy up and tossed it high into the air. Then he whipped out a bamboo flute and began to pipe. Storm felt the music pulse through her: Air-music!

As the witch played, the toy spun higher and higher, its four stiff arms catching the magicked wind. Storm stared, awed by the skill required to make such delicate, controlled magic. The flute seemed to concentrate the flow of magic, make it easier to direct. It had never occurred to her that she might be able to use a musical instrument to control her power. Longing tore through her. What must it be like to be so at one with the Elemental power?

She glanced at Cloud and saw a rapt expression on his face. She remembered that he had dreamed of becoming an Air-witch, but though he had been Chosen by the Albatross, Cloud had no magic.

Toy after toy was tossed into the air, dancing like coloured fireflies for a while until the witch sent each toy spinning into the hands of its new owner.

“He’s raking it in!” breathed Cloud. “No wonder there’s so many witches in town. A witch would live rich here!”

“So the councillors said,” Storm replied drily.

“Not that you would…” Cloud frowned at her. “You wouldn’t, would you?”

She decided to tease him. “What would you do, Cloud? You just said you wanted to stay here forever!” Storm watched his expressions tumble and change as fast as the whirligigs.

“Uh…”

Fire shot into the air from somewhere a few paces ahead. Storm froze.