“Do you desire the Drowned One’s death?” asked the Air-witch. “Do you want vengeance?” The four adults waited. Even Scoundrel seemed to watch, his deep-set eyes strangely knowing.

“Yes.”

“Yet I have told you the Salamander feeds on hate,” said the woman who had been a Fire-witch. “You bear the proof on your right wrist.”

It was true. Last year, her hatred of Mixi had made her vulnerable to the Fire Elemental. But this was different. “Nim betrayed me, pretended to be my friend! And all the time he was planning to help his people kill us and steal our island. My mother died because of his treachery. How can I not hate him?”

The Water-witch shrugged. “You are a Child of the Dolphin. The Trickster loves riddles. Try to use your talent with water to find a path.”

Rebellion rose in her heart. “Why does it have to be me? Can’t we do it together?”

“There will be a time for ‘together’. That I do promise,” said the Earth-witch. “But not yet. As for why you, why not? It must be someone. The Three chose you before you were born. Your job is to figure out what is special about you – what you are meant to do.”

“You must be important or the Salamander would not be trying so hard to get rid of you,” said the woman. “There is something about you that is a threat to its plans. Or perhaps it is something that will happen to you. Something you choose to do, or not to do.”

“You must go now, Storm,” said the Earth-witch. “Scoundrel will return with you.”

The young man held something out to her. “Here, I want you to have this. The music is in you; just practise.” He held out a small flute. “The smallest magic is always the hardest. But sometimes the most important.”

She took the flute in a numb hand. Stared down at it, her fingers barely feeling the smoothness of the precious ebony. “Thank you. But cannot you teach me?”

“Everyone’s music is different. Besides, there isn’t time. The moon falls into the sea.”

“But I can’t go back to Talon’s house! The Fifteen are trying to force me to work for them. They intend to cleanse the island of rebels. I went to the harbour to find my uncle and escape, but Yanlin’s fleet has sailed. You must see that I can’t go back!”

“You must!” The Earth-witch’s expression was unyielding. “The Pact is the key to the battle to come. Bellum must not be allowed to descend into civil war. The Drowned Ones wait for the opportunities a war among the islanders will bring, and the Salamander desires a catastrophic war so it can feed on the hatred and grow ever stronger. You must try to influence the Fifteen.”

“You don’t know Talon.”