An angry honk sounds and I turn to see Thiten glaring at me. She nods towards my right arm and I turn over my hand, startled to see a tiny flame. Copying the other women, I hold my palm over the flickering light and a golden ball of energy pulsates between my hands. It pushes outwards, expanding and contracting, warming my fingers.

Magic rushes through me and my palms itch with possibility. I turn my face upwards and the savage wind matches the ravenous hunger I feel. I want this. I want this feeling that I can do anything. I want this power. As if hearing me, the ball of energy burns brighter. A laugh of wonder escapes me and I’m sure I see Thiten smile before she remembers to scowl.

A woman opposite me, Gliten, I think, lets out a fearsome cackle and extends her arms, sending a stream of energy shooting across the circle. It makes a drawn-out screeching sound, like one of those fireworks that spins around and around but doesn’t do much else, and then hits Mazoe, who’s standing next to me. She stumbles to the side and hurls one back. As soon as the ball leaves her hands, another one appears to replace it. This one is tinged dark blue, strands of colour swirling amongst the gold. More balls are thrown across the circle and then one hits me, landing in my stomach like a fist.

I double over, the air knocked from my body, and the women laugh good-naturedly and encourage me to return fire. I extend my arms but my ball doesn’t move. It hovers stubbornly in the air. I narrow my eyes and focus, willing it to fly across the circle. More cries of amusement sound around me. Even Thiten laughs, until a missile takes her off guard when it smacks into the side of her head. She throws out her arms and a ball of black energy thunders across the circle. Her adversary manages to duck just in time. The ball lands in the sea with a steaming sizzle, and Thiten throws another. This one doesn’t miss.

It seems the signal for open combat has been given. Thiten and the two other women next to me sprint away along the beach. I look up and realise why. Glitonea and her team are rising into the air, their wings beating furiously. A ball of energy screams past my ear and thumps down, showering me with sand.