A teenage girl with waist-length black hair and full red lips stands looking out of a glass tower. Below her, a vast forest stretches in every direction, the dense canopy of trees dotted with castles. The girl watches the sun dip behind the purple mountains in the distance then nervously glances over her shoulder.

The room is large and empty, its walls and floors made entirely of glass. In the centre of the space is a column of swirling white energy that comes up through the floor and reaches to the ceiling. Seeing the portal fills her with excitement and trepidation. She knows that the room is rarely used and she’s not allowed to be in here, but he said that’s why it’s the perfect place to meet. She doesn’t like keeping secrets from her sisters, but he says they would be jealous of the attention he’s giving her if they knew. Besides, she’s fifteen now, not a child. She’s old enough to make her own decisions.

Merlin materialises before her without warning and she marvels as the air shimmers around him. He wears a lavish velvet robe and holds a long black sceptre. At the top is a large clear crystal, held within the open jaws of two silver dragons, their serpentine bodies wrapping around each other as if they’re fighting. His gnarled fingers are covered with jewels and his long grey beard is styled into two points at the end. She’s no stranger to magic, but she can’t help being in awe of him. It’s hard to believe the most powerful wizard in the land once tutored her eldest sister, the Queen of Avalon. And even harder to believe he would want to teach her, the youngest of them.

He strides towards her with open arms, kissing her twice on both cheeks, and a familiar waft of musky incense fills her nose. The embrace is uncomfortably close and each kiss lingers a moment too long, but she says nothing, not wishing to appear rude or uncultured. King Arthur and his men lie sleeping under her sisters’ protection now, but she’s heard tales of their extravagant feasts and dances. She knows she’s not allowed to enter the portal and cross to the other side, but Merlin has lived in the earthly realm amongst nobles. She wants to greet him in the proper custom, as a lady of the court would. So she allows his embrace and smiles when he kisses her.

‘Are you going to show me what you’ve learned?’ he asks.

She lowers her gaze and he takes her chin in his ringed hand. ‘You have been practising, haven’t you?’ He laughs and the lines around his eyes deepen into crinkles. She pulls away and nods, hating the way her cheeks are flushing. Merlin has taught her all kinds of magic over the past few weeks, but she still feels embarrassed performing in front of him.

He gestures for her to stand before him. ‘Come, there’s no need to be shy with me.’