Craftsman Primrose clipped a fresh piece of paper to the board and started helping Prue design a sea serpent, giving her instructions of shape and where to shade.

After a while he smiled reassuringly. “Now you’re off to a better start. I’ll go and see how the others are doing.”

Prue noticed that Cora not only kept looking across at her work and throwing sneering looks, but she kept glancing at Edwin’s, her lips tight.

At the end of the task Prue had produced a design that, while not as good as the other drawings, was something that she wasn’t wholly embarrassed of.

Craftsman Shad congratulated them all on their first foray into personifate design and smiled warmly as he observed each finished artwork in turn. “Lovely serpent there, Apprentice Young; I like the way you’ve labelled the internal workings of the fins, and you’ve included calculations, I see … yes, extremely thorough and advanced mathematics.” He nodded in approval, then moved on to Cora. “Apprentice Duval, I can see you’re going to have no issues in design. Such a clever idea to go with a small octopus with easily manipulated tentacles – sure to reach places other personifates may fail to reach! Now, Apprentice Snow-Moon, this is what I’m looking for. Oh yes indeed, a sea monkey with gills and webbed opposable thumbs! An ingenious idea!” When he observed Prue’s, there was an uncomfortable pause. Prue saw the glint of pity when he turned to look at her and said, “Valiant attempt, Apprentice Haywood.”

Chapter 10: Place and Time

PLACE AND TIME

After the Design Lab, to Prue’s relief, Cora went with her brother Larkin to meet Master Sollentude. Prue, Edwin and Agapantha had been instructed to meet Master White by the front entrance. She was waiting for them standing hand on hip, her blonde hair blowing messily in the soft breeze and a large backpack by her feet.

“Good afternoon!” she said brightly. “I’m sorry I wasn’t with you this morning, but I trust Craftsmen Primrose and Shad gave you an excellent introduction to the Design Lab.”

They all nodded.

“Good. Craftsman Primrose and I have decided to pool our mentoring skills where possible – we each have specific expertise which we feel you’ll benefit from, plus it helps us to have two perspectives on our apprentices.” Master White began walking and they all followed.