A lady walked in, wrapped in clean white robes. ‘Please do not take too much of her time, Milord. She needs to rest. This second visitor will be more than enough for her today.’

Eldridge’s eyebrows shot upwards. ‘Someone else is here to visit?’

‘Another man… a peculiar fellow, if I may be so bold. He didn’t make much sense.’

‘What does he look like?’ Elvie asked. Who else would want to speak to her?

‘He has wild blond hair and a startled expression.’

Elvie laughed as Alistar pushed his head through the door. ‘You’re aware, noble nurse, I can hear your every word?’

The nurse’s face infused with colour, but as neither Elvie nor Eldridge protested, she let Alistar into the room and made her way out.

He didn’t speak at first – he took in the cat, the colour of her eyes, and the thick bandage wrapped around each arm.

‘I’m glad you’re okay,’ Elvie greeted him. ‘But my friends?’

‘Flynn is safe and sound back on the island, although Rilla has been committed to a bed under Miss Williams’ care. She wasn’t sensible, like me, as I took to hiding.’

‘And Callum?’

‘Some bruises, some hurt pride, but otherwise right as rain. As was James Vermont, I might add. He even made something of a name for himself with his skills shielding.’ His voice was subdued. Surprisingly, despite the inordinate amount of injuries, the losses were not as bad as they could have been. Thirteen dead, including two of the duelists – Dalen Whistler and Gaiden Maltsworth. The Willow House magicians present helped prevent more significant loss of life.’

Eldridge hovered awkwardly. ‘Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot – Eldridge, this is Alistar. He runs Elder House. And Alistar, this is my guardian, Lord Eldridge Calderbrook.’

Eldridge’s face cracked a smile when Elvie referred to him as her guardian, but a stiffness returned to his voice as he greeted Alistar. ‘We’ve met before,’ he said, ‘though much time has passed since.’

Alistar’s eyes expanded, and he awkwardly scrubbed at his hair. ‘A very long time ago. Much has changed since those days.’

Elvie’s curiosity rose, but Eldridge didn’t provide her with the opportunity to inquire how they’d met before. ‘No doubt it has. If you’re happy for me to do so,’ he said, ‘I’ll take my leave now. If you would like, I will come back after dinner to see you? We have much more to discuss.’

Elvie nodded. He was a lord in service to the royal family and likely required elsewhere. ‘I’d like that very much.’

He left quickly, leaving Elvie to wonder what had transpired between Eldridge and Alistar that would make their meeting so awkward? Should she ask Alistar? No, Eldridge would provide a better answer later.

‘You’ve had your own adventure, I see.’ Elvie nodded. ‘And you are…’ he looked down at the cat who was regarding him curiously. ‘Unharmed?’

‘For the most part,’ she replied. ‘I travelled – made a portal. Did you know that?’

He nodded, his eyes piercing. ‘There have been some unusual stories about one of our purple cloaked magicians who turned up in the middle of a duel the Sentinel fought – and won it, where he did not.’

‘Is that why you’ve come?’

He nodded. ‘In the wake of the attack, every Magician from the Commonwealth is being dragged back into the country. Even as we speak, the Island’s population has swelled, and that isn’t even to take into account the men from the army wandering around with guns at the ready. It was decided that half of the Masters would journey here, to stabilise the Palace and protect the Empire. The other half remains on the Island. You’re my student, so of course, I ended up here. But Elvie – why don’t you tell me what happened?’

It was not the time for secrets, not with everything that happened in the world. So she told him the truth – in full. Elvie told him of the cat and how it spoke to her. She told him of the staff, which she’d unintentionally taken from the sealed room. She described the Duels and how her cat materialised in the midst of the battle, how it had told her the necessary spells, and finally, she stoically told him how she’d killed the assassin magician Darius Vermont.

His eyes grew wider with every part of the story until they sought to break free of his face.

‘Reizen dorde getijden? Travel through the tides... How intriguing. The tides of what, I wonder?’

Elvie shrugged. ‘The cat told me, so I cast it.’

‘And people accuse me of saying strange things. Try that one at the dinner table next time.’ He stared down at the cat curled in the nook of her arm thoughtfully. ‘So the spirit came to you when you bonded with the Elder tree.’

Elvie nodded. ‘He was in it. It’s how I knew it was the right one.’

He scratched his chin. ‘So it was there before you bonded to the tree?’

‘Well... yes.’

He nodded, looking thoughtful. ‘Just one more thing in an endless procession we don’t understand. Sure, we know that all the Great Houses have been weakened since the Cataclysm, but we never realised the true extent. And now that you are here, there is a rapid escalation. But for what reason? You’re a strange one, Elvie Harper, a very strange one indeed. I have much to think on.’

‘If you come back later, I could help you learn the spell I cast – to travel.’

‘Nope. Nope. No way! Don’t tell me anything other than the words and gestures. I don’t want you to ‘Callum’ me.’

Elvie was confused. ‘Callum you?’

‘Exactly. Where you tell me what a spell does, and that’s all I can ever get it to do.’ Ah, so Alistar continued to develop his theory that the user could adapt and mould spells. ‘You can tell me that later though. So rest and regain your strength, and try not to do anything too crazy.’

‘Then you’ll help me figure out how to get back home?’ Despite everything that had happened, the worry over her father's fate in the nightmare had not lessened.

He smiled. ‘We’ll do our best… we’ll do our best.’

Whether it was the set of his shoulders or the resigned tone of his voice, but Elvie wasn’t sure if he meant it.