It took Elvie a few days to come to terms with the combination of events in the Fey, and her nightmare. She tried to think things through rationally, like her Dad or James would have encouraged – but that was never the easiest thing to do when it was about someone you loved.

Some key questions had come to mind, which she worked to resolve. Lying on her bed, she made a list in her neatest handwriting:

* What happened to Dad?

* Who put the travelling scroll in my room, and why?

* How do I get home?

* Why does a spirit in the Fey know so much about Elder House?

They were questions she couldn’t answer. She couldn’t know what happened to her father until she returned to the future – and she still didn’t know the way home. Somehow, the Hollow Mendolyn had known about Elder House, but she was in the Fey, and the Fey was too dangerous a place to return to, or so Mendolyn had told her. So, for now, Elvie would follow her advice and try to build her skills at magic.

‘We better be quick,’ Rilla said, as she pushed open the door to the room. ‘You haven’t forgotten what day it is, have you?’

With everything that had happened in the Fey, Elvie had, but now it clicked back into her thoughts. ‘The Duels,’ she whispered. ‘The Duels are today.’ She smiled, but not at the Duels, as exciting as they were. No, it was the thought of the person who came with them: Eldridge.

They’d agreed to take the car together to the arena, so Rilla, Elvie, Callum, and Alistar had piled in to make the short trip, past the Court and the Great Hall and to a small hill overlooking the sea to the northwest. Elisabeth and Flynn had opted to go via Ash House, while Goodwin had abstained, saying he didn’t like violence of any sort these days.

As far as prestigious events went, the arena was low-key compared to the Great Hall’s grandeur. Whoever had designed the space had been familiar with architecture, but Elvie could tell from the perfect lines they’d used magical advantages. The arena rested deep into the side of a hill, with rock-hewn seating of alternating black and white granite, giving an impression of a Greek or Roman amphitheatre. The lower side of the arena involved a steel and wooden construction, a criss-cross of beams and girders which formed additional seating. Huge shades seals stood over the heads of the spectators to protect from any rain. The central area was a flattened oval shape with a sandy floor – that was where the contestants would duel each other.

To Elvie, it looked nothing like some of the grand structures she’d seen – those built for events like the Olympics were mind-boggling for their uniqueness. No, instead, this had a very traditional seating plan that many of the thousand or so residents who occupied the Island, now filled. Elvie guessed most of them had made their way to the arena to watch. Foreign magicians had also travelled in large numbers, and clustered around in various pockets.

Parking was designed in the same vein as the arena, but Elvie couldn’t help but laugh when she cast her eyes over the impromptu car park – people in the future who’d have given their right arm to see the collection of ‘traditional’ cars on display.

The Duels were due to start shortly by the time they entered. Elvie tried to spot Eldridge through the masses of people, but with so many milling about, it was always bound to be virtually impossible. She didn’t even know where he would be. If he had accompanied royalty, then surely he would be near to the reserved seating. If she could figure out the designated area, she’d drastically increase her chances.

‘Where do you think the special guests will sit?’ she asked Callum.

‘The reserved seating is on the in-built side. Why?’

‘My guardian is coming. I wanted to try and find him before the start.’

‘Oh. Would you like me to walk with you? I’d like to meet the man whose house you could live in without breaking or damaging everything, or doing something generally crazy.’ He poked fun at her good-naturedly.

‘Well, I did grow a giant tree into his bedroom, but he seemed to like it. I’ll be back to sit with you once I say hello.’

Callum laughed and pointed to a section of the seating. ‘We’re going to make our way into the western stand – there appear to be some seats available.’

‘Okay. See you soon.’

She gave Rilla a quick wave and disappeared into the crowd.

Inside, the arena felt much more extensive, especially with so many people seated. It was much like a stadium from her time, with a large walkway behind the closest seated area and more as the tiers progressed. She navigated her passage through people with relative ease – being a bit smaller did sometimes have its advantages at times.

It didn’t take long before she found the reserved seats for ambassadors and other special guests – it wasn’t hard to do. Whereas the general crowd milled, with a flurry of jostling bodies in motion, the restricted areas were much more controlled. They’d plenty of space to sprawl over, and there were numerous empty spaces on the slabs of beautiful white stone used to form the seats.

Stolen novel; please report.

In contrast to the hubbub of the general areas, there was a forced dignity to the restricted area. Broad-shouldered men stood in front, preventing access to any who came too close. Beyond them, men and women chatted and greeted each other in a dignified manner. Their clothing looked superior, with dark tailored coats and hats on the men or long adorable dresses on the women.

For a moment, Elvie considered finding a way to duck past the prominent guards and get inside the restricted area. I’d stick out like a fox in a hen-yard, she told herself. No, this was a good time to do things calmly – take a moment to scan faces, and if she did not find Eldridge, she could try again later. Getting kicked out wasn’t going to help her locate him, and besides, she’d miss the Duels if that happened.

There was no obvious sign of the royal family in the reserved area, not that she knew them by sight. Surely, they’d have a crown or tiara on at least? Or the fanciest clothes she’d ever seen? But no, despite the abundance of wealth on display in the restricted area, there was nobody that stood out as that next step above.

It seemed that, despite his letter, Eldridge wasn’t here.

Her heart skipped a beat momentarily before she calmed it. Calm down, Elvie. He might just be arriving later, or perhaps he is out doing his protection duties. If he worked as security, he would likely be hiding where he could oversee everything and keep people safe. Yes, that made sense to her, so Elvie resolved to make her way back to her friends. Standing there was pointless.

By the time she’d worked her way back across the stadium, the seats had filled as the start was minutes away. She found a waving Rilla, quickly enough, but a pack of students had surrounded them, and the only vacant seats left were behind. She sat down as Callum chatted to Rilla.

‘The Duels are the prestigious event on the Island’s calendar; it’s a demonstration of refined skill designed to inspire future magicians. That is, of course, the exact reason why it runs. But it also shows how magic can be used in the real world.’

Alistar snorted. ‘Not true! I’d say it’s a chance to win fifty thousand pounds of His Majesty’s money.’

‘That too.’ Callum smiled and shrugged.

Alistar continued. ‘Rumour whispers that if you can win five duels in a row, you’re granted a royal title and all the other bells and whistles of the upper class.’

‘Has anyone ever won five?’ Rilla asked

‘Ha! Nobody has come close. These duels are notoriously difficult once you get past the first round. After that, it’s almost always luck that wins the day. And if you did manage to defeat your foes and assume your place at the peak, well, nobody likes anything more than to kick someone off their pointy pinnacle, don’t they? So you simply make yourself a target in the next, except one with known abilities.’

‘What do you mean?’ Elvie leaned forward in confusion. While everybody was excited about the Duels, nobody had explained the finer details of how they were fought.

Callum took back the conversation, as he often did when it came to explanations. Elvie didn’t mind; his answers were easier to follow.

‘In the Duels, the winner is the first to draw significant blood, make their opponent unconscious in some fashion, or dispel them from the arena. Those are the primary ways to win.’

‘Sounds dangerous,’ Rilla said with a frown.

‘It is, as is all magic. But, of course, the real challenge is the fact an opponent can physically attack you with a shield, club, sword, or any other weapon – and yes, these do count as a victory if they draw blood. They’ve had to put a ban on firearms being used as well – that year was one of the worst for injuries. The magicians use only non-lethal spells and are meant to do the same with any targeted physical strikes. Thankfully, there are a dozen Alder House magicians ready to place shields on anyone in danger. Some Willow magicians are stationed just outside the arena to immediately intervene, and a specialist in Holly if things become extremely messy. But, it could be deadly, and incidents do occur.’

‘So, what actually happens?’ Elvie asked.

‘In the first round, each contestant is randomly assigned a magician to battle until we have a victor. The second round sees all the remaining magicians fight each other at the same time. This fight is the most dangerous for the competitors. You have to be on your guard for any attack, potentially from every other magician at once. That’s often the problem for any previous victors.’

‘It sounds terribly difficult. How could you fight so many other people with magic or weapons and hope to win?’

Callum shrugged. ‘They are designed to be hard as a reflection of reality. What are the odds you’ll ever have a one-on-one duel with another magician? If it was an organised duel, it’s possible, but the real world doesn’t work that way. The real world is harsh, brutal, and unfair. The Great War taught us that lesson if nothing else.’

A throat cleared beside Elvie, causing her to break the conversation.

‘Mind if I sit beside you?’ James Vermont asked, eyebrow raised expectantly.

‘Professor Vermont.’ Elvie replied formally. After all, Callum and Alistar were around. ‘Of course. Being new to magic, I might need someone to explain what happens.’

He parked himself on the bench beside her with exaggerated effort. ‘I walked to the arena, and I must admit, it was a touch more effort than I thought. To be young again!’ He laughed self-deprecatingly.

Elvie paid attention to the duelling area for the first time. Throughout the arena, base elements were randomly placed. Water of both the salt and plain variety, different metals, wood, even seeds. Anything and everything that might be useful in battle was scattered across the sandy floor. On top of all the provided resources, all duelists were allowed to select their preferred weapon, or weapons.

An announcer moved into the centre of the arena and droned on for several minutes, speaking about the glory and history of the Duels. His audience didn’t appear attentive as a low hum of distracted observers buzzed around the stadium.

‘The last man or woman to stand claims the title, the reward, and the celebrity. Let us begin!’

Gentle applause broke out when he left.