Dragonclaw by Kate Forsyth

Seychella said dismissively. ‘Few witches ever do. Ye must ken that each individual’s Talent is different. I can do things no other witch I ken can do, while Meghan … well, all witches must find their own limitations. Often ye find things out by accident. I knew air to be my element, since I always learnt those things faster and more easily than any other, back when the Theurgia still existed. I did no’ realise I could whistle up the wind though, till I was much aulder than ye. I was in a boat on a loch when a big storm blew up. We all would’ve died if I hadna told the wind to go away.’
    Isabeau, listening raptly, was suddenly aware of Meghan’s bent figure waiting on the shoreline. Her guardian’s face was grim and angry. Isabeau swam for shore, wondering anxiously what she had done wrong this time. It was not her, though, but Seychella that Meghan glared at.
    â€˜Seychella, did ye summon up that lightning?’ she asked.
    Isabeau was surprised at the wind witch’s chagrined look. ‘Aye, Meghan,’ she responded. ‘I was just demonstrating a wee power—’
    â€˜Seychella, ye were the one who told me the mountains are filled with Red Guards. How could ye take such a risk? That lightning would have been seen many miles away … lightning out o’ a blue sky! Any Red Guard worth his shillings would come and investigate that.’
    â€˜Do no’ fraitch, Meghan, ye ken there’s only the one pass into this valley and that’s so well concealed ye’d have to ken where it is to find it. Besides, these mountains are a complete maze! Any Red Guard trying to find us would spend months backtracking out o’ all the deadend valleys. And the lightning could have struck anywhere, how are they meant t’ken?’
    Meghan pointed to the jagged spire of Dragonclaw cutting into the sky. ‘All they need to ken is that it occurred near Dragonclaw,’ she said wryly. ‘No matter where they are that bloody mountain will lead them straight to us!’
    Seychella was not abashed for long. Isabeau spent most of the day with her, listening to her stories of the grand days of the Coven, when witches helped rule the land and were respected by lairds and courtiers. Seychella talked a lot about the Theurgia at the Tower of Two Moons. Isabeau would have been sent there as a child, Seychella said, as soon as she had demonstrated any power. She would have learnt the basic laws of desire and will, and been taught many useful Skills.
    â€˜I would have had lessons in magic?’
    â€˜Ye would have been taught mathematics, history, alchemy, and the auld languages,’ Seychella replied coolly. ‘Also astronomy and anatomy.’
    Isabeau began to think the Theurgia would not have been much fun after all. ‘But what about magic?’
    â€˜Ye need to understand the laws o’ nature and the universe before ye can start comprehending the One Power,’ the witch answered sternly, before smiling with unexpected charm. ‘Do no’ look so downcast, my bairn. Ye would have learnt to call on your Power and been taught various different ways o’ using it, but indeed, I feel ye’ve learnt as much, if no’ more, from Meghan anyway. We o’ the Coven believe in a long apprenticeship—it is no’ until after the Second Test of Power and acceptance as an apprentice that the real lessons in witchcraft begin.’
    It was true that Isabeau had learnt many Skills from just watching Meghan. The One Power was not easy to master. Meghan said many people lived all their life without realising they had any power at all, while sometimes a Skill remained undiscovered, merely because no-one had ever thought of applying the One Power in such a way.
    All day Isabeau tried to call the wind, but could not even manage to lift a leaf off the ground or flutter the anemones on their long stalks. At last she gave up in anger and