Molly was digging into some very welcome soup along with some crusty bread when Luminita returned to the tent. ‘You, Molly, you must come with me.’ Charlie, Avindor, and Milee rose to their feet. ‘Oh, sit down, you foolish men, I am not going to eat her,’ snapped Luminita. ‘My mother Vadoma, the great and powerful Mystic, knows of this girl and wishes to speak with her. I will wait for you outside.’

   ‘Don’t suppose there’s any more of that soup going, is there?’ said Charlie, grinning.

   Luminita shot him an irritated look and went outside.

   ‘That would be a no, then,’ said Charlie, slumping back down to the floor.

   ‘Molly, this Vadoma very likely has a crystal ball, which means access to the crystal network,’ said Avindor, lowering his voice. ‘See if you can get a message out.’

   ‘Okay, I’ll try.’

   Luminita led Molly to a Vardo, a caravan, rectangular with a rounded top. Its outside was adorned with ornate carvings, painted in bright reds, blues, greens, and yellows. ‘I will leave you here. My mother is inside.’

   ‘Leave Crystalian alone!’ said a sharp voice through the doorway.

Luminita flounced off, thrashing her skirt about from side to side as she walked.

   ‘Come in, come in, I promise I will not bite you,’ said the voice.

Molly climbed the yellow wooden steps apprehensively and entered the Vardo. An old woman sat at a table, a black scarf wrapped about her head and long golden earrings hanging from her ears, and at the centre of the table, there was a crystal ball.

   ‘Come, sit beside me. You have nothing to fear,’ said the old woman.