Sleight of Hand

I hear little cries of joy and excitement coming from a tent in the middle of the camp. I lift a flap of the tent fabric and slip into the crowd huddled together inside, folding the fabric back down carefully to stop the cold from getting in. There are several people sitting at a table in the middle of the tent. In front of them stands a teenage girl with large hazel eyes and a mischievous smile. She has some cups and is placing them upside down on the table. She moves them quickly and skillfully, occasionally revealing a small figurine of a Lyra thespian. The cups slide, swap and return to their original place in a clever but chaotic ballet. She finally stops. As the spectators shout fervently, the people at the table place bets by putting coins in front of the cups. Betting is now closed, and the girl puts up a hand to request silence.

She lifts the cups, one by one. The crowd holds its breath each time before expressing surprise. The figurine appears under the cup where no bets were placed. She collects the money as the crowd laughs. A gambler leaves in a fit of rage, pulling up the tent flap and letting the Wind rush in. Let's see how she does it. Where's the scam? I watch her movements carefully. There! It's her hands. She's not just moving the cups; she's also manipulating Mana. I can see the magical streams around her fingers. I can guess what's happening inside the cups: the hidden figurine is being sucked out through a tiny portal and released into another cup using the same process. It's an impressive sleight of hand. Now I have to decide whether to reveal her trick or let her continue. I don't really want to make a scene, or worse, cause a riot. And that's when I see what's around her neck: the trinket I gave to Nev years ago. My blood boils...

FEN

393 AC