Charlotte was gazing through a set of field glasses. Even at five times the size, the people looked like ants. She tried to count them as they swarmed over and behind the sand dune. There were more than six, at least two were armed, and three were engaged in water summoning. An arm snaked around her waist, legs kicking hers from behind. Without thinking, Charlotte drew manna into her hands, releasing it through her fingers with a crackling pop. Her assailant jittered, then dropped, pulling her with him onto the shale. “Coulda seen who it was first, Charlotte,” the man panted. Like her, he had tan skin and curly hair, and like her, he wore a belt tooled with storm clouds. “You shouldn’t sneak up on people, Rossi,” she pulled away from him. The added heat of his body was unbearable. “See anything good?” “Yeah, you?” “Nope.” “There’s three Mages summoning water over by that dune,” Charlotte pointed. “How’s that good?” Rossi sat up, blood trickling from a crack in his sun-chapped