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Lydia had imagined that her mother’s twisting of space to make a bubble would have some visible effects but except for the fact she could sense where the bubble was forming, there was nothing.

Why are you putting the entrance among the fruit trees, mum? Daniel asked. Wouldn’t nearer the house be more convenient?

More convenient? Quite possibly, Sonia agreed. But also easier for the neighbours to see. We really don’t want to freak them out by vanishing or appearing in front of their eyes. And that’s leaving aside the fact that a bubble this size won’t be entirely invisible. The trees will help us conceal the slight distortion in the air, which is worth the inconvenience of walking a few yards. More importantly, how are you following along?

The actual twisting seems quite simple, Lydia said. Though it would obviously take some practice. But the the bit where you were changing it so it wasn’t quite like Earth was really esoteric and I didn’t follow at all.

Sonia chuckled. I did warn you about that. I’ll show you some smaller bubbles of purely Earthlike space later. For now, I need a break after that. Let’s go and check the inside. I need to check I made it big enough for the buildings it will have to house. She got up and looked around, obviously checking for anyone watching, before leading them among the fruit trees at the end of the garden.

Even close to the entrance, there was no visible sign of it and now her mother had stopped her manipulation, Lydia couldn’t even sense it psychically. She frowned around for a few moments then jumped as her mother disappeared as she walked between two trees. Lydia stared at the space and saw a slight shimmer in the air. That must be it. She took a breath and walked between the same two trees.She could only describe the space she emerged into as a blank space. There was light but all she could see was a white void broken only by her mother standing at its heart.

“It’s not much to look at yet, I’m afraid,” Sonia said. “I’ll sort out giving it a sky – or the illusion of one – now.”

“Where’s the light coming from?” Daniel asked.

“Outside,” Sonia replied. “It may be a bubble with different rules but it’s still connected to the garden and the light seeps in through the walls.” She surveyed the space thoughtfully. “Lyr’s arranging the building materials but we’ll still need some soil and water for landscaping. Kyle can provide the water but the soil is going to be a pain. We’re going to need a couple of pallets worth.”

“Couldn’t Hannah provide it?” Lydia asked.

“Hannah’s power is more rock than soil,” Sonia said. “She could provide dirt but it wouldn’t be soil per se, and making that much dirt would be hard on her.”

“Well, the former could be solved by importing earthworms and compost to enrich the dirt,” Lydia said. “But the latter would be a problem.”

“We’ll come up with something,” Sonia said. “For now, let me deal with the sky and with forming the pool for Kyle to fill.”

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