After the letter, Elia had taken the time to set up the charm at the front gates. It had been simple, but effective – like a burglar alarm, but tripped by the presence of magic. Sure, there was a chance that some other 'new' witch might set it off, but Elia was confident. Her contact had said she would send the girl, and this particular contact had never lied to her before.
Of course, her contact also wasn't responding to her any longer. Which meant that she was either dead or off-grid, and neither of those sounded good for the girl in question. A few more days and Elia would have become restless and annoyed enough to go looking herself. Luckily, she was saved by the thrum that sounded inside her, the tripped charm.
The girl was still outside the gates when Elia let herself out, stepping from behind the curtain leading into the Tunnel, strolling out to the empty Ticket Booth. The Cirque was strange before opening; it always reminded her of a ghost-town from the outside, all fenced and quiet, everything within hidden. She supposed that, to the girl, it must not look like much of a sanctuary.
"Oh, there's plenty more than cotton candy. You ought to try the caramel apples. They're like heaven. Personally, I think they're also enchanted. I never see anyone with caramel smeared all over themselves..." The witch's eyes coolly assessed the newcomer. Dark hair, pretty, still young. And with a look about her, some aura of desperation that several of the Cirque employees would be able to recognize.
"Elia Rousseau," she smiled, offering her hand – although she didn't move. The girl would have to come to her. "Burlesque and Cabaret."