Page 82 of The Neverfear

‘But who was he?’ said Maeve. ‘And what was it for?’ She was younger than him; still young enough to find the details of evil thrilling. ‘What did he want the little Immortal for? He’s just a baby, isn’t he? There must have been a reason, Gio?’

Gio looked at the bracelet on his wrist. It had not moved once since the boat had sunk.

‘Morax used to say, The payment for talk is death. He used to say he could hear us through the snake. But he’s dead now – he can’t stop me.’

‘Go on then! What do you know, Gio?’

‘I heard him, once, talking to Petroc the centaur. I listened up against the door.’

‘And?’ The girl leaned eagerly closer, but Gio’s face, remembering, was very white.

‘He had a plan for the Immortal. Maeve, it terrified the lights out of me. He said he’d discovered a way—’

The snake on his wrist twitched. Its head snapped up like a sprung trap, and it plunged its jaws into Gio’s skin.

The Wedding

It was a week later. Christopher and Anya lay on the lawn in the sun, watching the gaganas flock overhead. Down by the water, Teren paddled in the shallows, holding his mother’s hand. Koo flew in and out of the kitchen, bringing them snatched morsels of Nighthand’s wedding food, ready for the next day: candied peaches, candied strawberries, and what looked alarmingly like a candied oyster.

‘Fetch,’ he croaked delightedly. ‘Koo fetch.’

‘Thanks,’ said Christopher. ‘Delicious.’ He pretended to eat it. When Koo looked away, he threw it to Gallia in the tree overhead.

‘When do you have to go back home?’ Anya sat up and looked at Christopher.

‘In a few weeks, just for the holidays. I need to see my dad. But I think he’ll let me come back. I’ll tell him about the Light; it’ll convince him that I need to be here. I don’t know if it’ll work in the Outerlands. I want to test it.’ He longed to try. Could he reach the swans that lived in the park? The London foxes he had known all his life?

‘Well,’ she said. ‘Make sure you come back. I’m not doing Gallia’s lessons on the legal history of the Glimourian islands without you.’

Irian and Nighthand came out of the palace, Ratwin perched on Irian’s shoulder. Irian had sanded the ragged edges of Ratwin’s stump into a smooth peak, and polished it with scented oils. ‘I am so honoured, Ratwin, by what you did.’

Ratwin dipped her face to Irian’s. ‘The honouration is mine.’

Teren emerged from the shallows and came running his halting run over the lawn towards Christopher, his arms out. Christopher rose to meet him, and the Immortal child cannoned into him head first.

Irian laughed, and turned to the boy’s mother. ‘Senan,’ she said. ‘Nighthand and I have been talking. We have a request. Nighthand?’

‘We want to ask you and Teren to live here permanently with us,’ said Nighthand.

‘We would find other ways to protect the island, now that the fendthorn has been destroyed,’ said Irian. ‘Armed guards.’

‘Perhaps a Cerberus,’ said Nighthand. His gaze flicked to Christopher.

‘If you would stay,’ said Irian, ‘we would put his education and safety at the centre of the islet. It would be a joy.’

Teren took hold of Christopher’s wrist and laughed. Senan smiled, though her eyes were serious. ‘Are you sure? Where the Immortal child is, there trouble follows.’

‘So much the better,’ said Nighthand.

‘Thank you,’ said Senan. ‘I know he will need more protection than I alone can give. And the sphinxes are sphinxes; I did long for human company. Yes: we accept.’

Nighthand gave a roar of pleasure and swung Teren up on to his shoulders. ‘You’re staying, little one!’

‘Besides,’ said Irian. ‘I imagine the food with the sphinx clan is far less exciting.’

‘Come!’ said Nighthand. ‘Let us find something in the kitchen to celebrate!’

Christopher watched the tiny Immortal go with Nighthand.