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It dipped and vanished before I could reach it, and my vision whited out with terror as I plunged into the water and heard the awful rumbling beneath me again—closer this time, filling me with dread. Huge waves pushed me towards the beach as I choked and spluttered, and then sharp stones were tearing at my shirt and skin before I hoisted myself away from the shoreline, trembling madly.
My mouth filled with blood again, so I spat as I crawled up the beach, away from the water. The pebbles beneath me shone too brightly in the sun, making me squint, until I realised they weren’t pebbles. They were rough-hewn jewels and precious stones in all different colours. The entire beach was made up of them, sparkling in the sun.
Was this what made Folk try to reach Hybra? Its precious beach? I forced myself to stand on shaky legs, and stared up at the tower above me. I wasn’t interested in jewels. I was here for Gadleg’s venom.
I gave myself a minute to reach into my sodden satchel and pull out my leather skin, having a deep gulp of fresh water. Reluctantly, I looked back towards the shore. The stones had all vanished, but as I watched, the first set all the way over near the mainland slowly rose back up and went completely still—the monstrous hand waiting once again to snatch up anyone else foolish enough to attempt to cross them.
Well, I was a fool. I’d proven that countless times now. By letting myself get captured by the unseelie Folk in the first place. By just sitting there in that cottage, waiting to find out my fate. By thinking I could march into the Midsith and taunt the Carlin with no consequences.
I was going to try and right all of it. I was going to keep Nua and Gillie safe. I was going to stop the Brid murdering seelie Folk for absolutely no reason. I was determined to ensure that all the terrible things that had happened to me wouldn’t be for nothing. I’d make some kind of difference, even if I died trying.
I put my waterskin away, ignoring the fine tremble in my hands, and readied my bow with an arrow as I started walking towards the treeline. The Tiraglas tower didn’t look too far away—the island was tiny—but I had no idea what lurked in these woods.
The forest was cool and dark when I stepped into it. I could see huge chunks of crystal growing from tree trunks. Enormous mushrooms in pink and pale blue and glowing green that rose from the forest floor.
Voices slid around me, whispering things. Saying my name. They said they had things to tell me. They urged me to follow them, saying they’d whisper secrets in my ears if I did.
I gritted my teeth and ignored them, even though my body strained for the words. I wanted them. I wanted their secrets, I wanted to hear what ancient, unknown knowledge they could give me.
The trees started thinning out, and I squinted as blinding emerald light hit my eyes. The Tiraglas tower was one gigantic pillar of crystal, and as I emerged into the clearing that ringed it, I stared up—and up.
Was Gadleg… inside the tower? I looked at its base but couldn’t see any doors. My heart was beating frantically, breaths escaping me in shallow spurts as I crept forward.
I jumped violently when the tower… shifted. And then huge, slitted eyes blinked open and stared at me. I froze as a monstrous serpent seemed to melt out of the crystal, her scales blending into the emerald hue perfectly.
Gadleg was wrapped around the entire length of the giant tower, and a thin black tongue emerged frighteningly close to me, tasting the air.
“You are not from here.”
Her voice was low and hissing, and as she twisted lower around the tower and her enormous head loomed closer to me, my vision whited out with terror.
I knew she wouldn’t have been a normal snake, but this was… She was impossibly huge. And… she talked.
“You’re…” My brain had gone entirely blank with shock as I stared at her. “You’re a talking snake.”
I didn’t know why I was surprised. I’d watched the Brid converse with a giant boar for days.
“I’m not just a snake, boy. Or maybe I am.” Her gigantic head moved closer, tongue flickering again. “Or maybe I am both and neither.”
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes despite my fear, but before I could think of an answer to that stupid riddle, she spoke again.
“Why are you here? Jewels?” Her voice was sly. “Secrets? Fantastic pelts from the island’s wondrous creatures?”
I suspected if I said yes to any of those, she would kill me instantly. But she would also probably kill me instantly if I told her what I wasreallyhere for.
“I… I came to meet you,” I said carefully.
She hissed a laugh. “Me? So you want something from me?”
My gut tightened with fear, and I shifted nervously on my feet. “I wanted… I wanted to ask you whether it was true about your venom being able to kill the seelie ruler.”
Her massive body went completely still, still wound all the way up her tower.
“The ssssseelie ruler. It is the Brid currently, is it not? It has been her for a long time.”
“Yes.”
She peered hard at me. “You are seelie, boy. I can see it.”
