We crossed another sloping lava field, heading uphill. This whole island was either lava fields or rough scrubland; could I have landed anywhere worse? We reached a more densely covered area, one of those patches of greenery I’d seen scattering the lower slopes of the volcano. I recognized ferns, and here and there the plants reached my waist. I almost laughed in between my heaving breaths.

“See, Scratch? She’s found us some shelter.”

Or is leading us right to the beast.

I crouched low, tugging the fronds of ferns to cover me, and stared up as the sky beast swept high overhead, a silhouette of angular shapes. There was a metallic glint as the sun caught its hide. The day before, I’d only been able to make out a giant mass of brutal speed. Now I saw—the sky beast was … gold.

Where was Farthing? I mustn’t move—even the slightest twitch of the ferns could give me away. The beast passed again, cruising lower, and my heart pummeled so loudly I felt it must give me away. I could think of no living thing with four legs and wings, and of that golden sheen. My mind raced. Open eyes, open mind. Birds and bats had wings instead of forelegs, Mr. Darwin had shown me that. This creature was no real living thing. This creature was from story, from myth.

From myth.

Those spiked wings … that almighty size.

No. What with being here alone, the centipede bite … I couldn’t trust either my eyes or my mind any longer.

I thought of those huge ancient bones, the fossils that fascinated Mr. Darwin. That was what the master called hard evidence. Those enormous animals were real, or at least they had been once.

Creatures of myth were not.

My heart thumped and then Farthing’s green fox snout nosed through the ferns.

“Shhh! Keep still, or you’ll give me away,” I whispered.

I wasn’t completely concealed here, but I didn’t dare stand to see if there was thicker shelter ahead. It would be a risk to go any farther.

Farthing pawed the ground with one claw and growled.

No! I shook my head, pinching my lips together.

She disappeared again, between the ferns, then came back and scuffed at the ground once more, this time flattening the ruff at the back of her head. I remembered that gesture from her attack on the centipede.

Danger. She wanted me to follow her.

I peered upward. I couldn’t see the sky beast between the fronds. But maybe Farthing knew I wasn’t concealed enough, wasn’t safe …

It is a lizard.

Yes. A lizard who knows this island. I crawled on hands and knees behind Farthing as she threaded on through the low ferns again, plowing a narrow path for me.

The ferns were thinner here; I should have stayed where I was. I could clearly see the volcano ahead, and the creature was hovering above it, like a hawk watching its prey, black against the glowing orange smoke cloud.