The waterfall’s roar slowed to a gurgle, then a sluggish splash, then nothing.

The boat was floating in the middle of a wide silver lagoon.

‘Gosh,’ Tomos said.

Seren was so breathless she couldn’t say anything. Instead she pushed wet hair out of her eyes and stared all round.

The water was serene. Silvery moonlight glittered on it. Dark woods surrounded it and beyond them the sky was purple.

A sniff from beside her. The Crow preened its feathers smugly.

‘That is amazing!’ Seren grabbed the Crow and kissed it on top of its head. ‘You saved our lives!’

The Crow spluttered and squawked. ‘Get off, you silly girl. Some of us come prepared for these things, that’s all. It’s always just as well to have a few useful items around. Of course, I make it a point to look forward and back. I…’ He stopped and narrowed his jewel-bright eyes.

Following his gaze, Seren saw, far away and as small as a pin, the blue boat. Someone was in it, but they were hopelessly far away.

‘And that’s sorted Them too!’ the Crow said with satisfaction.

‘Well, can you magic up some oars?’ Tomos asked. ‘Because we’ve lost ours and we’re not going anywhere.’

That was true.

The boat was completely still.

‘Hmmm,’ the Crow said. ‘Kek kek.’

Seren shivered.

It was quiet and creepy. The water was so wide she couldn’t see any banks, just a faint mist rising around them. But then she realised the boat had begun to move. Very silently and softly a deep current was taking them towards the setting sun.

‘We’re going somewhere now,’ the Crow said darkly. ‘Better sit back and enjoy it.’

Seren was only too glad to squeeze the water out of her clothes and push the hair from her face. Tomos checked his bag, then pulled out the Box. He peeped in at the Egg.

‘Is it all right?’

‘I think so. A bit bumped about.’

The Crow groaned. ‘For Heaven’s sake, keep it safe in case she turns me into something else. There are worse things than being a Crow. A Clockwork Spider doesn’t bear thinking about.’

The boat drifted silently and slowly. Seren sat in the prow and Tomos on the little bench for the oarsman. Neither of them spoke, and for a moment she fell into a daydream. It was so sleepy here. And the sun should have been setting, but it hung in the purple sky, as if Time had slowed right down, or didn’t exist at all.

Then, with a bump that startled Seren wide awake, the boat hit the shore.

Quickly, she jumped out.

Her boots sank into wet shingle.

She looked round.

They were in a dense forest of oaks. It looked dark and still.

‘Pull the boat right up,’ the Crow commanded. ‘And then carry me ashore. I don’t want to get my feet wet and catch a cold.’

Tomos sighed. He jumped out and helped Seren; they couldn’t drag the boat very far into the trees but it was enough. Then Seren picked up the Crow. His wiry talons dug painfully into her fingers.