Against it, on the very top of the hill, something dark was sitting.

Tomos slowed, cautious. ‘What’s that?’

The Crow scrambled up onto Seren’s shoulder and stared. ‘Not sure. Better go carefully.’

They climbed the rounded hill. At the top was a barrow, humped against the sky, and sitting on top of the barrow, watching them come, was a hare.

The hare was brown. Its long ears lay flat to its head. Its legs were powerful and built for speed. But what fascinated Seren were its eyes, huge and round and positioned on each side of its head as if it could see all around itself, even behind.

As if it could see the past and the future.

The silver moon reflected in its stare, the hare watched them come.

When they got close, Seren stopped. ‘Hello,’ she said.

The hare was silent.

‘Maybe you can help us. We’re looking for a garden. And we’re in a bit of a hurry.’

The hare just stared.

‘It’s the garden of the Midnight Swan,’ Seren said. She hadn’t been sure about saying that. She thought the hare might just bolt in panic, like the birds had done. But it didn’t move, except for the slightest twitch of one ear.

‘Come on.’ The Crow turned away in disgust. ‘This is just a stupid creature that doesn’t…’

‘Down the well,’ the hare said.

Seren shivered. Its voice was harsh and silvery. It made her feel cold just to listen to it.

‘I’m sorry? Did you say down the…?’

‘Well.’ The hare was so still it was just a silhouette against the moon.

‘Thank you,’ Seren said, not knowing what else to say.

‘Also…’

‘Yes?’

‘Beware.’

‘Beware? Beware of what?’

‘Everything.’

Tomos whispered, ‘He doesn’t say much, does he?’

Seren nodded. ‘Thank you,’ she said again.

‘Pleasure.’ The hare remained staring at them.

But the Crow wasn’t satisfied. ‘You’re not actually being very helpful. Everything? And how can a garden be down a well? It’s hardly likely. It could all be some kind of trap.’

The hare didn’t even blink.

‘Please yourself,’ it said. Then it raised its head and stared at the moon.

‘Is it far, this well?’ The Crow demanded.

But the hare didn’t answer at all. And when Seren looked into its eyes she saw they were filled with the silver glory of the moon, and for a moment all she wanted to do was stay there, too, and stare and stare at the alien, cratered surface, so that its brilliant light filled all her eyes and her head and her brain and…

‘Seren!’ Tomos whispered.

She blinked.

The Crow was already stalking down the other side of the hill in disgust.

‘Don’t just stand there. Come on.’

Seren followed but she couldn’t help looking back. The hare had not moved. And if it could see into the future…

‘Are they going to send me away?’ she whispered.

The hare’s eyes were pools of moonlight. For a moment she thought it hadn’t heard her, but then it said softly, ‘There is no such place as away.’