Orla led them to a massive tower at the outskirts of town, one even bigger than the clocktower in Dullshire. She swung open the door and ushered them into the welcoming warmth. Inside was a comfortable and spacious hall, with numerous rocking chairs, tables, and couches. A fire burned in the hearth that smelled strangely earthy, like fresh mud. Fishing nets, rusty anchors, and shells decorated the walls, and at the room’s center, a spiral staircase rose, disappearing far above toward the tower—as well as down to a cellar below.

“Welcome to the Sea’s Guild House,” Orla said. “And that’s Murph. He keeps watch over the place while I’m gone.”

Barclay expected Murph to be a man, but the room was empty except for a massive tortoiselike Beast warming himself by the fire. His shell was decorated in vibrant swirl designs, and he had a dignified gray mustache that hung down to the floor.

While they made themselves comfortable, Orla fetched them several blankets and mugs of warm milk. Soon Barclay, Viola, Tadg, and Yasha were buried together on a couch beneath a heap of quilts, Barclay still shivering, Yasha sneezing, Tadg gulping down his drink, and Viola fast asleep. Root, Mitzi, and Yasha’s Beast—a white catlike creature with pointy ears—joined Murph by the fire.

“I’m sorry you had such a treacherous journey,” Orla told them all, taking a seat on one of the rocking chairs. “I’m afraid this has been a difficult time for the Sea.”

“In your letter, you told me there had been attacks,” Runa said. “What exactly has been going on?”

Barclay elbowed Viola awake, knowing she’d want to hear this.

“Since the start of the Winter,” Orla explained, “Lochmordra has been rising at random and targeting ships and islands. Most recently—”

“Lochmordra’s been attacking?” Tadg asked sharply.

“I’m afraid so. Apart from a few ships, he destroyed much of the Isle of Kelligree. And before that, we lost the Isles of Slakey and Coad.”

Tadg went silent. It must’ve been a shock to hear that the Beast who’d killed his father was now terrorizing his home.

“Kelligree was the second most populated island after Munsey,” Orla continued. “Thousands of people lost their homes and have had to relocate to other islands. All our inns here are full. Sailors are wary of long voyages in case they encounter Lochmordra. Except, of course, Ulick.”

Ulick beamed. “Nothing keeps me and Bewlah off the water.”

“But it’s not just Lochmordra, is it?” Runa pressed. “A flock of Sleábeaks attacked Knunx while we were there. And Tadg and I have both traveled the Sea in a storm without encountering half the Beasts that we did tonight.”