An hour later, Ulick led the three boys and their Beasts to Ansley MacGannon’s shop, where bells above their heads chimed as they opened the door. There, a short, middle-aged woman with fair skin greeted them. She wore a nightgown and a thick cardigan, and her spectacles were tinted bluish green, like sea glass.

“Hello, Ulick,” she said. “I’m always surprised to find you in one piece.”

“And I’m surprised to see ya at all! You’re always cooped up here with all your beakers and fancy equipment.”

“Oh, I don’t mind. Though I admit I’m eager for the company.” She examined the three apprentices, whose hair and clothes were all still damp. “Don’t tell me you were sailing in this weather?”

“What, this?” Ulick asked, as a roar of thunder boomed behind him. “Just a bit breezy, is all.”

Ansley pursed her lips and motioned for the boys. “Come in out of the cold, all of you.”

Wearily muttering good night to Ulick, the three apprentices stepped inside. With the shop unlit, Barclay couldn’t see what sort of merchandise it sold, but it smelled strongly medicinal. Behind them, Root shook the rain out of his fur, and Yasha’s catlike Beast turned her head in disgust.

Ansley ushered them all up a narrow, rickety stairwell to an attic, where there were three beds made up for them to sleep on. It was a cramped room for one person, let alone three kids and two Beasts, but Barclay was so eager for rest that he would’ve slept beside Murph on the Guild House floor.

“You’ll want to wash up, I’m sure,” Ansley said. “I can draw up some hot water for a bath. But I’m not sure I have enough for all—”

“I think we’d just like to sleep, if that’s all right,” Barclay said drowsily.

He set his satchel down by the windowsill. The view outside was dark except for the blue lamp posts that lined the street.

Suddenly, a shadow loomed behind one post in the distance. It stood on two legs, but it was far too large to be human.

It disappeared. Barclay blinked. He must’ve been so tired that he was imagining things.

“Of course, of course,” Ansley chirped. “I’ll leave you all to—”

The ground began to tremble, much like it had in Knunx—only stronger. The furniture wobbled and thumped on the floor, and Ansley would’ve fallen had Barclay not caught her by the shoulder. There was the crash of something shattering downstairs.

“What’s happening?” Tadg asked, bracing himself against a wall. Yasha’s Beast darted beneath one of the beds, and Root’s ears went flat with fear.

“It’s another one!” Ansley gasped. “Everyone—everyone stay calm! We need to hurry—”

But no sooner had Ansley gotten the words out than the shaking stopped. They all stared at one another with wide-eyed alarm.