“What about us?” Tadg demanded of Orla.

Runa clicked her tongue. “Show more respect for the High Keeper.”

“Fine. What about us, ma’am?” Tadg corrected, sounding no less irritated.

Orla didn’t look offended. She even smiled. She had a bit of seaweed caught on her lone front tooth. “You four will be going with Ulick to investigate the wreckage in Glannock for any clues. I don’t expect you’ll find much—the reports say there’s little left.”

Despite the grimness of it all, excitement fluttered in Barclay’s chest. This was their first true assignment as Guardian apprentices. And that meant it was his first chance to prove himself.

“What kind of clues will we be looking for?” he asked eagerly.

“Anything that seems out of the ordinary,” Orla answered.

“But most of us won’t know what ordinary here looks like,” Viola pointed out. “We haven’t been to the Sea before.”

“Tadg and Ulick will be able to help with that,” said Runa. Her eyes flickered to Tadg, who stared off in the distance. He didn’t seem to have heard. “You’ll be up to it, right, Tadg?”

“Sure,” he said softly.

Barclay realized that the Isle of Glannock must’ve been Tadg’s home. And though he rarely felt anything but annoyed at Tadg, now he felt a bit sorry.

“Because I don’t like to send you without a licensed Guardian Keeper,” Runa told them, “you can take Goath.”

“Goath?” Barclay repeated.

At that, the massive bone serpent slithered up Runa’s back and propped its head on her shoulder. Though it had no eyes, only empty sockets, it stared intently at the apprentices. Barclay’s skin broke out in chills.

“My Haddisss,” Runa said, drawing out the word like a long hiss. Despite weeks and weeks on the road, Barclay had never met any of Runa’s Beasts. She’d kept them to their Marks so they wouldn’t draw unwanted attention in the Elsewheres.

“Why can’t we take Klava?” Tadg asked. “Goath is creepy.”

Goath rattled, as though flattered. Runa scratched him beneath his jawbone.

“Trust me—Goath is far friendlier than Klava. And besides, Klava doesn’t like to be away from me.”

Barclay and Viola exchanged glances, and he could tell she was as keen to learn more about Runa’s Beasts as he was. But before they could ask more questions, Edwyn called for Runa to hurry up, and Runa left with the rest of the Guardian Keepers.

At that, Barclay and the other apprentices, plus Goath, followed Ulick back to the Bewlah. Their journey took them through a street of shops. A window display advertised a Spring sale on all magical Beast antiques of reptilian and marsupial varieties. Barclay spotted a Draconis Emporium, which he recognized from Sycomore. One storefront, Fillitot’s Gourmet Beast Treats, was painted in glossy stripes of red and yellow, with ribbons hanging like streamers over its awning.