“All right?” said Teddy Davis awkwardly. Like Angelo and Vincent, he wore tinted sunglasses to hide his strange orange eyes, although, thought Nat privately, Teddy’s glasses weren’t half as cool as the designer ones the Spaghetti brothers wore.

“I … uh … I came to see how you’re doin’, and to return this,” he said nervously, holding out the watch he had taken from Nat.

Nat smiled. “Keep it,” he said.

Teddy Davis grinned back. “You sure?”

“Sure,” said Nat.

Teddy looked uncertain for a moment, then held out his hand. “Shake on it?”

The three boys shook on it. Then they looked at each other awkwardly.

“Yeah, well, anyway,” said Teddy gruffly, “see ya around .”

“Not if I see ya first,” growled Woody under his breath.

“What?” snarled Teddy.

“He was joking,” said Nat quickly.

Then Teddy Davis laughed. “I guess I deserve it,” he said.

“What will you do now?” asked Nat.

“Gonna move away,” replied Teddy. “Once I get used to being a werewolf.”

After Teddy had gone, Nat sat back on his pillows, exhausted.

“What d’you think of that?” he asked Woody.

“I think,” said Woody gravely, “that he’d look better in a pair of Prada shades.”

Dawn. The end of summer, a summer Nat Carver and his family would never forget. After all the parting of the ways, it was time for him and Woody to say good-bye. Still weak, Nat managed to make his way down to Diamond Bay and into the tiny marina, supported by Mick and Jude.

From Iona they had learned that Woody was still of great interest to certain sections of the British government. To save him from ending up like a latter-day Elephant Man, secret, hurried arrangements had been made for Woody to join Evan Carver in Paris as soon as possible. Jude and Apple tearfully kissed Woody good-bye. As he boarded the Diamond Lil, Mick hugged him fiercely.

“You look after yourself, son. Remember, it don’t matter if you can’t find any more Wolven over there” — he nodded toward the continent — “you’ve got a family here, if you want us.”

Woody hugged Mick back. “Thanks, Mick. I want you, whether I find them or not.”

Nat and Woody shook hands awkwardly.

“I owe you one,” said Nat.

“What do you mean?” asked Woody.

“I saved your life once, you saved mine twice.” Nat grinned. “I owe you one.”

There was a pause as Woody seemed to be struggling with something to say. Then he grinned back. “Why the big pause?” He laughed. “See, I geddit!”

There seemed so much more that Nat wanted to say, but the Diamond Lil bobbed impatiently on the little quay, ready to ride the tide to Le Havre, where they would be met by Evan. Nat watched in silence as his friend vaulted easily into the small vessel, joining Ophelia at the cramped helm.