In the seconds before Eddie's fingers closed down around my wrist, I was aware something had changed. My head was lifted and I had paused, trying to pinpoint what was happening just before Eddie grabbed me and pressed a finger to his lips. I nodded, just once, staring at him with my eyes wide, because I knew what was happening. I suddenly just knew.

As long as we were quiet, we would be okay. We had to be. Nothing could happen to us here.

A fine tremble went through me as the creature passed us by. It wasn't in my nature to just stand quietly by and do nothing, but I reminded myself this wasn't the same as the island. These creatures weren't going to be as easily killed as a pirate and I had to think of them the way I used to think of the Many-Eyed. They were to be avoided at all costs and silence was the only way to do that, so I stood there. I just stood there. I looked at Eddie instead of the creature and when it was gone, slipping quietly into the trees, I reached out with a trembling hand and brushed the tear from his cheek.

Then I blinked and the tears I hadn't realized I was holding back began to slide down my cheeks.