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to stay away from Uriel?’
    ‘We’re not going to disturb her, just have a look. When you left, I listened in on Nora and Elan. They had the old map out and Nora said Uriel had to be on the south side somewhere but it might take a while to find her. So I thought if we checked it out tonight, and worked out where she was, it’d save a lot of time.’
    ‘That’s a great idea, but how d’you know it’s Uriel’s well?’
    ‘Remember what Myryl said about her being dangerous? If that’s true, there won’t be any other water nymph living anywhere near her.’
    ‘It doesn’t look like anyone lives here at all.’
    ‘We’re looking for a spring with crystal clear water. Nymphs don’t live in water that’s not fit to drink.’
    Jack peered through the trees. They were above a circular pool. There were five grass-covered mounds around one side and a sheer rock face on the other. The place looked eerie in the moonlight. There wasn’t a ripple on the surface of the water.
    ‘Is this it?’
    ‘Naw, this is the pool the spring runs into, we need to be a bit higher. But it’s pure water, look at all the reeds and moss. Come on, but keep quiet.’
    Jack followed Camelin through the trees. They landed on the ground in front of an old well, which had been carved out of the rock. The only sound was the trickle of water over the mossy rocks. This was the first well Jack had seen that didn’t have any trees growing nearby. The feathers on the back of his neck stood on end, he felt a shiver run down his spine. He’d felt like this before, the day he thought he was being watched on the back lane. Only this time it was dark and he was a long way from Grandad’s.
    ‘Let’s go,’ he whispered.
    ‘Not yet, I need to make sure this is Uriel’s well.’
    There was a slight movement. Jack peered into the gloom. He was sure he could see a pair of eyes. Camelin didn’t seem to have noticed, he was too busy poking the moss around the base of the well with his beak.
    ‘It’s a bit overgrown but someone definitely still lives here so it’s got to be Uriel.’
    As soon as Camelin said Uriel’s name again the rock quivered. There was a hissing sound and the eyes Jack thought he’d seen blinked.
    ‘Who wantsss to know?’
    Jack gasped. The moonlight lit the side of the rock and revealed a grotesque face, its wide gaping mouth snapped shut, and a forked tongue flicked out. The stone creature fixed Jack with its cold cruel eyes.
    ‘I asssked you, who wantsss to know?’
    Jack could feel his legs trembling. He wanted to fly but he couldn’t move. His body felt rigid, he was too frightened to speak.
    ‘Don’t look at her!’ Camelin shouted as he shielded his eyes with his wing.
    ‘What… is… it?’ Jack stuttered. ‘What’s happening?’
    He tried to shield his own eyes, but his wing wouldn’t move. He was transfixed.
    ‘Come on Jack, time to go.’
    ‘I can’t move. It won’t take its eyes off me.’
    ‘Release him.’
    ‘Why should I? No one asssked you to come and disssturb usss. Grol wake up, we’ve got visssitorsss.’
    Another creature on the other side of the well stirred.
    ‘Did I hear you right Agye, visssitorsss? What you caught there?’
    ‘A raven; we’ve not had bird for agesss, much better than micesss.’
    Jack swallowed hard. He should never have let Camelin persuade him to go for a night flight. If he couldn’t move, how was he going to get back to Grandad’s? Would he ever get back if these creatures intended to eat him?
    ‘Can’t you do something Camelin?’
    ‘We’ve come to see Uriel,’ Camelin announced.
    There was silence. Jack wasn’t sure this was the best idea. If Uriel appeared they might be in more danger than they were already.
    ‘No one speaksss to Uriel unlesss we say so,’
hissed Grol.
    ‘We need to see your gift first,’ added Agye.
    ‘We haven’t got a gift.’
    ‘Then you lie,’ she screeched. ‘Nobody disturbsss a water nymph without a gift.’
    ‘I say