Siltboy gave me shellfish and seaweed for dinner. He didn’t eat anything himself – just sat inside the hut with his head in his hands.
‘Nine hundred winters and never a day like this one,’ he said. ‘I’m sorry, Peat. There is two Siltboys – one bold-brazen, the other full of fright.’
‘Anyone would be scared of the Siltman,’ I said. ‘Even Eadie was scared of him. That’s why she hid in the marshes.’
‘Fear is not the warrior’s way,’ said Siltboy. ‘I have sworn an oath and I must keep it.’
‘Siltboy, I know you want to help me but it’s impossible. Even if you were brave enough to stand against the Siltman, there is no escape. The deal is done. The bargain is complete.’
‘For shame.’ Siltboy stared at the ground. ‘I hang up my helmet.’
‘Where is Shadow?’ I asked.
‘Gone. Siltman has taken him.’
‘Will he come back?’
‘If he can. Shadow, like Siltboy, must obey.’ He gave a little moan. ‘What to do? The thoughts are clashing in the bonehouse of my head. It aches.’
‘I’m getting cold,’ I said. ‘Let’s light a fire.’
We walked along the riverbank, collecting driftwood and small sticks. I set the fire in the little tin fireplace, and Siltboy took a flint from his pocket and lit it. The shaggy mat smelled like wet dog, but I lay down on it.
‘Yes, you must sleep,’ Siltboy said. ‘And I must quiet myself to make brave for the battle ahead.’
‘What battle? What are you talking about?’
‘I is foiled,’ he mumbled. ‘And deeply plexed.’
My eyes were closing and sleep was coming over me when the air inside the hut changed and Siltboy clapped his hands.
‘Ah! My faithful hound! Shadow has come. Now we have a fighting chance!’
I sat up and looked around. I couldn’t see Shadow in the dark, but I could feel his presence, and when I shut my eyes I saw a vague shape sitting next to the fire. His outline was weak and there weren’t many lights flickering inside him. I lay back down and listened to the waves crashing on the shore.
I didn’t sleep much that night in the Siltman’s hut. Siltboy was restless. He groaned and sighed, and he paced up and down. Once or twice he went outside to get more wood for the fire. He muttered and cursed to himself, then when he finally fell asleep, he ducked and weaved as if he was dodging blows. And all the time he talked in his sleep. I couldn’t make sense of what he said, but it sounded like he was having an argument.
During the night the wind grew stronger. It whistled through the walls of the hut, and I thought the Siltman had come back. I sat up and there was Siltboy, wide awake, staring at me.
‘Such a clash and clamour,’ he cried. ‘But the wit-battle is won!’
I stared at him blankly. Was this ancient boy completely mad?
‘Surely Peat heard the clatter and the cry?’
‘No. Just the wind and the waves. Although you did talk in your sleep.’
Whatever really happened must have taken place between his ears alone.
‘All night Siltboy braved his head-hoard of thoughts,’ he said. ‘All night he riddled with it, and fought.’
I had no idea what he was talking about.
‘Victory is near!’ he cried.
He was very excited – but how could victory be near when we were both lost, utterly and forever?
‘Come!’ he said. ‘I’ll show you the spoils.’
‘What spoils?’
‘The spoils of battle.’
He opened the door of the hut and ran to the water’s edge, and I ran after him. When I had caught up, he squatted down and began drawing a map. He might have been plotting a course of action in battle. He raked his fingers through the wet sand, making long wavy lines, then he drew a cross on either side.
‘This is the Silver River,’ he said. ‘And them crosses is two worlds – one is the Ever and the other is the world beyond. Do you understand?’
I nodded.
He picked up a flat pebble.
‘This is you,’ he said. Then he took the stub of a candle from his pocket and, cupping his hand around it, lit the wick. ‘Do you know what this is?’
I shook my head.
‘The marsh auntie’s flame – her spirit.’ He placed the candle on the Ever side of the river. ‘And this is the deed that is done: the marsh auntie’s spirit, safe put and hidden.’ He dug a little hole and placed the candle in it.
‘And here is the payment, Peat.’ He put the stone that was me near the candle, and he drew a circle around it. ‘There! All done and forever. The marsh auntie cannot die. But . . . here is the plan.’
He stood up and walked around his map.
‘What if you put the bargain back to front?’ he asked. ‘What if you turn it round, and take back the deed that was done?’ He reached across and snatched the candle from its hiding-hole. ‘What do you think?’
I wasn’t thinking anything. I didn’t understand his plan.
‘Steal it,’ he hissed. ‘Steal it back! Steal the marsh auntie’s flame.’
He picked up the Peat pebble and he turned and threw it, skimming it across the surface of the Silver River – the real river, not the one on the map.
‘You is free!’ he cried. ‘Simple!’
The stone bounced across the water seven times. Siltboy sat back on his heels, delighted with himself, and his ghost hound must have been delighted, too, because I could see his shadow careering around us in circles in the moonlight, his tail wagging madly.
‘That’s good, Siltboy,’ I said. ‘But we don’t know where the Siltman has hidden Eadie’s spirit. It could be anywhere.’
Siltboy was crestfallen. He hadn’t thought of that. He hung his head for a moment, but when he looked up there was a wild light shining in his eyes.
‘Siltman will tell us!’ he cried.
‘Why would Siltman tell us that?’
Siltboy looked slightly dazed, as if all this thinking had weakened him. ‘To turn back the bargain?’ It was more a question than a suggestion. ‘To get rid of Siltgirl?’
‘There’s nothing I could do to make the Siltman want to get rid of me. I can’t do anything to him.’
‘You could tell him a story. You have the craft of it.’
‘That’s what he wants. He wants me to tell him a story.’
‘Then do it.’ Siltboy stood up, triumphant. ‘But make it one he does not want.’
I shook my head in confusion.
‘Brave yourself, Peat,’ said Siltboy. ‘Be trickful and cunning. Now we must rest.’
We went back to the hut. Siltboy fell into a peaceful sleep, but I lay awake for a long time wondering what sort of story I could possibly tell the Siltman to make him want to get rid of me.