chapters 51-55 Summary

In chapter fifty-one, Mortola, who has been wounded by Oss, is back with the Snapper as they get ready to attack the Adderhead. She watches as a Night-Mare, an evil creature out of a fairy tale Orpheus discovered in Jacopo's book, attacks Snapper, Gecko, and his men. Orpheus sees her in the trees, points to her, and she is struck and killed by an arrow.

In chapter fifty-two, Resa and the Strong Man come across Snapper's tracks, and realize that they veer away from the direction of the Castle in the Lake. They discover the robber's corpses, left in such a way that they knew the men were killed by a Night-Mare. She also finds Mortola dead, and takes the seeds that Mortola had been using in order to transform.

In chapter fifty-three, Meggie and the robbers escape the cave before...