Suffer a Sea-Change, the short story included in the end of Night and Silence, takes place during and immediately after the novel's plot, overlapping in the timeline slightly. It is told from the perspective of Gillian Marks, and documents her involvement in the novel, and her subsequent transition into Faerie.
| “ | Nothing of him that doth fade, but doth suffer a sea-change, into something rich and strange... | ” |
–William Shakespeare, The Tempest | ||
Plot[]
Chapter 1[]
Overlapping with the plot of Night and Silence, Gillian can hear as Toby, Jocelyn and the Queen of the Mists argue over her while she is dying of Elf-shot. Tybalt carries her through the Shadow Roads to the Luidaeg's, who is shocked to see Gillian. Tybalt offers to pay for Gillian's life, but the Luidaeg refuses payment.
The Luidaeg temporarily freezes Gillian so that the poison stops trying to kill her. She sends Poppy to find a chest made of driftwood and pearls, and states that she isn't sure if the chest holds the answer to saving Gillian, but she wants it there in case she "decides to try".
Gillian is still unable to move as the Luidaeg apologizes to her for going against her earlier Choice, but she needs October's good regard and cannot afford to let Gillian die. Though she cannot speak, Gillian thinks that whatever she chose in the past, she wants this woman to save her no matter what that means.
The Luidaeg undresses Gillian, then wraps her in the skin of one of her own children, Firtha. Gillian catches a glance of the Luidaeg before she passes out from the pain.
Chapter 2[]
Gillian is standing on a cliff by the sea. She is naked, and there is another naked girl next to her. Firtha tells her that the skin wrapped around Gillian's shoulders was hers, and Gillian is immediately horrified, about to throw the skin away. Firtha begs her to stop and keep it, because it is the only gift Firtha has to give, and Gillian will die if she refuses it.
Firtha tells Gillian about her mother, the Luidaeg, and then tells her the story of how the Roane were slaughtered and the Selkies were born. At the end of the story, Firtha welcomes Gillian to the family and then pushes her off of the cliff.
Chapter 3[]
Gillian wakes to the sound of Toby sobbing next to her bed. The two of them have a conversation about Faerie and about Jocelyn's "boyfriend", Dugan.
Chapter 4[]
Gillian is visited in the room by her mother, Miranda. Gillian calls Miranda out on having known about Faerie all along, and Miranda insists that she couldn't tell the secrets of Faerie because she was trying to keep Gillian safe. Gillian is upset with Miranda for lying to her all her life, and tells her to leave the room. She still thinks of Miranda as her mother, but she doesn't know how to feel about it.
After Miranda leaves, Gillian takes off the Selkie skin and immediately collapses. Fortunately, she falls onto the skin, so it is still in contact with her body.
Chapter 5[]
Gillian is with Firtha again, having passed out when she took off the skin. Firtha scolds her for not listening to her advice about keeping the skin. Firtha also tells her that although others have worn her skin before, she never talked to any of them like this. Firtha makes Gillian promise that she would not set the skin aside until it was safe.
After waking up, Gillian opens the window with the idea of climbing out, but all she sees is wine-colored sea and red-and-gold sky. Feeling powerless in her situation, she sits down and cries.
Chapter 6[]
Gillian leaves her room by the door and immediately runs into Poppy. She is shocked by the colorful woman with the wings, and thinks that all these people must be impossible. Poppy tells her to go back into the room, and regretfully says that if Gillian refused, she would have to make her. Gillian agrees to wait, and Poppy goes to tell the Luidaeg that she's awake. Instead of going back in the room, Gillian sprints down the stairs, intending to escape and tell her father the truth so that he can make Toby change her back.
On the way down, she runs into the Luidaeg, and she is surprised by the sea witch's normal appearance. When Gillian mentions Firtha telling her things, the Luidaeg's eyes go black, and she commands Gillian to go back to her room. This time, Gillian runs back to the room and hides under the covers. The Luidaeg tells her that she means her no harm, and swears to Gillian that she will give her a warning before her grace is lifted. Gillian tells her about meeting Firtha in the dream-like state, and the Luidaeg accepts it, saying that she always wondered if that was the case.
The Luidaeg tells her about the history of the selkies, and then about elf-shot and why Gillian's blood couldn't be shifted like it was last time. Gillian is shocked when the Luidaeg tells her that she will have to keep the skin for a hundred years if she wants to survive. Finally, the Luidaeg tells her that she's taking Gillian to the Selkies who can help her learn how to be who she is. Gillian wants Miranda to come along, and the Luidaeg tells her that "Miranda" isn't particularly popular with the other fae. After some reluctance, Gillian agrees to go along.
Chapter 7[]
The Luidaeg tells Miranda that she can come along if she wants to, which shocks the woman. However, she puts a spell on Miranda to stop her from talking about what she sees to anyone, and to talk in the Selkie's house at all. The Luidaeg brings up Miranda's past again, and Miranda pleads with her not to tell Gillian, promising not to make trouble. The Luidaeg accepts, and Gillian is frustrated.
They arrive at Half Moon Bay, and Miranda decides to stay in the car to make things easier. Gillian follows the Luidaeg inside.
Chapter 8[]
Annie and Gillian meet Diva at the door, who is shocked that Gillian is wearing one of the Lost Skins. Annie asks her to take them to her mother, and Diva hugs Gillian immediately, welcoming her to the family. The Luidaeg introduces Gillian to Elizabeth Ryan, and asks her to be Gillian's mentor. Elizabeth is reluctant, since they have so little time left until the consequences, and the Luidaeg promises that if she does right by Gillian, the Luidaeg will gift her the eighteen Lost Skins to expand her clan.
Gillian insists that Miranda being allowed to come with her is part of the bargain. The deal is made.
Chapter 9[]
Gillian falls asleep on the couch at Half Moon Bay, full of crab chowder and content. Gillian wishes that she had had a choice, but she admits to Firtha that it could have been worse, and that maybe she would like having the sea and the other Selkies.
Characters[]
Quotes[]
- “She was older than you, but no wiser. She was still a child. She should still be here with me, not gone to dust and whispers in the wind. I cannot bring her back. This will not bring her back. This will end in someone altogether new, and I hope you can forgive me.” The Luidaeg. [1]
- “No. Baobhan Sith are like vampires. You’re like a girl who sometimes turns into a seal, who carries the burden of a long-gone crime on her back, and who may, depending on how the world moves us, have to pay the price of what someone else’s ancestors did. But you’re also alive, and under the circumstances, that’s more than any of us had hoped for.” The Luidaeg. [2]
Locations[]
- The Luidaeg's apartment
- Half-moon Bay