'The Wraith-Catcher' and 'Shieldtown' Summary

Poison pays the wraith-catcher, a man called Bram who was collecting marshwraiths on Soulswatch Eve, to take her to Shieldtown, a city outside the Black Marshes. Fleet has given her money, food, a map, a knife and other essentials, and has also promised to break the news of her departure to her father.

Poison and Bram travel all day through the marshes. At first Poison is scared and a little sad, but then she begins to grow excited. They camp on a rocky outcrop above the marsh, and Bram tells her about the outside world. He explains that Phaeries are the worst creatures, which lurk in the old cities. There are trolls and dwarrow in the deep places, and ghoblins in the mountains. Humans have been forced to hide away in the marshes and the forests. Once...