Path of Beasts by Lian Tanner

Author:Lian Tanner [Tanner, Lian]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9780385739078
Publisher: Random House Children's Books

The trap

That discussion in the sickroom was the darkest Goldie had ever known. Not even Sinew could raise a smile. But by the time Olga Ciavolga had bandaged the cat’s paw and strapped its broken ribs, the five keepers and the Protector had come up with a plan.

“Mind you, I don’t like it,” murmured Herro Dan. “Too

many things could go wrong.” He chewed his thumbnail and grimaced at Goldie and Toadspit. “I wish more than anythin’ that I could go with you.”

Olga Ciavolga nodded agreement, and so did Sinew. But then they had to break off to sing to the ever-more-restless rooms, and it was clear that the senior keepers could not be spared. When the children had made their preparations, Olga Ciavolga sent them to get some sleep, so they would be fresh for the night’s rescue. But Goldie could not sleep. The museum was seething, its rooms shifting every few minutes, and she knew that the three older keepers were struggling to keep control. One of the ships in Rough Tom had already fallen apart, cracked open like a nut. The tree in the Vacant Block dropped limbs on anyone who ventured near it. The Dirty Gate creaked and groaned as if it might swing open at any moment and loose a myriad of horrors on an unsuspecting city.

Goldie’s mind seethed too, running over and over their plans for the night ahead until she felt like screaming. It was almost a relief when she heard Morg flap heavily past her door, crying, “Thie-e-e-e-f. Thie-e-e-e-e-e-f!”

She ran out of her room and bumped straight into Toadspit. They followed Morg to the kitchen, where they found Pounce cramming dumplings into his mouth and silver spoons into his pockets.

He shrugged when he saw them, and dropped the spoons back on the table, saying, “I thought they was just rubbish. I was doin’ yez a favor, gettin’ rid of ’em.”

Then his face changed and he said, “Listen, ya know Old Lady Skint’s in town?”

“Yes,” said Toadspit, expressionless. “We know.”

“Ya know she’s got Mouse and Bonnie?”

“Yes.”

“Well, here’s somethin’ ya don’t know. I just seen a new load of prisoners bein’ marched down to the slave ship. Not just snotties this time—there was grown-ups too. I thought one of the blokes looked a bit like someone I knew, so I asked around. Found out ’is name—”

“Na-a-a-ame,” croaked Morg, curling her claws around the back of a chair.

“It was Roth. “Arken Roth.”

Goldie’s skin felt suddenly hot and tight. Her voice, when she spoke, seemed to belong to someone else. “Harken Roth?” she whispered. “Pa?”

“That’s it,” said Pounce. “’Arken Roth and ’is wife, Grace.”

“Ma too?” Goldie was afraid she might fall over.

“And their friends. The Hahns.”

Toadspit shook his head, as if he was trying to make Pounce’s words go away. “No! No!”

“Reckon Old Lady Skint’s collectin’ slaves for the salt mines,” said Pounce, watching Goldie out of the corner of his eye. “Folk don’t last long doin’ that sorta work. Reckon she’s come to get replacements for all the dead ’uns.

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