The Gold Thief by Justin Fisher

Author:Justin Fisher [Justin Fisher]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2017-03-05T16:00:00+00:00

At-lan

he circus kept moving.

Benissimo urged his troupe onwards relentlessly. They travelled beyond Norway into eastern Europe, crossing borders by air and always in the dead of night. The Twelve had long suspected the Shar of Shalazaar’s involvement in Barbarossa’s plans, and with Gearnish’s doors firmly closed there was no way of knowing how many allies the butcher had in his pocket, so it was impossible to know where was safe – the Circus of Marvels moved now as if fugitives, unsure of who they could and couldn’t trust.

The only thing was to keep going.

Ned woke the next morning, in a field somewhere in Russia, with a feeling of cold dread gripping his bones. If Jonny Magik was actually frightened, a man who had seen so much of the world’s anger and fear, where did that leave Ned and Lucy? Ned’s powers were slipping from his control and his mum and dad were held prisoner, that much he knew. But last night’s revelation had been terrifying. Evil was actually speaking to him and Lucy, and it was real.

For now, though, the sin-eater had promised not to tell Benissimo. The Ringmaster was already deeply distressed at the thought of the Darkening King’s possible return, but to think that the creature was actually in communication with two of his troupe would take him beyond distress.

Benissimo, Lucy, George and the Tinker were waiting with Jonny Magik, to hear about his reading of the Book of Aatol. Last night’s intruders had caused quite a stir and even the Tinker’s mind was for once on something other than his beloved city. But there was something else. George was smiling at Jonny Magik. Not only smiling but sharing a bunch of treasured bananas with the sin-eater! There is very little one can do to gain the trust of a suspicious ape when it comes to his wards. In fact there is only one thing one can do: and that is to save them.

“Well, I can finally see why you gave him the job, Bene, you should have seen him!” said George. “I have to admit, ink-spells are handier in a pinch than I had at first thought.”

“Which, my hairy friend, is what I have been trying to tell you.”

What surprised Ned more than the shift in his roommate’s behaviour towards Jonny Magik, was the magician’s easy manner. Somehow, between last night and the morning, Jonny had re-composed himself. But how? Ned sat beside Lucy. Whatever he was frightened of was plaguing her too, and they shared a sympathetic glance.

“Your book has led me on quite a dance, Ned,” began Jonny. “The magic in its symbols is mighty powerful and there’s been some rough going.” The sin-eater paused as some memory of what he’d experienced ran through him. “I read things that weren’t meant for my eyes, felt things that I’d sooner forget.”

“I’m so sorry,” offered Lucy.

“Quite all right, child. See, when I take on something I don’t like, something bad, I write it down. It’s powerful stuff when I use it right and I use it for just about everything.

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