The Finisher by david baldacci

Author:david baldacci
Language: eng
Format: mobi
ISBN: 9780545652360
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Published: 2014-01-02T06:00:00+00:00

V I G I N T I O C T O

Valhall

Late that night, I heard Harry Two bark. That was

actually the second noise I heard. The first was my door

crashing inward.

I sprang off my cot, my heart pounding painfully in my

chest.

I saw Harry Two fly backward and strike the wall next to

my cot. He lay there stunned even as I looked around and saw

what was happening.

Jurik Krone stood before me. Behind him were Non, Ran

Digby, Cletus Loon, and Duk Dodgson, at twenty-four ses-

sions old, the youngest member of Council. They all carried

either long- or short-barreled mortas and they were all pointed

at me.

“What is going on?” I shouted as I ran over to Harry Two

and made sure he was okay. He lay there, his tongue hanging

out and his breathing heavy, but nothing seemed to be bro-

ken and he did lick my hand.

“We are here to take you to Valhall, female,” announced

Krone.

“You are not taking me anywhere, you git. I’ve had quite

enough —”

Krone held up the book of the Quag that Quentin Herms

had authored.

His smile was as triumphant as it was cruel.

I made the mistake of glancing at the floorboard where I

had hidden it.

“This was taken from your digs earlier this night during

the meeting at the village square,” said Krone. I winced at the

utter glee in his voice. That explained why he was not at

the meeting. He had been here, searching.

Krone continued. “It appears to be a book on the Quag.

An illegal thing if ever there was one. Was it the Outliers that

gave it to you, Vega? Does it show the routes they will use to

attack us? How much are they paying you for your treachery?

Or have they simply taken over your puny mind?”

I looked at each of them, my heart pumping so fast I had

to steady myself by holding on to the wall. “I don’t know what

you’re talking about. I’m not a traitor. And I’m not working

with any Outliers.”

Krone drew closer and pointed his short-barreled morta

at my head. With his free hand he held the book close to my

face. “Then explain this book. Where did you come by it?”

“I found it.”

“You found it!” exclaimed Krone. “Then why did you not

report it to Council?”

“I . . . I was going to,” I said lamely.

“You lie,” he snapped, his features twisted into an ugly

ball of fury.

He looked at Digby and Non. “Take her.”

They came forward and seized me by the arm. Harry

251

Two started to attack them, but I ordered him back. Dodgson

had taken aim at my canine’s chest and I was terrified he

would shoot him.

“Don’t,” I screamed. “He won’t try and harm you. I’ll

come with you. I won’t fight. Harry Two, you stay here.

You stay!”

I was hustled out of my home and down the Low Road.

All the noise must have woken up the village, because many

Wugs in their night clothes were out on the cobblestones as

we reached the High Street, the buildings behind them ablaze

with candle and lantern light.

We reached Valhall. Nida had evidently been forewarned

and placed back on duty, because he had the cage door open.

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