Archibald Lox and the Slides of Bon Repell by Darren Shan

Author:Darren Shan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: adventure, afterlife, epic journey, quest, children's book
Publisher: Home of the Damned Ltd
Published: 2021-08-03T00:00:00+00:00

14

“What are you doing here?” I cry when I’ve recovered from my initial shock. “No one was expecting you. Have you returned to the Merge for good? Are you going back to Diamond?”

“Archie,” Inez says, patting my shoulder to calm me. When I stop babbling, she turns to King Lloyd and makes the greet. He stares at her solemnly, then snorts.

“Let’s have none of that nonsense,” he says. “I want a hug.” He pulls us in close and squeezes as hard as he can, which isn’t very hard at all.

“You’ve been in New York too long,” Nora, his aide, tuts behind him.

“Hugging’s nicer than the greet,” King Lloyd says. “I put up with the greet for a long time, because it was expected, but at this stage of the game...” He coughs and releases us.

“Do you want a hug too?” I ask Nora innocently.

“Come near me and I’ll clout your ear, boy,” she growls, fighting to hide a smirk. She solemnly makes the greet, then gives in and smiles. “Your faces when you caught sight of us,” she chuckles, taking King Lloyd by an arm and leading him gently to a nearby chair. There are chairs for the rest of us as well.

The king’s beaming and drumming his fingers on his knees. “It’s good to see you again, Archibald and Inez. I forget a lot these days – more than I realise, probably – but thankfully I’ve held on to my memories of you. That day in my palace, when you stopped the noises and rescued me from hell...” Tears well in his eyes and I turn my head aside.

“No need to look away,” King Lloyd says, reaching over to let his fingers dance across my left knee. “These are tears of happiness, not madness. The madness is still there, but it’s not as bad as it was, is it, Nora?”

“No, my lord,” Nora says. “Some days you could even pass for half-normal.”

King Lloyd scowls. “Of all my subjects, why did she have to be the one that ended up looking after me?” he complains to Inez.

“There weren’t many left in the end,” Inez says with a straight face. “I guess she was the best of a bad lot.”

Nora laughs out loud, then covers her mouth with a hand, looking contrite.

“I hope I seem half-normal tomorrow,” King Lloyd says, his smile slipping. “I have good days and bad days. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that tomorrow will be one of the good ones.”

“It will,” Nora says kindly. “And if not, nobody will care. They’ll be so happy to see you that they won’t mind if you drop your trousers and drool.”

“I’m not so sure of that,” King Lloyd mutters. “Not so sure.”

The king looks away and starts mumbling something. Nora looks at us and sighs. “I’m keeping my fingers crossed too,” she whispers.

“Is he often like this?” Inez asks, staring sadly at the distracted king.

“Yes,” Nora says, “but rarely for long periods. He’ll snap back to his senses in a matter of minutes.

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