Marcus Sedgwick by The Book of Dead Days

Author:The Book of Dead Days
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2012-05-31T11:31:50+00:00

3

But Valerian did not tell them on the way. He did not tell them about the approaching horror, about the road that Fate was leading him down.

Instead he instructed them as they walked in the use of the pieces of apparatus they were carrying, repeating himself until they understood.

When they reached the residence of the Master of City Burials, Valerian had stared at the woman in the pillar, gazing deep into her eyes without saying anything for a long time. Finally he spoke, in a low and soft voice.

“You will go and tell the Master that Valerian is here to see him. Tell him I can make his animals live.” Boy and Willow watched amazed as without a word the old woman shuffled off her stool and went to do as she was bid. It was just as if Valerian had cast a spell on her.

Five minutes later a small door within the main door opened, and they hurried inside.

Valerian and the Master stood facing each other in the grand entrance hall, sizing each other up. The Master was a short man, only a little taller than Boy. He was not quite as ugly as Green, but it still made Boy uncomfortable to look at him. His nose was pushed back; his eyes were small and overshadowed by huge hairy eyebrows. His hair was thin and greasy. He smelt terrible; his clothes were stained and, despite their original quality, were now little better than rags.

“Valerian! How strange to see you again.”

“A pleasure to renew your acquaintance. How long has it been?”

“Never mind that,” the Master snapped, his brow creasing. “How do you know of my work?”

“All the City knows of your work,” lied Valerian.

Good start, thought Boy.

“I myself have admired your noble and valuable … investigations into this … subject,” Valerian went on.

He’s losing it, Boy thought. He doesn’t really know what to say.

“And I believe,” Valerian concluded, “that I may be able to help you.”

“Do what?” said the Master of Burials.

Valerian opened his mouth as if to speak, then shut it again.

“You said you could make them live,” said the Master.

Valerian shifted a little where he stood.

“Yes,” he said. “Yes, I believe I can.”

“Believe?” shouted the Master of Burials, furiously striding right up to Valerian. Though Valerian towered a foot or so above him, Boy was amazed to see that the Master seemed to intimidate him. Boy had never seen anyone do this.

“Believe?” cried the Master again. “I thought you said you could do it! If you can’t, you can get out of here and stop wasting my time. This is important work. Important! I have history to think of! How will my name be written across the pages of history if I cannot achieve this … masterpiece!”

He stared up at Valerian, then turned and spat on the floor. “Get out of here! Be away from here!”

Valerian stepped forward.

“No!” he cried. “No, I can do it. With my two assistants here, I shall do it. Show me your animals. In return all I want is a little of your knowledge.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.