Chapters (90)
- Cover
- About the Author
- Praise for Malorie Blackman’s books
- Also available by Malorie Blackman for young adult readers
- Dedication
- Family Tree
- Epigraph
- NOW
- one. Tobey
- two. Libby
- Then
- three. Place Names
- four. Isabella Monroe
- five. Kellan Bruemann
- NOW
- six. Libby
- Daily Shouter Online
- Then
- seven. Patrix Ellerman
- eight. Tobey Durbridge
- nine. Circulating
- NOW
- ten. Troy
- Then
- eleven. Owen Dowd
- twelve. Eva Foxton
- thirteen. Tom Jeavons
- NOW
- Then
- fourteen. Sephy Ealing
- fifteen. The Night That Would Never End
- NOW
- sixteen. Sephy
- seventeen. Libby
- eighteen. Sephy
- nineteen. Tobey
- twenty. Sephy
- twenty-one. Libby
- twenty-two. Troy
- twenty-three. Libby
- twenty-four. Tobey
- twenty-five. Troy
- twenty-six. Callie
- twenty-seven. Tobey
- twenty-eight. Troy
- twenty-nine. Callie
- thirty. Sephy
- thirty-one. Libby
- thirty-two. Sephy
- thirty-three. Tobey
- thirty-four. Sephy
- thirty-five. Troy
- thirty-six. Callie
- thirty-seven. Tobey
- thirty-eight. Callie
- thirty-nine. Sephy
- forty. Tobey
- forty-one. Sephy
- forty-two. Troy
- forty-three. Callie
- forty-four. Sephy
- forty-five. Libby
- forty-six. Sephy
- forty-seven. Troy
- forty-eight. Tobey
- forty-nine. Sephy
- fifty. Libby
- fifty-one. Sephy
- fifty-two. Callie
- fifty-three. Tobey
- fifty-four. Sephy
- fifty-five. Troy
- fifty-six. Libby
- fifty-seven. Callie
- fifty-eight. Sephy
- fifty-nine. Tobey
- sixty. Callie
- sixty-one. Sephy
- sixty-two. Tobey
- sixty-three. Sephy
- sixty-four. Tobey
- sixty-five. Troy
- sixty-six. Callie
- THREE MONTHS LATER
- sixty-seven. Tobey
- sixty-eight. Troy
- sixty-nine. Callie
- seventy. Libby
- Acknowledgements
- THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING
Today 11:07
Hi, J, any progress?
Callie, it’s only been a minute. Give me a chance. I’ll tell you what I told Tobey – when I find Troy and Libby, I’ll get them to safety, then let you know our location. You and Tobey need to stop phoning/texting me every two seconds. Let me get on with my job without the constant interruptions.
All right! All right! My head is now bouncing round my feet where you just bit it clean off. I was only asking. I’m worried sick and scared, OK?
I understand. No need to get sniffy with me. You know I love you. Durbridge? Not so much. Keep your chin up xx
I’m trying, Jon. God knows I’m trying.
thirty. Sephy
As I drove to my first appointment, my phone rang. A glance at my dashboard indicated that Sonny was phoning me. With a sigh, I pressed the control on the wheel of my car to connect the call.
‘Hi, Sephy. I’m at your house, chatting to Meggie, and wondering where you are?’ said Sonny.
Shoot! I promised him we’d spend the morning together. I’d completely forgotten.
‘Sonny, I’ll be home soon. I’ve just got a couple of stops to make first and they won’t take long.’
‘Sephy, what’s going on?’
‘I will tell you everything when I get home, I promise,’ I replied. ‘Trust me.’
Pause. ‘D’you trust me, Persephone?’ Sonny’s question was serious verging on solemn. There were more than just words behind that question: there were thoughts and feelings as well.
‘Of course I trust you, Sonny,’ I said. ‘I’m marrying you, aren’t I?’
‘Are you? Do you want to marry me, Sephy?’ Sonny asked.
Pause.
‘I do.’
‘At last!’ said Sonny, the grin evident in his voice. ‘I love you, Sephy. Very much.’
‘That’s because you have excellent taste,’ I teased. ‘See you soon.’
I hung up before Sonny could say anything else, like asking me to say the words back to him. I cared about Sonny a great deal. I had now said I’d marry him. But I had yet to say the three words I knew he was waiting for.
Callum, what’s wrong with me? Why do I find it so hard to say them? I’m still waiting for a sign from you that I’m doing the right thing. Yes, I know that’s ridiculous, but I swear I can feel you near me, watching over me. So please, just one indication that I’m doing the right thing. Then I can live the rest of my life knowing that you’re happy for me. Please.