“Now we come to the matter of the malamander’s fabled weakness, the one vulnerability that renders the otherwise invincible monster all too vincible. We have already seen, in previous chapters, that many of the oldest accounts of the malamander legend allude to this so-called ‘Achilles Spot’ without ever describing it. However, I intend to break with tradition, and set out plainly that the malamander’s one vulnerability is—”

Violet stops reading. A shadow has been thrown across the page. We both look up.

“Well, don’t stop there,” says Sebastian Eels from the doorway of the bookshop. “You were just getting to the good bit.”

THE MISSING PAGE

THE WRITER LOOKS only slightly dishevelled in his expensive suit, his mop of black hair only a little out of place. Not at all like a man who has just shot two harpoons – one at me and one at Violet – and shot them both to kill. His sudden reappearance is so shocking that Vi and I just stand there, transfixed. Which is why Eels is able to snatch the paper from her so easily.

“Well, well, the missing page,” he says, straightening his tie. “And just as I’d given up hope of ever finding it…”

“No!” cries Violet. “That’s not yours, it’s my dad’s.”

She tries to snatch the paper back, but Eels picks her up. Just like that, he picks her up with one hand and throws her out of his way. Violet lands, stumbling, and falls back into an armchair.

In an instant, Erwin flies at Eels, hissing as he claws up his legs and sinks his teeth into the man’s hand, making him drop the paper.

“Little weasel!” cries Eels, flinging the cat away. Erwin twists in the air, ready to land on all fours, but he hits the corner of a bookshelf and, instead, falls limply to the ground.

And me? Well, I’ve grabbed the paper, haven’t I. But then there’s a clonk! to end all clonks as Eels brings his fist down on my head. My Lost-and-Founder’s cap is forced over my eyes, and I go down.

It’s a moment before I can find up again. When I do, I see that Eels is towering over me. I look over at Violet. She’s still in the chair, clutching her throat. Erwin is in her arms now, trembling with pain.

“The Achilles Spot,” Eels reads aloud to us from the paper, as if he’s giving a lecture. “Of course, you both know who Achilles was…”

He glances at each of us in turn.