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Contents ( 50)
  1. CONTENTS
  2. PROLOGUE
  3. CHAPTER ONE
  4. CHAPTER TWO
  5. CHAPTER THREE
  6. CHAPTER FOUR
  7. CHAPTER FIVE
  8. CHAPTER SIX
  9. CHAPTER SEVEN
  10. CHAPTER EIGHT
  11. CHAPTER NINE
  12. CHAPTER TEN
  13. CHAPTER ELEVEN
  14. CHAPTER TWELVE
  15. CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  16. CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  17. CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  18. CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  19. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  20. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  21. CHAPTER NINETEEN
  22. CHAPTER TWENTY
  23. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
  24. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
  25. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
  26. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
  27. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
  28. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
  29. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
  30. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
  31. CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
  32. CHAPTER THIRTY
  33. CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
  34. CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
  35. CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
  36. CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
  37. CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
  38. CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
  39. CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
  40. CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
  41. CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
  42. CHAPTER FORTY
  43. CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
  44. CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
  45. CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
  46. CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
  47. EPILOGUE
  48. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
  49. Also by Liz Flanagan:
  50. COPYRIGHT

Where was it? Joe searched in the gloom till his hands fell on the cylinder. He looped the strap round his shoulders, ready to leave.

His gaze fell on the purple hat and dragonrider gloves, laid out there, waiting for a life that would never happen. He’d dreamed of a future that wasn’t his. He didn’t deserve 45it, just like he didn’t deserve these white robes. He tugged at the ripped jacket, throwing it off, dressing himself in his warmest old clothes. The gifts from Conor and Amina fell on the floor, and he almost left them. At the last moment, he stuffed them in his pockets, then he headed for the door.

Something stopped him.

He should tell them he was alive, at least. But how?

His fingers went to the chain around his neck where the small silver medal dangled, the birthday gift from Milla. He unfastened it now.

One day, maybe he would earn it back. Till then, he didn’t deserve to wear it any more. He was a disgrace to his family. The black sheep, the waddler, the monster.

He laid the chain on top of the purple gloves and left, clutching the shipwreck kit close.

He padded down the main stairs, listening hard. The house creaked in its old familiar way, telling him it was empty. So where were his parents? He heard voices in the garden. He crept through the front doors and hid in the shadows, waiting for his chance to climb down the steep wall behind the practice yard.

‘What did he say?’ one voice asked. It was Matteo, the cook.

Why was Matteo still awake when he always rose before dawn? It wasn’t like him: he’d be too tired to cook tomor­row.

‘Ah, still looking – they’ll be out all night.’ That was the night watchman, Gabriel, who stood sentry duty at the 46main gates each night. His father kept him on, unable to give up his old habits, even now the island was safe and peaceful again.

Looking for who? For him? Joe’s heart beat faster, and he strained to hear over the blood pounding in his ears. He hated to think of his father, tired and disappointed, still out there searching for his disgraced son.

‘Bad business.’ Gabriel hissed through his teeth.

‘Didn’t see it, but he’s a good lad, Joe. He wouldn’t mean any harm,’ Matteo defended him.

‘Huh,’ Gabriel tutted. ‘Mean it or not, he caused it. Plenty were harmed today. The healers don’t know if the crushed boy will live. No, Joe will have to answer for it.’

‘I heard the Brotherhood made the most of it.’

‘Aye, and maybe they should. Maybe they’ve got a point.’

‘That’s serious trouble for his sister and the duke.’ Their voices faded as they turned away from Joe.

He wanted the ground to open up and gobble him down. Had he caused the death of a child? The idea was unbear­able. The whole island must hate him now, and who could blame them?