Golden Boy pulled away from the Maidenhead kid who was helping him, strode across the arena towards the bodyguard and shouted as loudly as he could.

‘Give me your horse.’

The Ascot boy didn’t react in any way. Golden Boy shouted again.

‘I said give me your horse. I order you.’

Golden Boy stood there for a moment longer, frustrated. Then looked round the arena. Some of the crowd started chanting.

‘Kill him – kill him – kill him …’

And the band piped up, blasting out a two-note fanfare in time with the chanting – Blaa-bah … blaa-bah … blaa-bah …

Other kids were trying to shout them down.

‘Let him fight!’

‘Give him a chance!’

The bodyguard raised a palm towards the archers, indicating that they should hold back, and then walked his horse closer to Malik, making no effort to ready his sword. He didn’t look like a boy about to kill someone, though Ed had no doubt that he could easily take the sicko down if he wanted. He’d watched him in action, slaying sickos with a well-rehearsed savagery.

The Ascot boy stopped his horse. Seemed to be studying Malik.

Golden Boy, meanwhile, had run across the grass, grabbed his sword where it had fallen and mounted the Maidenhead horse. Now he came charging back towards Malik. But the Ascot boy shifted his horse slightly and Golden Boy had to veer off to one side.

‘Get out of my way, you retard!’ Golden Boy yelled, cantering at Ascot. Ascot casually punched him in the face, knocking him out of his saddle. For the second time that day Golden Boy hit the ground, this time much harder. He lay there, stunned and amazed, for a couple of seconds then looked over to Arno and the King. Arno was as mystified as anyone. The King was enjoying the show, rolling his head and grinning.

‘What the hell’s going on?’ Golden Boy shouted. ‘Are you going to let this happen? What is this?’

Arno shrugged.

Everyone waited to see how it was going to play out.

The hooded boy rode right up to Malik, held out his hand and Malik gripped it.

And then he remembered.

‘Henry?’ he said quietly. And he laughed. He’d never expected to see Henry again. Henry, the damaged kid who’d disappeared in Slough after Andy died. Henry who’d never been quite all there. Looked like he’d finally found his place in the world, here in Ascot.

Maybe there was a place for everybody after all. Maybe there was a place for Malik? If Henry was one of them maybe he could be too.

‘You’re OK?’ he said.

Henry nodded, still blank-faced.

Malik laughed again, dug his heels into his horse’s flanks and began a circuit of the arena. Jumping over fallen bodies, waving to the crowd, taunting them.

Would they dare kill him now?

Chapter 67

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