Fire Girl (31 page)

‘I need to talk to him before that happens,’ Hazel said. ‘If I don’t, my mum stays trapped with that demon forever.’

‘London is crawling with Witch Hunters and informants – you won’t last five minutes,’ Titus said with a wave of his hand. ‘And how are you going to get to him?
He’ll be kept in Hunter’s Tower, the most secure gaol in England. And even if by some miracle you do get to speak to him, what makes you think he’s going to help you?’

‘I’m going.’

He looked at her with sad eyes. ‘Nothing I can say will change your mind, will it?’

Hazel held his gaze. ‘No.’

‘Then we’ll go together. After all, I’ve got my own score to settle.’ He clambered to his feet and looked down at her. ‘An old Witch Finder and a foolish
witch,’ he said. ‘A strange pair aren’t we, slop-sprite?’

‘You can come on one condition,’ she replied, managing a small smile. ‘You have to call me Hazel.’

London, July 1655

W
itch Hunter General Matthew Hopkins, the most feared man in England, beckoned the boy into his office with a smile. ‘You have a message for
me?’ His voice was like unsheathed steel – smooth and cold.

The boy, about fourteen and wearing the scarlet uniform of a Witch Hunter’s apprentice, couldn’t stop a shiver running down his back. ‘Yes, sir,’ he said.
‘It’s from Captain Stearne. His rider arrived this morning.’

Hopkins gazed at the boy, letting the seconds drag in order to feed on his discomfort. ‘Proceed,’ he said, when he had tasted enough. The boy cleared his throat.

‘General,’ he read. ‘A stroke of fortune during my purge of the West. I’ve plucked a juicy apple for you to hang from the Witch Tree. You’ve taken a bite from it
before – perhaps this time you’ll cut off more than just his thumb. I’ll be back in London soon. Captain John Stearne.’

‘Nicolas Murrell,’ Hopkins said with a smile on his liver-coloured lips. ‘At last – a worthy candidate to put in the Dark Room.’

He reached out a pudgy hand to a fruit bowl. The apples had been in there for weeks and were nicely brown and puckered. He chose one with a thick rind of mould and plucked it out.

Keeping his ice-pale eyes trained on the messenger, Hopkins took a deep bite from the apple and chewed slowly. The boy’s attempt to hide his disgust was a gratifying failure.

Through a mouthful of rotten pulp, Hopkins said, ‘Don’t hover by the door, lad.
Come in
. Now, read it to me again. I want to savour every word.’

Matt Ralphs was born in North Lincolnshire and grew up in Kent. So, by way of a median average, he’s from Cambridge. After completing his English Literature degree he was
absolutely certain that he didn’t know what to do with his life. He eventually drifted into an editorial career in publishing.

After years of having the temerity to tell professional authors what they were doing wrong, he decided to put his limited knowledge to use and pen his own book.
This
book.

Matt lives and floats on a canal boat in London.
Fire Girl
is his debut novel.

Writing a novel is a task for one person. Turning it into a book takes a team.

Firstly I’d like to thank all the volunteers behind the brilliant Undiscovered Voices competition, and especially Catherine Coe, who suggested I enter. Being chosen as a finalist gave me a
huge confidence boost and led directly to me finding a literary agent.

And that agent is tireless champion Madeleine Milburn. Thank you, Maddy, for everything you’ve done for me.

A big wave and a grateful grin to everyone at Macmillan Children’s Books! Rachel Kellehar, my patient and owlishly wise editor; Catherine Alport, promotions extraordinaire; Kat McKenna,
mistress of marketing; and the design team who have made the book look
so
damn smart.

I owe a debt to my great friend Breege, whose sage advice still rings in my ears as I write.

And to my family, who supported me in all my wishful endeavours and who, most importantly, brought me endless cups of tea as I frowned and rewrote, frowned and rewrote.

Finally to all the authors – far too many to mention here – who inspired in me a love of words and stories: my eternal thanks to each and every one.

Find out what happens to
Hazel and Bramley
in the searing sequel

Coming soon!

First published 2015 by Macmillan Children’s Books

This electronic edition published 2015 by Macmillan Children’s Books
an imprint of Pan Macmillan
20 New Wharf Road, London N1 9RR
Associated companies throughout the world
www.panmacmillan.com

ISBN 978-1-4472-8362-1

Text copyright © Matt Ralphs 2015
Illustrations copyright © Fred van Deelen 2015

Cover photographs by Colin Thomas and Shutterstock

The right of Matt Ralphs and Fred van Deelen to be identified as the author and illustrator of this work has been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright, Designs
and Patents Act 1988.

You may not copy, store, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means (electronic, digital,
optical, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be
liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

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