The League of Sharks (30 page)

‘Yarud,' said Mestrowe.

‘Would you like some yarud?' said Payo to Junk. Junk shook his head. Payo dipped Mestrowe's finger into the tub and scooped out a glob, which he ate, nodding appreciatively.

‘I don't know how this works but can I ask
him
a question?' Junk felt it was clear he was referring to Mestrowe.

‘Course,' said Payo, through another mouthful of yarud. ‘Ask away.'

Junk took a deep breath and settled himself before speaking. His mind had been working overtime since Garvan had said that Mestrowe was going to tell him something. He had thought of every possibility and had convinced himself that he was going to explain who the Nine Emperors were and why they had sent their regards. ‘Is there something you have to tell me?' He and Payo both waited for a response, but none came.

‘Well, answer him,' said Payo.

There was an almost imperceptible change in the expression on the Pallatan–Twrisk's face, as if Mestrowe was now the more dominant.

‘Your sister …' said Mestrowe, and Junk tensed. His fists clenched, ready to strike out if Mestrowe said anything despicable. ‘I wasn't hired to kill her. I was hired to obtain her.'

The words raced around inside Junk's head, waving their arms about and making as much noise as possible. He found it hard to process what Mestrowe had said. Mestrowe could see it on Junk's face and so he clarified.

‘She's not dead. At least, not the last time I saw her. I delivered her alive and well.'

‘Delivered her? Delivered her to who?' said Junk. He was shaking. Not ready to believe what he was
hearing, but wanting, for all the world, for it to be true.

‘To the Nine Emperors, of course,' said Mestrowe.

‘Why?' asked Junk.

‘I don't know. That's what they paid me to do, so that's what I did.'

*

Junk walked slowly back to the hotel. His mind was raging but gradually his thoughts were beginning to settle. For over three years he had thought his sister was dead, and his objective had been clean and unwavering: to find her killer. It was what he needed to do to go home and he so wanted to be able to go home, but he knew now that that wasn't going to happen. Not yet.

Garvan and Lasel looked at him expectantly when he returned. They were eager to hear what Mestrowe had said.

‘You were right,' Junk said to Garvan. ‘I'm not going home yet. My sister's still alive. I'm going to go and find her.'

TO BE CONTINUED …

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I would like to thank Roisin Heycock, my fabulous editor, and everyone at Quercus. A really outstanding team. A huge thanks to Talya Baker for once again saving me from my own mistakes.

Thank you to Eugenie Furniss and Liane-Louise Smith at Furniss-Lawton for all their advice and hard work on my behalf. And Lucinda Prain and Rob Kraitt at Casarotto-Ramsay for guiding the other half of my working life for me.

Thank you to Zhiqiao Zheng, Priti Barua, Ingela Holland, Garret Cummings and Alexina Ashcroft for their translation skills.

Thanks also to Jason Cramer, whose drawings turned my camembert-fuelled dreams about goat doctors and elephant men into something tangible and kickstarted this book.

And a very special thanks to George Arton, my good friend who is still bemoaning the fact I forgot to name-check him in my last book even though I added his name for the paperback – though I don't think he's noticed that yet because I don't think he's actually read the book.

And last but by no means least, thank you to my amazing children, who make me very proud, Joseph, Grace and Gabriel, to the world's greatest dog, Harper, our new addition, Dok the python, and to my beautiful, wonderful, patient wife, Lisa.

Watch out for the next instalment of Junk's adventure

COMING AUGUST 2014

www.quercusbooks.co.uk

@quercuskids