Jake’s neck mottled with goose bumps. Of course he knew that voice. He knew her face too: her black eyes, pale skin and crimson lips. It was Mina Schlitz. He had not seen her since the night he had killed her snake aboard the Lindwurm.
‘Is he here?’ a deeper voice enquired. The speaker limped heavily towards Jake, feeling his way with a stick. He looked like a giant raven dressed in a long trench coat of black feathers. His face, all the more shocking against the black, was stretched and disfigured. His left eye had been eaten away completely, revealing pale bone beneath. Prince Xander Zeldt – for that’s who it was, unquestionably – observed him without expression.
‘Take him below,’ Zeldt ordered. ‘Lock him up. Set course for my sister’s and tell her we are on our way.’
As Jake was carried down into the bowels of the ship, he caught sight of the Mont St Michel; the dark pyramid of buildings that was the centre of his world. Across the water he heard the strains of music, and the hoorahs of delight, but they were growing ever more faint.
At Point Zero, Topaz went to look for Jake. Just outside the main doors of the castle, she found a book lying open on the ground. She picked it up and saw a colour picture of an Egyptian palace on the banks of the Nile. The caption above it read: The Land of the Pharaohs.
She looked round and saw Felson, and wondered why on earth he was barking at the sea.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
As always, hats off to the sirens: Becky Stradwick, Clare Conville, Lauren Hyett, Sue Cook, Sophie Nelson and Kirsten Armstrong.
To Justin Somper for his fantastic work. To Ali, for being the man never discombobulated and to Martin and Rosie for their Cancale kindness and famous all-days. A special mention to Ting, for her inspiration, and to Sophie L, to welcome her back!
Finally I’d like to thank Sue Kerry, a guardian angel, to me – and many of us.
About the Author
Author photo © Rufo Guerrero
Damian Dibben has worked extensively as a screenwriter on projects as diverse as The Phantom of the Opera and Puss in Boots. He is a keen explorer, inspired by everything from archaeology to cosmology, and loves nothing more than a great adventure story.
Nightship to China is the third in his History Keepers series after The Storm Begins and Circus Maximus. The books have been translated into twenty-six languages, with a major movie in development with Working Title.
Damian lives on London’s South Bank with his dog Dudley.
Also available in The History Keepers sequence:
The History Keepers: The Storm Begins
The History Keepers: Circus Maximus
Praise for the HISTORY KEEPERS series
‘We are predicting extremely big things for this new adventure series’ – Mail on Sunday
‘Move over Harry Potter, it is time for Jake Djones to take the limelight’ – Telegraph
‘A time travelling detective tale. There are desperate chases, hair-raising escapes . . . and more comical or eccentric secondary characters than you could shake a wand at’ – Guardian
‘A cocktail of time travel, secret societies, double agents and edge-of-your-seat excitement . . . You won’t be able to put it down. Pure magic!’ – Glamour
‘The next big thing’ – Observer
‘Today’s answer to Harry Potter crossed with The Hunger Games’ – Tatler
‘History can be fun too! Damian Dibben’s books have got kids’ imaginations going – and cultivated their interest in the past to boot’ – Sun
THE HISTORY KEEPERS: NIGHTSHIP TO CHINA
AN RHCP DIGITAL EBOOK 978 1 448 10127 6
Published in Great Britain by RHCP Digital,
an imprint of Random House Children’s Publishers UK
A Random House Group Company
This ebook edition published 2014
Copyright © Damian Dibben, 2014
Front cover artwork © Steve Stone, 2014
First Published in Great Britain by Corgi Books, 2014
The right of Damian Dibben to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorized distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.
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History Keepers: Nightship to China Page 26