We follow it for a long time. It is leading us home.
THE BEAST SNARLS, PULLING AGAINST THE CHAINS ON ITS neck. A thick line of drool leaks out of its mouth onto the floor.
“What’s it saying?”
“It’s hard to tell, Your Majesty. Wildwolves are tricky at the best of times.”
“I was told you were the best in the land.”
“I’m the only one in the land, Your Majesty.”
“So ask it again. A thousand wildwolves don’t come running that far south for no reason.”
The man leans forward until he is mere inches from the wildwolf. Its foul breath warms his face. He stares deep into the animal’s eyes. They are intense: one of them bright yellow, the other ice blue. Its lips peel back to reveal raw gums and razor-sharp teeth.
“Bloody hell,” the man says several moments later. He stands back up and faces the king.
“What is it?”
“It says there was a fight. With people in the north. Really far north, if you catch my drift.”
“Not Scotia?” says King Edmund, his misty eyes bulging out of their sockets. “Impossible. No one was left alive.”
“That’s what it said, Your Majesty. And . . . there was something else.”
“What?”
“I’m not sure I completely understand. . . .”
“Spit it out!”
“Something about a girl. A girl who hurt them in their heads, all at the same time.”
For a long time, the only sound is the wildwolf’s growls and the clink of the chain as it struggles to pull itself free.
“A girl who hurt them in their heads,” says King Edmund, gritting his ancient teeth together. He sucks in a long, wheezy breath. “I think we need to find this girl. I think we need to find her straightaway.”
THE “OLD LANGUAGE” THAT IS REFERRED TO AND USED IS, for the large part, Scottish Gaelic. I was assisted in this by Gaelic expert Liz Macbain, who did a fantastic job of tweaking many of my original suggestions. Occasionally, I made alternative choices for artistic reasons or in order to aid the reader, so any errors or inconsistencies are mine alone. In addition, some words — such as bothan — have been integrated into the clan’s contemporary language, hence the plural of bothan being bothans (rather than the Gaelic bothanan).
The language spoken by the deamhain is a fictional one, inspired by Old Norse.
I USED TO WONDER HOW AUTHORS HAD SO MANY PEOPLE to thank in their acknowledgments, but now — having experienced what it’s like to have my own book published — I’ve come to realize it truly is a collaborative process. This book would not have been possible without the following people, and I am extremely grateful to each and every one of them.
Firstly, to my agent, Claire Wilson at RCW: you are the best. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. THE BEST. I cannot thank you enough for your belief in this book and in me, and for all the wisdom and support you have imparted. Thank you.
To my editors Annalie Grainger at Walker Books UK and Susan Van Metre at Walker Books US — thank you for always pushing me to make this book the best it could possibly be, and for being so understanding and responsive to any concerns I’ve had along the way. I have learned so much from you both and am excited to share the next chapter of this incredible journey with you.
Extended thanks to the whole team at Walker — both in the UK and America — including Megan Middleton, John Moore, Maria Middleton, Maria Soler Canton, Anna Robinette, Rosi Crawley, Kirsten Cozens, and Jamie Tan. Also to my copy editors, Betsy Uhrig and Maggie Deslaurier, my proofreaders, Matt Seccombe and Emily Quill, and to Amy Silverman and Andy and Sarah Merriman for their invaluable and extremely insightful sensitivity reads. For assisting me with the Gaelic in the text, thanks to Liz Macbain, Màiri N. Reid, Rebecca MacLennan, and Jayne MacLeod. And a big hug to Donna MacLeod for my lesson on Gaelic pronunciation. You’re a smasher!
The Balbusso twins — Anna and Elena — you have created one of the most stunning pieces of cover art I have ever seen. I can’t believe it’s on the front of my book; every time I look at it I smile.
A huge thank-you to early readers Layla Daer, Poppy Merton, Bex James, Sue Bellew, and my siblings Tom, Elizabeth, and Kate Elliott. Your enthusiasm gave me strength when I needed it the most.
To my awesome debut buddies, especially Katya Balen, Savannah Brown, Aisha Bushby, Sam Copeland, Holly Jackson, Sarah Ann Juckes, Kesia Lupo, Struan Murray, Lucy Powrie, and Yasmin Rahman — you have taught me so much and kept me sane on this crazy roller-coaster ride that is the world of publishing. (Sidenote: their books are all brilliant, and you should definitely buy them all right now.)
To the staff and students past and present at College Park School in Westminster: you are where this story began. Thank you for inspiring me and for all the great memories.
Additional thanks (I’m writing the word “thanks” too much, aren’t I?) . . . Additional “gratitude” (thanks, Thesaurus.com) to Cerrie Burnell, Cat Doyle, Kate Potter at the Down’s Syndrome Association, Zoe Nelson, Miriam Tobin, and Sam Coates. Sorry to clump you all together in a didn’t-know-where-else-to-put-you list . . . Doesn’t mean I’m any less grateful, promise.
I am ridiculously lucky to have the most amazing family and friends, whose collective pride and excitement for this novel has been completely overwhelming. To my grandma, Janice “Red Grandma” Smith: if you’re reading this, then yes, it is finally finished. Sorry I made you wait so long! And to my parents, Gill and Tony Elliott — you have always supported my artistic dreams, and I cannot thank you enough for that. Padge — sorry for all the times Mum is going to embarrass you by telling total strangers that her son wrote a book. Mum, keep spreading the word — I’m counting on you to get my sales up. I love you both very much.
Finally, to my husband and best friend, Richard. I almost can’t put into words how much you have done to help create this book. At various stages, you have been an editor, a proofreader, a sounding board, and a source of inspiration. For your constant encouragement and unwavering belief in me, and for staying up until 2 a.m. that one time to help me redraft, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. This book is for you.
JOSEPH ELLIOTT is a British writer and actor known for his work in children’s television. His commitment to serving children with special education needs was instilled at a young age: his mother is a teacher trained in special needs education, and his parents provided respite foster care for children with additional needs. He has worked at a recreational center for children with learning disabilities and as a teaching assistant at Westminster Special Schools. The heroine of The Good Hawk, which is his first book, was inspired by the many incredible children he has worked with, especially those with Down syndrome. Joseph Elliott lives in London.
Text copyright © 2020 by Joseph Elliott
Cover illustration copyright © 2020 by Anna and Elena Balbusso
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in an information retrieval system in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, taping, and recording, without prior written permission from the publisher.
First U.S. electronic edition 2020
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 2019939811
The illustrations in this book were created digitally using mixed media.
Walker Books US
a division of
Candlewick Press
99 Dover Street
Somerville, Massachusetts 02144
www.walkerbooksus.com
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The Good Hawk Page 24