by Jen Storer
‘I am looking forward to this journey,’ said the Donut Lady, dismissing her sadness as she settled into her seat and placed her guitar case at her feet. She pulled her colourful shawl around her shoulders. ‘Yes. Yes, indeed,’ she said with forced cheer. ‘It has been many years, many decades since I have been through the veil, since I have visited the Old Realm. I thought those days were long over. I never imagined I would one day be a special guest!’
‘And there you will get proper healing,’ said Ava. ‘And proper rest. So well deserved and gratefully acknowledged.’
‘This is for you,’ said Graini gruffly, and she slipped something into Martha’s hand. It was a small rune, emerald green with gold markings. ‘It’s the symbol for friendship,’ she said with a funny grin. ‘Enduring friendship.’
‘Oh!’ said Martha, but before she could say anything more, before she could even shake Graini’s hand or hug her, the goblin girl had swung herself up into the boat.
‘Ava,’ said Graini (who had clearly recovered from her night lost at sea), ‘you must avoid this lingering. It is time.’
Ava sighed. ‘Yes, Graini,’ she said obediently.
But still Ava lingered. She stood before Angus. ‘It is with enormous sadness and regret ...’ she began but Angus stopped her.
‘I know,’ he said. ‘Same here.’
He hesitated. Then he took her face in his hands and kissed her.
Martha whistled. ‘Woah,’ she said, nudging her father and giggling. ‘Huzzah!’
The goblin girl held Angus close. ‘I shall speak of you often, Angus Jack,’ she said passionately. ‘I will remember you always.’ Angus lifted the narrare case over his head, shortened the strap, then draped it over Ava’s shoulder. He smoothed her silver dreadlocks. He thought about this, his fourteenth summer, and how everything in his life had changed. Forever.
‘I will always remember you too, Ava,’ he said, and he smiled. ‘Goodbye. For now.’
Angus and Martha linked arms with their father and together they watched as the boat disappeared over the horizon.
By the time they turned for home, a new day had begun.
Acknowledgements
This book is dedicated to David Moore, who, unlike me, never gave up on Angus. David, you make it all possible. Your patience astounds me AND you are the best cook in Christendom. Thank you barely covers it.
I am grateful beyond measure to my publisher, Lisa Berryman, who like a Fairy Godmother makes me believe I am capable of far more than I ever dreamed possible. Lisa’s intelligence, creativity and elegance inspire and motivate me every day.
To the entire team at HarperCollins Children’s, thank you! To name a few, Cristina Cappelluto, Children’s Publishing Director, your kindness and warmth made me feel at home from day one. Amanda Diaz, Publicity Manager, and Jacqui Barton, Education Manager, you make my little sojourns into the world exciting and mercifully uneventful. I don’t even lose stuff when I’m with you.
Lucinda Gifford. What can I say? I have spied on you during meetings and rushed to buy a Staedtler B in the hope that my own drawings would improve ... Lucinda’s myriad roughs made it almost impossible to choose. I am in awe of her talent and energy and so grateful to have worked with her on this book.
Steph Spartels. Owner and wielder of a most spectacular Design Wand. How does she do it? Steph, it was a day for celebration when you came on board.
Tania (Dot) McCartney. My dear friend and colleague. Dot swept in and read the manuscript when I was at hair-tearing (and page-tearing) stage. Her reader’s report is one of the most invigorating (and astute) documents to ever float by my desk.
Tegan Morrison. The best kind of editor: spirited, intelligent and not afraid to ask thousands of questions. In so doing, Tegan forced me to take my story to a whole new level. I adore working with you, Tegan.
Libby Volke. Another brilliant editor who took up where Tegan left off. Libby, your skill and insight have made the final work shine.
Clare Forster, aka Agent Clare. Thank you for your hard work and unwavering support. I am immensely proud to be represented by Curtis Brown. Thank you also for the designer tea — and vintage china. Essential accoutrement.
Lastly to my son, Tristan, and stepson, Eli. Both young adults now and lost in their own stories — just as they should be. Your indifference keeps me grounded and makes me laugh. Constantly. I love you to the moon and back.
About the Author
JEN STORER grew up in a small wheatbelt town in Australia. She left school in a hurry and fiddled about in a variety of jobs from selling shoes to nursing, all the while taking night classes in English, drama and history. In the 1990s, Jen returned to formal study and completed a Bachelor of Arts at Monash University, Clayton, where she majored in both Literature and Cinema Studies. She graduated with First Class Honours in Literature. After graduating, Jen worked as a children’s book editor. This renewed her love of children’s literature and sent her imagination soaring. Jen lives in Melbourne. jenstorer.com
About the Illustrator
LUCINDA GIFFORD’S career encompasses advertising, design, marketing, architecture and teaching. Now a full-time children’s illustrator, she enjoys illustrating any kind of beast — or beastliness — and her many messy sketchbooks are not for faint-hearted perusal. Lucinda’s favoured subjects are children (the more unruly or put-upon the better), houses, animals, monsters — and any situation where something unusual is about to happen. She lives in Melbourne with her husband, two children, two fish and two chickens. lucindagifford.com
Also by Jen Storer
Tensy Farlow and the Home for Mislaid Children
The Accidental Princess
Truly Tan
Truly Tan: Jinxed!
Truly Tan: Spooked!
Truly Tan: Freaked!
Copyright
The ABC ‘Wave’ device is a trademark of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and is used under licence by HarperCollinsPublishers Australia.
First published in Australia in 2015
This edition published in 2015
by HarperCollinsChildren’sBooks
a division of HarperCollinsPublishers Australia Pty Limited
ABN 36 009 913 517
harpercollins.com.au
Text copyright © Jen Storer 2015
Illustrations copyright © Lucinda Gifford 2015
The rights of Jen Storer and Lucinda Gifford to be identified as the author and illustrator of this work have been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright Amendment (Moral Rights) Act 2000.
This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced, copied, scanned, stored in a retrieval system, recorded, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
HarperCollinsPublishers
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ISBN: 978 0 7333 3443 6 (paperback)
ISBN: 978 1 4607 0520 9 (ebook)
National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry:
Storer, Jen, 1961– author.
The fourteenth summer of Angus Jack / Jen Storer ; Lucinda Gifford.
For children.
Mythology, Norse—Juvenile fiction.
Fantasy fiction.
Gifford, Lucinda, illustrator.
A823.4
Cover and internal design by Stephanie Spartels, Studio Spartels
Cover and internal illustrations by Lucinda Gifford
Cover background texture by lostandtaken.com
Author photograph by One Toy Can Jump Studios
Illustrator photog
raph by Andrew Harding