Mariah Mundi and the Ship of Fools

by G. P. Taylor

  ‘The one who will do you the most harm if he lays his hands on your throat,’ Charity replied as he stepped towards him.

  ‘Choice made,’ Zane said quickly as he pulled the trigger of the harpoon.

  The arrow flew forward. Mariah dived into its path. Zane gasped as it struck the boy in the chest.

  Without warning, Charity grabbed Zane by the arm and pulled him towards him. Zane stumbled forward, unable to resist. Then Charity turned and pushed the man towards the open door at the back of the gondola. Zane fell through. His cries grew fainter and fainter as he spun faster and faster towards Manhattan. It was as if an angel fell from heaven.

  Inside the gondola Mariah lay on the deck, not moving. His face was white, his eyes closed. The arrow lay beside him. Charity feared to look.

  Taking the arrow in his hand Charity broke it in two. He looked at the shaft. There was no blood.

  ‘Spiderweb! It worked …’ he said as he pulled Mariah by the front of his waistcoat, shaking life into him. ‘Mariah … Mariah …’

  Mariah opened his eyes.

  ‘I want to go home …’ he said as he held his chest.

  ‘We shall fly there,’ said Charity as he lifted Mariah onto a leather bench and leant him against the window.

  ‘A trip to Scarborough?’ Mariah asked.

  Copyright

  First published in 2009

  by Faber and Faber Ltd

  Bloomsbury House

  74–77 Great Russell Street

  London WC1B 3DA

  This ebook edition first published in 2010

  All rights reserved

  © G. P. Taylor, 2009

  The right of G. P. Taylor to be identified as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with Section 77 of 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 unauthorised 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

  ISBN 978–0–571–26979–2