Borderlands

by Skye Melki-Wegner

  The mountains arch upwards before us, opening like a pair of palms. Beneath our boat, the water flows deeper. The sky grows light. Unbidden, the words of Quirin’s song float into my head: From the prisoner’s pit to the sky.

  Finally, Lukas squeezes my hand. ‘You ready?’

  I take a moment to answer. Now that it comes to it, it does feel strange to be here. To be on the cusp of our country – the Valley that divides us from another land. My throat tastes dry. A breeze ruffles my hair.

  But my crew is here. I’m not alone. I glance between them, one to the other. Weary smiles and dirt-stained faces. Teddy. Clementine. Maisy. Lukas.

  Me.

  ‘Yeah,’ I say, a little hoarse. ‘I’m ready.’

  And together, we enter the Valley.

  Once again, Chasing the Valley would never have been published without Anjanette Fennell and Rick Raftos. Thanks for your support and guidance.

  Special thanks to the team at Random House Australia, especially: Zoe Walton, who has been so encouraging and enthusiastic in guiding this trilogy to publication; Kimberley Bennett, editor extraordinaire, who saves me from falling on my fictional face; Sarana Behan and Dorothy Tonkin (marketing and publicity gurus); Julie Burland, Nerrilee Weir, Janine Nelson, Becca Diep, Jeremy Vine, Zoe Bechara, Jo Penney and everyone else who helped the book to find its feet.

  Thank you to Gerry Schiller and Debbie Locco for their encouragement and belief in me.

  Thanks also to Cassandra Styles, who has been so supportive throughout the publication process and is my second sister in all but name.

  I am grateful to my mum, Chris, who always encouraged writing and imagination; my dad, John, who is an awesome sounding board when I confuse myself about Taladian geography; and my grand­parents, for their care and support. And finally, Brooke, for the games we played as children – and for the love of story that those games instilled.

  Skye Melki-Wegner is an Arts/Law (Hons) graduate from Melbourne. She has worked as a saleswoman, an English tutor and a popcorn-wrangler (at a cinema). In addition to writing fiction, in her spare time, she devours a ridiculous amount of caffeine and fantasy literature. Borderlands is the second book in the Chasing the Valley trilogy.

  You can contact Skye at www.skyemelki-wegner.com

  What if you achieve everything you’ve dreamed of – and it turns into a nightmare?

  Danika and her crew of refugees finally reach the Magnetic Valley. Will it be the safe refuge and land of freedom they had imagined?

  The conclusion to the Chasing the Valley trilogy will reveal explosive surprises and terrifying new dangers.

  Coming July 2014

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted by any person or entity, including internet search engines or retailers, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including printing, photocopying (except under the statutory exceptions provisions of the Australian Copyright Act 1968), recording, scanning or by any information storage and retrieval system without the prior written permission of Random House Australia. 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.

  Version 1.0

  Chasing the Valley Book Two: Borderlands

  9781742759579

  Copyright © Skye Melki-Wegner 2014

  The moral right of the author has been asserted.

  A Random House Australia book

  Published by Random House Australia Pty Ltd

  Level 3, 100 Pacific Highway, North Sydney NSW 2060

  www.randomhouse.com.au

  Addresses for companies within the Random House Group can be found at http://www.randomhouse.com.au/about/contacts.aspx

  First published by Random House Australia in 2014

  National Library of Australia

  Cataloguing-in-Publication entry

  Author: Melki-Wegner, Skye

  Title: Borderlands/Skye Melki-Wegner

  ISBN: 978 1 74275 957 9 (ebook)

  Series: Melki-Wegner, Skye. Chasing the Valley; 2

  Target audience: For secondary school age

  Dewey number: A823.4

  Cover illustration and design by Sammy Yuen

  Additional images: bird, shoreline and ground images

  © iStock/Thinkstock; bird tattoo © hemera/iStock/Thinkstock;

  clouds © Zoonar/Thinkstock; mountains © Skye Melki-Wegner;

  model © Jennifer Yung

  Internal design by Midland Typesetters, Australia

  Typesetting and eBook production by Midland Typesetters, Australia

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