Hero Rising. Shane Hegarty

Читать онлайн.
Название Hero Rising
Автор произведения Shane Hegarty
Жанр Детская проза
Серия
Издательство Детская проза
Год выпуска 0
isbn 9780007545667



Скачать книгу

far as they’re concerned.”

      The general noise of upset animals from the rear of the shop grew louder. Finn wished they’d quieten down so he could properly concentrate on figuring out what Lucien was building to. He fiddled with the bell on the desk.

      “Hugo,” continued Lucien, “I’m not so blind that I can’t see how difficult this is for you to be stuck here, working this job, watching while all these out-of-towners come in and try and run Darkmouth for you.”

      “Great,” said Finn. “Just give us the keys to our house and we’ll get things sorted again.”

      “Finn,” said Hugo, with a hand out to quieten him. “Not now.”

      “Not now?” asked Finn.

      “It’s fine, Hugo,” said Lucien. “I understand the young man’s frustration. He was destined for great things and now here he is, as are you, watching while others decide when this ordeal must end.”

      “Others?” said Hugo, sceptical. “You’re the only one making decisions.”

      Lucien considered his response a moment. “Hugo, I want to get you involved with us again.”

      Finn straightened up, wary but interested.

      Hugo was silent, curious.

      “It’s not right to have someone of your experience sitting here on the sidelines waiting for a result of the investigation,” said Lucien, “when it’s clear that we could use your knowledge of Darkmouth at times of difficulty.”

      “Me too?” enquired Finn.

      “Yes, why not?” Lucien said, like that was a fine idea. “Next time there is an invasion, or a gateway, or some enemy running through our streets we’d like you both there.”

      Hugo’s face lifted.

      “To direct the traffic,” concluded Lucien.

      Hugo’s face fell.

      “Traffic?” spluttered Finn, red rage coming over him. How could Lucien do this? How could his father sit there and take it?

      “Not only to direct traffic, of course,” Lucien said brightly. “Crowd control too, if necessary. Reassuring the locals, the shopkeepers who own places such as—” he picked up a small clump of fur sitting on the counter, examined it before clapping it from his hands, “—this establishment.”

      “Maybe we can give the Legends speeding tickets,” said Finn. “Ask them to wait at traffic lights while we desiccate them.”

      Hugo didn’t quieten him this time.

      “The Most Great Lives of the Legend Hunters is such an important book,” said Lucien, the change of focus abrupt and pointed. He folded his arms, ignoring the sounds of animals rising at the back of the shop. “It is the one they will look at for many generations to come. It is the book that defines a Legend Hunter’s reputation. Or a traitor’s. All they want to do is print a new version. Finn, you must know that if you don’t act properly, if you refuse to help, suspicions will grow. The Most Great Lives writer is due here any day now. You don’t want the black paper to fall over your family’s name.”

      Woofy Wash’s owner, Mr Green, stuck his head from his office door. “It sounds like a zoo out back, Hugo. What’s going on?”

      “Think about it, Hugo,” Lucien said, tapping his fingers on the counter. “That’s all I ask.”

      “Oh, I’m thinking about it all right,” said Hugo.

      Lucien was enjoying this. Finn knew it. He knew his father knew it. It was as clear as the shine on Lucien’s wispy-haired scalp that he had come simply to humiliate them under the guise of friendliness.

      “Elektra! Tiberius!” Lucien called out.

      His children appeared from the back of the shop, pushing rudely past a perplexed Mr Green. Elektra had a parrot feather in her hair. Tiberius had a writhing lump down his jumper.

      “Hand it back,” Lucien ordered his son.

      Tiberius reached down his sweater, pulled free a shivering gerbil and handed it to Mr Green before leaving with his sister and Lucien. Mr Green shook his head, drew a whistling breath through his clenched teeth and – with a writhing, slippery gerbil in hand – returned to his office.

      Hugo had his head down. He took a long breath. When he spoke, it was with enormous control.

      “You might think I’m doing nothing, Finn, but you would be very wrong,” he said. “I know what Lucien was up to. But I also know we have to be very careful and not give him any excuse to kick us out entirely. There’s no Council of Twelve to help us. No other Legend Hunters. The Half-Hunters are gone. But I do have some friends left. And I do have a plan, son.” He lifted his head. “So you’re not to do anything stupid, do you understand?”

      Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

      Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

      Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

      Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.

/9j/4QAYRXhpZgAASUkqAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP/sABFEdWNreQABAAQAAABQAAD/4QNhaHR0cDov L25zLmFkb2JlLmNvbS94YXAvMS4wLwA8P3hwYWNrZXQgYmVnaW49Iu+7vyIgaWQ9Ilc1TTBNcENl aGlIenJlU3pOVGN6a2M5ZCI/PiA8eDp4bXBtZXRhIHhtbG5zOng9ImFkb2JlOm5zOm1ldGEvIiB4 OnhtcHRrPSJBZG9iZSBYTVAgQ29yZSA1LjAtYzA2MSA2NC4xNDA5NDksIDIwMTAvMTIvMDctMTA6 NTc6MDEgICAgICAgICI+IDxyZGY6UkRGIHhtbG5zOnJkZj0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMTk5 OS8wMi8yMi1yZGYtc3ludGF4LW5zIyI+IDxyZGY6RGVzY3JpcHRpb24gcmRmOmFib3V0PSIiIHht bG5zOnhtcE1NPSJodHRwOi8vbnMuYWRvYmUuY29tL3hhcC8xLjAvbW0vIiB4bWxuczpzdFJlZj0i aHR0cDovL25zLmFkb2JlLmNvbS94YXAvMS4wL3NUeXBlL1Jlc291cmNlUmVmIyIgeG1sbnM6eG1w PSJodHRwOi8vbnMuYWRvYmUuY29tL3hhcC8xLjAvIiB4bXBNTTpPcmlnaW5hbERvY3VtZW50SUQ9 IjcyMEM4RjQxQ0Y2RUREOUYwQUI5MDM3MjMxOUVFRkU4IiB4bXBNTTpEb2N1bWVudElEPSJ4bXAu ZGlkOjE4RjA1MDMzRUJBMTExRTY4NEQxOTMzMzU2MTQ5NTA3IiB4bXBNTTpJbnN0YW5jZUlEPSJ4 bXAuaWlkOjE4RjA1MDMyRUJBMTExRTY4NEQxOTMzMzU2MTQ5NTA3IiB4bXA6Q3JlYXRvclRvb2w9 IkFkb2JlIFBob3Rvc2hvcCBDUzUuMSBNYWNpbnRvc2giPiA8eG1wTU06RGVyaXZlZEZyb20gc3RS ZWY6aW5zdGFuY2VJRD0ieG1wLmlpZDpBRDA0QjkzRjBBMjA2ODExODcxRkVBQkI4MzU0RTg0RiIg c3RSZWY6ZG9jdW1lbnRJRD0iNzIwQzhGNDFDRjZFREQ5RjBBQjkwMzcyMzE5RUVGRTgiLz4gPC9y ZGY6RGVzY3JpcHRpb24+IDwvcmRmOlJERj4gPC94OnhtcG1ldGE+IDw/eHBhY2tldCBlbmQ9InIi Pz7/4ggkSUNDX1BST0ZJTEUAAQEAAAgUQURCRQJAAABtbnRyUkdCIFhZWiAH1wADAAIACgAHAClh Y3NwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA9tYAAQAAAADTLWJJQ0OcbTSlraRF9hRt mLBRDBJtAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAljcHJ0AAAGxAAAAMlkZXNjAAAH kAAAAIN3dHB0AAAA8AAAABRyVFJDAAABBAAABYRnVFJDAAABBAAABYRiVFJDAAABBAAABYRyWFla AAAGiAAAABRnWFlaAAAGnAAAABRiWFlaAAAGsAAAABRYWVogAAAAAAAA9tYAAQAAAADTLWN1cnYA AAAAAAACvAAAAAoAFQAfACoANAA+AEkAUwBdAGgAcgB9AIcAkQCcAKYAsAC7AMUA0ADaAOQA7wD5 AQMBDgEYASMBLQE3AUIBTAFXAWEBawF2AYABigGVAZ8BqgG0Ab4ByQHTAd0B6AHyAf0CBwIRAhwC JgIwAjsCRQJQAloCZQJwAnsChgKRApwCqAKzAr8CywLXAuMC7wL8AwgDFQMiAy8DPANJA1YDZANy A38DjQObA6oDuAPGA9UD5APzBAIEEQQhBDAEQARQBGAEcASABJEEoQSyBMME1ATlBPcFCAUaBSwF PgVQBWMFdQWIBZsFrgXBBdUF6AX8BhAGJAY4Bk0GYQZ2BosGoAa1BssG4Ab2BwwHIwc5B08HZgd9 B5QHrAfDB9sH8wgLCCMIOwhUCG0IhgifCLgI0gjsCQYJIAk6CVUJbwmKCaUJwQncCfgKFAowCk0K aQqGCqMKwAreCvsLGQs3C1ULdAuSC7EL0AvwDA8MLwxPDG8MjwywDNEM8g0TDTUNVg14DZoNvQ3f DgIOJQ5JDmwOkA60DtgO/Q8hD0YPaw+RD7YP3BACECgQTxB2EJ0QxBDsERMROxFkEYwRtRHeEgcS MRJaEoQSrhLZEwQTLxNaE4UTsRPdFAkUNhRjFJAUvRTqFRgVRhV0FaMV0hYBFjAWYBaQFsAW8Bch F1IXgxe1F+YYGRhLGH0YsBjjGRcZShl+GbMZ5xocGlEahhq8GvIbKBtfG5UbzBwEHDsccxyrHOQd HR1WHY8dyR4DHj0edx6yHu0fKR9kH6Af3