Twelve-year-old Carmen has a secret: she can talk to her cat Grim. But the powerful Brotherhood has banned pets, and the penalty is death.
Ward is the most wanted boy in the world. The only thing standing between him and the hangman's noose is maste...
They tumbled out into the room, locked together. The ceiling swung past Ward's line of sight. He barked his shin on a chair and saw it topple. Then there was a flash of movement, and somehow Wrinkler was on top of him. His grip was like iron. He was drawing his fist back towards his chin, and Ward had time to see the scabs on Wrinkler's knuckles, before a voice cut through the room.
"Flip!"
Wrinkler looked up for a moment. This gave Ward time to draw his knees up, plant his feet on the floor, and push himself backwards. Wrinkler didn't let go. They went into a clumsy roll together, crashing into a sofa, scrambling up onto their feet and throwing themselves at each other again. Ward sensed vaguely that someone was trying to pull them apart. He and Wrinkler lunged at each other at the same time, and in the melee the stranger cried out in pain. It was this that finally made them stop.
Ward drew back into a corner, gasping for breath. Wrinkler stood beside the sofa, arms crossed, looking as if he had done nothing more strenuous than shake Ward's hand.
Between them stood a girl with blue eyes and a dirty face. There was blood on her bottom lip. "Idiots!" she cried.
"Look what you done to her you (unprintable word)," Wrinkler said.
The girl turned on him. "You oughta be shamed Flip. Taking on a boy."
This confused Ward. Surely Wrinkler was no older than he was?
"Now shake hands," the girl said.
"No (unprintable word) way," Wrinkler said. "Look at his foot!"
"I know about his stupid foot," the girl said. "The Kidsman tole me already. And it's none of our business. So you better keep your gobs shut."
"Hear that Lightie?" Wrinkler said. "We better keep our gobs shut." He laughed crazily. Lightfinger didn't join in this time – his awe of the girl seemed to trump that of Wrinkler.
"I should go," Ward said.
"You're not goin anywhere," the girl said. "You gonna shake or what?"
"I'm not shaking his hand."
"Then we're gonna be here a long time, aren't we?" She crossed her arms.
Ward sighed, crossed the room, and held out his hand. There was a silence. It seemed to last an eternity. Everyone was watching Wrinkler. Finally, he took Ward's hand. He squeezed it several times, harder than was perhaps necessary. Ward gritted his teeth and squeezed back.
"Boys," Mildew muttered in disgust. "I'm Mildew," she said to Ward.
Ward stared at her.
"Mildew Maggot." The girl went on. "Named meself." Her jaw stiffened. "Got a problem with that?"
"No," he said quickly. "I'm Ward. Um, sorry I – sorry about your lip."
Mildew waved it off. "Bin bit by mozzies that hurt more than that."
"So what happens when the others find out about...?" Wrinkler said, nodding in the direction of Ward's foot.
"They're not gonna find out," Mildew said. "Right?" Mildew turned to Lightfinger. "Right?" He nodded emphatically back. "Anyone gabs and they'll have Saint Nick to answer to. I a-spect he has plans for you," she said to Ward.
"What plans?"
"Big ones, no doubt. Canniest cove in the business. Criminal mastermind akshully." Her eyes went distant, as if she was talking of some great historical king. "But you can trust him," she said, her eyes clearing. "Trust him with your life."
"What's left of it anyway," Wrinkler said.
"Might not have nothing to do with your foot at all though," Mildew said. "The Kidsman's always looking for new Nickers."
"Nickers?" Ward had a brief mental image of Nick scouring the city for underpants.
"People that nick stuff. Are you slow or what?"
"I lived on an island my whole life," Ward said, feeling he had to defend himself somehow.
"That doesn't sound made up at all," Wrinkler said.
"What's the big deal about my foot anyway?" Ward said.
Mildew looked closely at him "How could you've had it all your life and not know?"
"Pretty (unprintable word) suspicious if you arks me," Flip said.
"I told you," Ward said, "I've lived on an island all my life. There was only one other person there. He never said anything. All he told me was that my parents were dead."
None of them seemed surprised by this. Perhaps they were used to people's parents being dead.
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