The Bone Quill by Carole E. Barrowman, John Barrowman Page B
Authors: Carole E. Barrowman, John Barrowman
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dropped as close to the ground as it could, and Solon reached under Carik and gently lifted her on to its back. Then he climbed on behind her, making sure she was as comfortable as possible. Carik’s head flopped forward on to the peryton’s neck, as the creature bounded gracefully along the rocky hillside and soared into the air.
Carik suddenly shifted, tipping off to the side. Frantically, Solon steadied her, gripping her even more tightly, doing his best to ignore the softness of the pale skin on her neck, as the peryton pitched into a gentle turn towards the monastery.
TWENTY-ONE
The Abbey
Present Day
M att and Em fell out of Monet’s painting in a rush of foul air and a torpedo of dense grey light, hitting the cluttered art table full on and collapsing it under their weight with a thunderous crash. Less than a second behind them, Zach hurtled out on top of the twins, his elbow jabbing Matt hard in the eye.
‘Ow!’ yelled Matt, shoving Zach on to the floor.
Shut up!
You’ll wake everyone,
Em telepathed to both boys.
The sitting room was pitch black, the heavy curtains drawn across all the windows.
11:19
was flashing on the Blu-ray. They’d been gone for roughly two hours.
Em crawled over to Zach, who was on his stomach on the floor, catching his breath. His heart was racing, and every nerve in his body was wired.
That was too close
,
Em
.
I felt the heat from that engine.
‘I told you my plan would work,’ said Matt.
‘We were lucky,’ replied Em, climbing off the collapsed table. ‘One second more and we’d all be …’
Are you okay, Zach?
Not sure. I feel like that soldier AND that train hit me.
Pulling up Zach’s T-shirt and hoodie, Em gently touched his back. She felt raw, pink welts criss-crossing his skin; a couple felt as though they were bleeding.
How bad is it, Em?
Bad. We can cover them up in the morning. But we all need showers first. If we go to bed smelling like this, we’ll never be able to hide what we’ve done from Jeannie.
‘I’m not okay either, by the way,’ said Matt. ‘Thanks for asking.’
Em stroked her brother’s cheek and rapidly bruising eye.
Poor baby.
I’ll get some ice.
Suddenly, the sitting-room lights burst on, blinding the three of them. Simon was looming over the crushed table, hands on his hips. He let loose a current of barbed energy at them.
‘You are so busted,’ he growled.
Em knew they were in trouble. But the moment she spotted her grandfather sitting on the couch she didn’t care. Scrambling up off the floor, she threw herself into Renard’s arms.
‘I’m so glad you’re home from the hospital!’ she said in delight.
‘And I could say the same about you,’ said Renard, squeezing Em tightly, ‘but my word, you smell awful.’
‘Why didn’t anyone tell us you were coming back tonight?’ Em asked.
‘Would it have mattered if we had?’ said Simon, angrily pulling Matt and Zach up from the floor.
‘Maybe,’ said Matt. ‘It would at least have given us something to look forward to other than what’s on the stupid menu for dinner.’
Jeannie had heard the thunderous commotion on her way up the stairs. She rushed into the room, ignored the broken furniture and swooped Em and the boys up in her embrace. Then she caught their stink and threw her hands in the air.
‘You all stink like you’ve been rolling in horse dung!’
Simon suddenly cried out and put his hands to his temples. Renard did the same. His tea cup, which had been balancing on a plate of crumbs, tipped on to the floor.
‘Where have you three
been
?’ Jeannie went on.
Em could tell that both Simon and Renard had just sensed a wave of extreme energy. The kind of energy Guardians feel when their Animare are animating. But before Em had time to think this through, Matt’s thoughts crashed into her head.
Don’t tell them we time-travelled
.
Em was getting really tired of her brother telling her what to do.
She sat down on the couch and looked at
Carik suddenly shifted, tipping off to the side. Frantically, Solon steadied her, gripping her even more tightly, doing his best to ignore the softness of the pale skin on her neck, as the peryton pitched into a gentle turn towards the monastery.
TWENTY-ONE
The Abbey
Present Day
M att and Em fell out of Monet’s painting in a rush of foul air and a torpedo of dense grey light, hitting the cluttered art table full on and collapsing it under their weight with a thunderous crash. Less than a second behind them, Zach hurtled out on top of the twins, his elbow jabbing Matt hard in the eye.
‘Ow!’ yelled Matt, shoving Zach on to the floor.
Shut up!
You’ll wake everyone,
Em telepathed to both boys.
The sitting room was pitch black, the heavy curtains drawn across all the windows.
11:19
was flashing on the Blu-ray. They’d been gone for roughly two hours.
Em crawled over to Zach, who was on his stomach on the floor, catching his breath. His heart was racing, and every nerve in his body was wired.
That was too close
,
Em
.
I felt the heat from that engine.
‘I told you my plan would work,’ said Matt.
‘We were lucky,’ replied Em, climbing off the collapsed table. ‘One second more and we’d all be …’
Are you okay, Zach?
Not sure. I feel like that soldier AND that train hit me.
Pulling up Zach’s T-shirt and hoodie, Em gently touched his back. She felt raw, pink welts criss-crossing his skin; a couple felt as though they were bleeding.
How bad is it, Em?
Bad. We can cover them up in the morning. But we all need showers first. If we go to bed smelling like this, we’ll never be able to hide what we’ve done from Jeannie.
‘I’m not okay either, by the way,’ said Matt. ‘Thanks for asking.’
Em stroked her brother’s cheek and rapidly bruising eye.
Poor baby.
I’ll get some ice.
Suddenly, the sitting-room lights burst on, blinding the three of them. Simon was looming over the crushed table, hands on his hips. He let loose a current of barbed energy at them.
‘You are so busted,’ he growled.
Em knew they were in trouble. But the moment she spotted her grandfather sitting on the couch she didn’t care. Scrambling up off the floor, she threw herself into Renard’s arms.
‘I’m so glad you’re home from the hospital!’ she said in delight.
‘And I could say the same about you,’ said Renard, squeezing Em tightly, ‘but my word, you smell awful.’
‘Why didn’t anyone tell us you were coming back tonight?’ Em asked.
‘Would it have mattered if we had?’ said Simon, angrily pulling Matt and Zach up from the floor.
‘Maybe,’ said Matt. ‘It would at least have given us something to look forward to other than what’s on the stupid menu for dinner.’
Jeannie had heard the thunderous commotion on her way up the stairs. She rushed into the room, ignored the broken furniture and swooped Em and the boys up in her embrace. Then she caught their stink and threw her hands in the air.
‘You all stink like you’ve been rolling in horse dung!’
Simon suddenly cried out and put his hands to his temples. Renard did the same. His tea cup, which had been balancing on a plate of crumbs, tipped on to the floor.
‘Where have you three
been
?’ Jeannie went on.
Em could tell that both Simon and Renard had just sensed a wave of extreme energy. The kind of energy Guardians feel when their Animare are animating. But before Em had time to think this through, Matt’s thoughts crashed into her head.
Don’t tell them we time-travelled
.
Em was getting really tired of her brother telling her what to do.
She sat down on the couch and looked at
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