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Chapter Two
I

Lydia was sitting on a pillar just outside the Flame Palace when she heard someone come up behind her. She glanced round and saw Karen standing in the doorway.

?You couldn?t sleep either??

?I?m too hyped after what happened to Drew,? Karen said.

?Yeah.? Lydia turned her attention back to the sky. ?There?s something wrong with the stars here.?

?Well, they?re different,? Karen said.
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Chapter One
VI

Mela floated on her back and watched her mother swearing. It was just before dawn, and her family was still in a fury about the human boy escaping, but she found herself ambivalent. Sure, the stories made them sound like monsters, but he hadn?t seemed like a monster. Just a scared boy who didn?t want to die and who was stronger than his weedy frame suggested. And they shouldn?t have tried to force him into the water, anyway. That was a heart law, and The Core wouldn?t care that he was human.

The sound of hooves from the rocky path down to the pool shook her out of her reverie. She looked up to see a hooded human astride a black unicorn with glowing red eyes making his way towards them. The sight made her feel colder than when the boy froze the pool. She?d heard of the Dark Rider ? everyone had. If the stories she?d heard were true, he really was a monster. Read the rest of this entry »

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Chapter One

V

A chorus of the most eerily beautiful music he?d ever heard woke Andrew. It called to him even though he couldn?t understand the words. He looked over at his sisters, but they were still sleeping. He should do the same, but the music singing in his blood would not allow that and he found himself tiptoeing outside. Even the music couldn?t stop him grinding to a halt, however, when he caught sight of the sky. If he?d had any doubts they weren?t on Earth, this would have squashed them. The moon was pale green, far larger than Earth?s, and a black chasm split it from top to bottom in a ragged slice. Read the rest of this entry »

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Chapter One
IV

The building was more intact than it had looked from a distance. A few pillars and blocks of stone had fallen, but the main structure looked intact. A pair of sturdy wooden doors blocked them from just walking in. Lydia sank down onto one of the fallen pillars while Andrew strode over and tried to open them.

?Damn, I need to sleep.? She rubbed her eyes.

Karen rifled around in the holdall and produced a can of Red Bull. ?Here, this might help.? She looked at Bennu. ?Is this going to happen every time you change? I?m glad you saved us, but I don?t know how much Lyd can take.? Read the rest of this entry »

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Chapter One
III

As they reached the valley floor and headed towards the small ruined building, Lydia?s mouth went dry and her stomach clenched. She screeched to a halt and looked back at the other two.

?Scatter!? she yelled and ran off the path.

Karen and Andrew just stared at her, too startled to react.

?Now!? Read the rest of this entry »

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Chapter One

II

Lydia raised an eyebrow at Karen?s reaction. She wanted to comment, but Andrew beat her to it.

?Did you think they?d still be there?? he said. ?Don?t be na?ve.?

?I said I knew it, didn?t I?? she said. ?Which part of that didn?t you understand??

?The bit where you?re swearing about it. You wouldn?t be if you?d expected it,? he said. Read the rest of this entry »

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Chapter One
I

“Lyd! We’re going to be late!”

Lydia Stevens looked up from her packing and blew an errant lock of strawberry blonde hair out of her eyes. “We’ve got plenty of time, Kaz. It doesn’t start till eight.”

“Providing the road to town still goes to town and not somewhere else this time,” Karen said. Read the rest of this entry »