Read Online Dicing with Death by Beth Chambers - Free Book Online

came Greg’s terse response. ‘I had to wait until they were asleep.’
    The hairs on the back of Max’s neck prickled. What were they going to drop off that was so secret? Could his dad really have the elixir? Liah would be unbearable if she was proven right.
    A loud crash made him jump.
    â€˜What was that?’ Greg’s companion exclaimed.
    â€˜Relax, it was just some books falling down,’ said Greg.
    â€˜Books don’t just jump off shelves of their own accord.’
    â€˜You can see there’s no one there, Ralf.’ Greg sounded impatient.
    â€˜Have you checked the doors are locked?’
    Max peered around the curtain and saw a well-built, blond-haired man stride towards him. Max’s mouth turned dry. He thought longingly of his invisibility cap. How was he going to explain what he was doing here?
    Ralf’s hand grasped the edge of the curtain just as a loud, fake-sounding sneeze broke the silence.
    â€˜Who’s there?’ Greg demanded.
    Without pulling back the curtain, Ralf strode away.
    Max peered into the room again in time to see his father reach down and pull Liah out from under the desk. ‘Liah! What are you doing here?’
    Liah stared at the two men defiantly. She pressed her lips together and refused to say anything.
    â€˜We haven’t time for this,’ Ralf said. ‘What are we going to do with her?’
    Greg thrust Liah at him before taking a key out of his pocket. He used it to unlock a slim drawer in the centre of his desk. Carefully he withdrew a small silver casket. ‘Bring her with us,’ he said grimly. ‘We’re not letting her go until she tells us what exactly she’s doing here.’

Chapter Thirteen
    This was bad, seriously bad. Max listened to the distant sound of tyres squealing. What was he going to do? Where had they gone? He had to find them. Liah had done what she could to save him, now it was his turn to return the favour.
    He fumbled in his pocket and pulled out the silver whistle, which he’d hoped not to have to use. He blew through it desperately, praying that its soundless note would summon Buttercup as quickly in the Overworld.
    At once, a clatter of hooves sounded outside. Max pulled back the door and found the huge pegasus waiting. He snorted and pawed the ground when Max drew close.
    â€˜Stop with the big man routine,’ Max said irritably. ‘It doesn’t fool anyone. Not with a name like Buttercup.’ He grasped a handful of mane and scrambled onto the pegasus’s back. ‘You likeLiah, don’t you? Even if she does bake bread hard enough to break teeth. You need to help me get her back.’ He then spoke the words he’d always wanted to say. ‘Follow that car. Go!’
    Cuppy rose in the air, his wings beating powerfully.
    Max’s stomach flipped as the black horse soared after the car. The wind whistled in his ears as they followed the vehicle along winding mountain roads to a white villa perched on a hilltop. Its high spiked fence and gate presented no challenge to the pegasus, which soared over them before easily landing behind a huge bush.
    Max slid off, and stumbled forward when Cuppy nudged him in the back. ‘I’m going, I’m going,’ he muttered. He parted the thick branches of the bush and peered through a gap in the foliage. Up ahead his dad, Ralf and Liah disappeared through the villa’s double doors. Max scurried across the broad expanse of lawn and climbed the steps leading to the entrance. Before he could reach the door it slowly opened. Max froze, knowing he had nowhere to hide from whoever was about to come out.
    Seconds ticked by but no one appeared, so Max crept over to the entrance. Through the open doorhe spotted the men and Liah heading down a long hallway. After a quick check to make sure there was no one else around, Max slipped inside and silently closed the door behind him.
    As he hurried along the dark