Read Online The Ring of Five by Eoin McNamee - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Eoin McNamee
Tags: Fiction, General, All Ages, Children's Books, Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Espionage, Juvenile Fiction, Action & Adventure - General, Fantasy & Magic, Science Fiction; Fantasy; & Magic, True Crime, Children: Grades 4-6, School & Education, Mysteries & Detective Stories, Schools, Men, spies, Boys & Men, Mysteries; Espionage; & Detective Stories, Boys, Juvenile Mysteries
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find the means to escape, he had the right to refuse
71
to be inducted, and after that they would hardly force him to stay.
"Brilliant," Les said. "I'll see you later, then. You need anything, ask Vandra. She might have a bit of a family history, but she's the salt of the earth."
Danny wondered what the family history might be. He remembered Vandra's two vampirelike teeth.... Surely not.
It was still cold, but the sun had come out and he thought he would explore the grounds of Wilsons. He could get an idea of how you got in and out of the place and what lay beyond it.
Devoy watched Danny from the library of the third landing. One of the other cadets had probably told the boy about the induction, he thought. And that he had the right to accept or refuse. Devoy wondered if Brunholm had considered that Danny might say no when he had paid Fairman to bring the boy across the frontier.
To be fair to Brunholm, his plan had a lot to recommend it. On the downside, though, it was dangerous, especially for Danny. Brunholm's plans never took any account of the fact that they had to be carried out by people of flesh and blood.
Danny seemed intelligent, and capable of learning, though whether he could learn what he needed in the short time available remained to be seen. And he could still refuse. That was the big difference between Wilsons
72
and the Ring: with the Ring you had no option. Devoy sighed. Sometimes he thought that was the only difference.
Danny started by finding a gravel path that led away from Wilsons. It was lined with old lime trees. He walked for a long time, moving further and further away from the building, and deeper and deeper into the trees. The limes gave way to ancient oaks covered in moss, and the dense canopy of branches above his head cast a deep gloom, despite the fact that there were no leaves. He was relieved when the oaks were replaced by lime trees again, and then amazed when he reemerged in exactly the same spot where he had set out!
He went out into the garden and heard tea being called from a speaker concealed in the bushes somewhere. He saw some other cadets ahead of him and followed them to Ravensdale at a discreet distance.
Ten minutes later he was sitting at the table in Ravensdale with Les and the others. He smiled at Vandra, but she looked away.
"You missed it," Les said excitedly. "Brunholm was in a right old strop about that statue that nearly hit you. Took us all in one by one and asked us to 'account for our movements.'"
"I said there was no accounting for my movements," Dixie told them. "I just ... flow." Danny looked at her to see if she was joking, but her face was serious.
"Then there's the statue supposedly falling on this
73
boy who has the anatomical features of a Cherb," the boy with large, blinking eyes said.
"Yeah, well, Exspectre, you have all the anatomical features of a bush baby, but it don't mean you are one," Les said.
Dixie stifled a giggle. Exspectre looked at Les without expression, then turned away.
"Not a whole lot of fun, that one," Les whispered to Danny. "Ah, here comes grub."
They ate in silence, although Danny was aware of eyes on him. Vandra, perhaps, or Smyck. Or even Exspectre, blinking over his plate.
When they were finished, Blackpitt came on the speakers and announced, "Study," then, in a not-very-low whisper, added, "Did you hear we had Inspector McGuinness in today? Verrrry exciting."
"Poor old Blackpitt," Les said, "he does love a good bit of gossip."
Danny followed Les up a set of marble stairs. The cadets chattered among themselves as they walked. Danny got some unfriendly glances, and some openly curious ones. He tried to work out how many cadets thought he was really a Cherb, but gave up. He wouldn't be here long enough for it to worry him.
They walked through a curious domed marble room with a walkway around the top of it, about twenty feet above their head.
"What's that?" Danny asked.
"The Gallery of Whispers," Les said. "They
71
to be inducted, and after that they would hardly force him to stay.
"Brilliant," Les said. "I'll see you later, then. You need anything, ask Vandra. She might have a bit of a family history, but she's the salt of the earth."
Danny wondered what the family history might be. He remembered Vandra's two vampirelike teeth.... Surely not.
It was still cold, but the sun had come out and he thought he would explore the grounds of Wilsons. He could get an idea of how you got in and out of the place and what lay beyond it.
Devoy watched Danny from the library of the third landing. One of the other cadets had probably told the boy about the induction, he thought. And that he had the right to accept or refuse. Devoy wondered if Brunholm had considered that Danny might say no when he had paid Fairman to bring the boy across the frontier.
To be fair to Brunholm, his plan had a lot to recommend it. On the downside, though, it was dangerous, especially for Danny. Brunholm's plans never took any account of the fact that they had to be carried out by people of flesh and blood.
Danny seemed intelligent, and capable of learning, though whether he could learn what he needed in the short time available remained to be seen. And he could still refuse. That was the big difference between Wilsons
72
and the Ring: with the Ring you had no option. Devoy sighed. Sometimes he thought that was the only difference.
Danny started by finding a gravel path that led away from Wilsons. It was lined with old lime trees. He walked for a long time, moving further and further away from the building, and deeper and deeper into the trees. The limes gave way to ancient oaks covered in moss, and the dense canopy of branches above his head cast a deep gloom, despite the fact that there were no leaves. He was relieved when the oaks were replaced by lime trees again, and then amazed when he reemerged in exactly the same spot where he had set out!
He went out into the garden and heard tea being called from a speaker concealed in the bushes somewhere. He saw some other cadets ahead of him and followed them to Ravensdale at a discreet distance.
Ten minutes later he was sitting at the table in Ravensdale with Les and the others. He smiled at Vandra, but she looked away.
"You missed it," Les said excitedly. "Brunholm was in a right old strop about that statue that nearly hit you. Took us all in one by one and asked us to 'account for our movements.'"
"I said there was no accounting for my movements," Dixie told them. "I just ... flow." Danny looked at her to see if she was joking, but her face was serious.
"Then there's the statue supposedly falling on this
73
boy who has the anatomical features of a Cherb," the boy with large, blinking eyes said.
"Yeah, well, Exspectre, you have all the anatomical features of a bush baby, but it don't mean you are one," Les said.
Dixie stifled a giggle. Exspectre looked at Les without expression, then turned away.
"Not a whole lot of fun, that one," Les whispered to Danny. "Ah, here comes grub."
They ate in silence, although Danny was aware of eyes on him. Vandra, perhaps, or Smyck. Or even Exspectre, blinking over his plate.
When they were finished, Blackpitt came on the speakers and announced, "Study," then, in a not-very-low whisper, added, "Did you hear we had Inspector McGuinness in today? Verrrry exciting."
"Poor old Blackpitt," Les said, "he does love a good bit of gossip."
Danny followed Les up a set of marble stairs. The cadets chattered among themselves as they walked. Danny got some unfriendly glances, and some openly curious ones. He tried to work out how many cadets thought he was really a Cherb, but gave up. He wouldn't be here long enough for it to worry him.
They walked through a curious domed marble room with a walkway around the top of it, about twenty feet above their head.
"What's that?" Danny asked.
"The Gallery of Whispers," Les said. "They
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