The Claws of Evil - By Andrew Beasley Page 0,56

that their father preferred Nathaniel, Ben had always believed that he wasn’t that different to his big brother. How could they end up on opposite sides in this war?

So much had happened in the last few days that he didn’t know who to believe any more.

“Come on, Ben,” Nathaniel urged, as he headed back towards a rope ladder and prepared to climb it. “We haven’t got time to hang around.”

Nathaniel was right on that account, of course; Ben could hear Mickelwhite and Bedlam approaching. It was time to choose sides.

Ben’s feet remained rooted until the youngest Watcher stepped forward from the shadows and settled the matter for him. He hadn’t really given her much thought until now; she was such a little scrap of a thing. But as she moved closer and held out her hand Ben remembered the last time he had seen those frail fingers.

“Molly!” he declared, and she responded with a gap-toothed smile. She looked happy and well-fed, Ben thought. And she definitely wasn’t dead. So that could mean only one thing – the Weeping Man was not a killer after all.

And the Legion were full of lies.

“I’m coming, Nathaniel,” Ben yelled, running to the foot of the ladder that his brother was already climbing. For a second he stood amazed as all the Watchers, little Molly Marbank included, ascended up their own ropes as swiftly as rats in the rigging. Only Nathaniel remained, hanging back and waiting for Ben.

Ben’s face felt funny and he had to touch his mouth before he recognized what was wrong. He was smiling again; a huge lopsided grin that he couldn’t contain.

I was getting bored of the Legion, anyway, he thought as he took the rope ladder in his hands and prepared to follow Nathaniel up onto the rooftop.

“Quickly!” Nathaniel insisted again. “We haven’t got time to play games, Ben, what are you waiting for? You haven’t given them Pa’s coin have you?”

Ben froze. The smile dead on his lips.

All his peace abandoned him and in its place came a surge of pure fury.

The Coin!

You just want my Coin!

Ferociously, without any clear thought except anger, Ben started to climb after his brother, hand over fist.

We’ll see about that!

London had changed since Lucy had first heard the name Ben Kingdom. She could sense it deep within her and other Watchers had reported it too: darkness was on the rise. It wasn’t anything that she could put her finger on, more a subtle shift in the atmosphere. In the streets, in the drinking houses, in the factories, in rich houses and poor, tensions were becoming frayed, like wire that had been drawn too taut and was ready to snap. Rows were breaking out across the city: husband versus wife, father versus son, friend against friend. It was the presence of the Coin, she had no doubt; Watcher history taught that those cursed pieces of silver were always accompanied by bloodshed. First came the jealousy, then resentment, then the murderous rage.

One thing was for certain, Lucy realized as she looked back over her shoulder – the Legion were becoming bolder. You either had to be very foolhardy or very brave to follow the Watchers up onto the rooftops, but that was exactly what this brigade was doing now. I just pray that they don’t catch up with us, Lucy thought, as she bounded across the tiles.

Lucy was a good enough fighter. Mr. Moon had taught her well but that didn’t stop the swell of fear in her belly. She wasn’t afraid for herself – it was Molly she was scared for. It had been a mistake to let her come with them at all – she should’ve been safely tucked up at the eyrie – but what was done was done. Lucy hung back and drew a small length of pipe from her backpack. She gave a quick flick of her wrist and the metal tube telescoped out until she was holding a quarterstaff, which she spun about her, cutting through the air. With her good eye, she signalled to Ghost, who drew out his crossbow and began to lay down a covering fire.

Nathaniel was still lagging behind them. He was holding them back but it was hardly his fault. He hadn’t had time to get used to his skyboots and so he wasn’t much quicker than the Legion as he staggered and slipped across the roof.

Ghost crouched and sent another bolt speeding towards the pursuing Legionnaires. The trouble was that he wouldn’t hit