Goddess of Gotham by Amanda Lees Read Free Book Online Page B

his bones. Sell out that kid and he could pay off what he owed. Sonny began to hum under his breath.
    Suddenly, life was looking good.
    KUMARI’S JOURNAL
    (TOP SECRET. FOR MY EYES ONLY.
    EVERYONE ELSE KEEP OUT!
    THIS MEANS YOU!)
    The World Beyond
    First Night
    It’s so noisy here I cannot sleep. Those things with wheels rush up and down all night. I can hear people shouting in the street and other sounds. I have no idea what
they are. The light shines in through the window so brightly I can see to write – far brighter than moonlight. Weird thing is, I can’t even see the moon or stars. I need to find the moon to
work how long I’ve been here.
    If I can work out how long I’ve been here already, I’ll know how much of my year and a day I have left. But there doesn’t appear to be a moon. Instead, the sky is a kind of
orange. At least Badmash is asleep. He looks so tired it makes me think he must have travelled far which means I must also have come a very long way from home. The scariest thing is not knowing
where I am.
    These people seem to be friendly enough although I don’t like the way that boy stares at me. I think he must be Ma’s son, the brother of those girls who look the same. Except for
the boy, they are all very kind, although I suppose it could be a plot. They could be working with those men who snatched me. At least those guards with guns have got them now so they can’t
take me again.
    I don’t think the people here are working with those men, though. I trust Ma – she’s a good person. She has gentle eyes and a kind face. She reminds me of
the Ayah a little bit, like a big, soft cushion (in a nice way). I like her hair – it’s mad. And her clothes are something else. But I wish I could understand what she says. The words
just don’t make sense. The RHM would feel so smug – ‘You should have listened,’ that’s what he’d say. Yeah, right. Accessing the Gift of Tongues.’ I mean,
it didn’t seem exactly relevant before all this.
    I wish I was back home. Everything here is really strange. Even the food they eat is bizarre. Instead of plates, they seem to use boxes to eat from and all the food appears to come from
packages. I’d give anything for a bowl of spiced lentils and rice. Or maybe the Ayah’s special momos. Tonight we all sat looking at the talking box and ate some kind of bread and cheese
thing they called ‘peetza.’ Do people watch the box every night? Or do they read or talk or practise rituals? The talking box is pretty cool, although I still can’t work out how
they get the people in it.
    There certainly seems to be some powerful magic in the World Beyond – I don’t know yet just how strong. They might even be using some now to keep me here, although I’m sure
I would feel it. Plus I have my amulet back – that must be doing something to protect me. Or it would do if I could only remember how to activate it.
    It’s not like I can test it by trying to escape, seeing as I don’t even know where I am, right now. What’s the point of running away if you don’t know where
you’re heading? I don’t know a single person in the World Beyond so it’s not like there’s anyone to help me, anyway. I did try with that king guy but it was pretty
clear he didn’t recognise a fellow royal. The best thing to do is sit tight and think. At least, that’s what Mamma would say. I can see her picture now on the pillow beside me. I miss
her more than ever.

CHAPTER 4
    K umari tiptoed into Ma’s bedroom, casting a last, nervous glance through the living room door. Blue light flickered from the talking box.
Poking above the couch in front of it, she could see the backs of three heads. Ma and the two girls were watching a small, yellow boy called Bart scrawl in chalk across a blackboard. The angry
young man had left some time before. Now she had her chance.
    Tucked in her pocket, Badmash snoozed, exhausted from his endeavours. Kumari refused to be parted from