Sapphire Blue Read Online Free PDF

not a ghost,” said the gargoyle, offended. “I’m a demon. Or what’s left of a demon.”
    “What’s the difference?” I asked desperately. “I can’t do with any more ghosts or demons right now, understand? You’ll just have to go back to your church.”
    “What’s the difference? Oh, really! Ghosts are only reflections of dead people who for some reason or other don’t want to leave this world. But I was a demon when I was alive. You can’t just lump me in with ordinary ghosts. Anyway, it’s not my church . I simply like to hang out there.”
    The taxi driver was staring at me with his mouth wide open. Presumably he could hear every word through the car window—every word that I said.
    I rubbed my forehead. “I couldn’t care less about that. You can’t stay here with me, anyway.”
    “What are you afraid of?” The gargoyle came closer, putting his head on one side in a confidential way. “These days no one gets burnt as a witch just for seeing and knowing a bit more than ordinary people.”
    “But these days people who talk to ghosts—er, and demons—get sent to mental hospitals,” I said. “Can’t you understand that—” I broke off. There was no point in this. Taking a friendly line with him wasn’t going to get me anywhere. So I frowned and said as brusquely as possible, “I may be able to see you, that’s just my bad luck, but it doesn’t mean you have any claim on my company.”
    The gargoyle didn’t seem in the least impressed. “But you have a claim on mine, you lucky—”
    “Let me make this perfectly clear: you’re a nuisance! So please go away!” I hissed.
    “Won’t! And you’d be sorry later. Here comes your boyfriend, by the way. Kissy kissy!” And he pursed his lips and made loud kissing noises.
    “Oh, shut up.” I saw Gideon striding around the corner. “And go away .” I said that last bit without moving my lips, like a ventriloquist. But of course the gargoyle still wasn’t impressed.
    “No need to take that tone, young lady!” he said, sounding satisfied. “Don’t forget that when you shout the echo comes back the same.”
    Gideon wasn’t alone. I saw the stout figure of Mr. George puffing along after him. He had to run to keep up. But even from a distance, I could see him beaming at me.
    I straightened up and smoothed down my dress.
    “Gwyneth, thank God!” said Mr. George as he mopped the sweat from his brow with a handkerchief. “Everything all right, my dear?”
    “Fatso there is right out of breath,” said the gargoyle.
    “Fine, thanks, Mr. George. We just had a few … er, problems…”
    Gideon, who was giving the taxi driver several banknotes, cast me a warning glance across the car roof.
    “… with timing,” I murmured, watching the taxi driver turn out into the street, shaking his head, and drive away.
    “Yes, Gideon’s told me there were complications. That’s extraordinary. There’s a loophole in the system somewhere. We’ll have to analyze it thoroughly, and maybe do some rethinking. But what really matters is that nothing happened to you two.” Mr. George offered me his arm, which looked a little odd because I was a few inches taller than him. “Come along, my dear. There are things we have to do.”
    “I’d really like to get home as soon as possible,” I said. The gargoyle shinned up a drainpipe and made his way along the gutter toward us, hand over hand, singing “Friends Will Be Friends” at the top of his voice.
    “Yes, of course you would,” said Mr. George. “But you’ve only spent three hours in the past today. To be on the safe side until tomorrow afternoon, you’ll have to elapse for another couple of hours now. Don’t worry, it won’t be any trouble. A nice comfortable room in the cellars where you can do your homework.”
    “But—my mum is sure to be waiting for me and worrying!” What was more, this was Wednesday, and Wednesday was our day for roast chicken and french fries. Not to mention the