The Crooked Sixpence Read Online Free PDF Page B

vanished.
    Ivy’s body went rigid. Suspects one and two were unmistakably her and Seb. The underguards were hunting for them, but she didn’t understand why. She thought back to what Smokehart had said on Granma Sylvie’s doorstep.
Sylvie Wrench . . . Twelfth Night . . . disappeared . . .
    She wished she could discuss it with Seb. His trainers had now disappeared behind the portmanteau –
thank goodness
– but now she saw his face reflected in a pair of shiny briefcase locks. His cheeks were bulging, his lips pinched together.
    No!
    Seb threw up onto the floor with a sound like a plughole being unblocked.
    The underguard jumped as the sound reverberated around the cave. He immediately turned in Seb’s direction.
    â€˜Who’s there?’ He growled.
    Ivy tried to dart forward, but the boy’s arm prevented her. She felt his other hand clamp over her mouth.
    â€˜Well, well, well . . .’ The underguard stepped forward, grabbing Seb by the top of his hoodie. ‘What do we have here?’
    Seb tried to break free as he was dragged out from behind the portmanteau. ‘Get off me!’ His face was greenish and sweaty. ‘What’s your problem?’
    The man shoved him out into the middle of the cave and took a good look at him. Ivy could almost see him checking off the description of Suspect Two. His eyes narrowed. ‘My problem, son, is
you
.’ He slid a tiny object out from under his long cloak. Ivy saw a flash of silver between his fingers.
    â€˜A
paperclip
?’ Seb exclaimed. ‘What are you gonna do with that?’
    The underguard smiled wickedly and shook the paperclip twice. It unfolded till it was straight, and then lengthened. In a streak of silver it leaped out of the underguard’s hand and onto one of Seb’s wrists.
    â€˜Hey!’ Seb’s hands snapped together, and then the paperclip wrapped itself around them. ‘What the—?’ He strained to pry them apart again. ‘You can’t do this!’
    The underguard took him by the shoulder, pushing him towards the cave exit. ‘You’re under arrest. I wouldn’t struggle if I were you; uncommon paperclips don’t like to be pulled apart.’
    Ivy got one last glimpse of her brother’s features before he disappeared into the passageway. His brown eyes darted around wildly.
    He was looking for
her
.

Chapter Seven
    By the time the boy finally relaxed his grip around Ivy’s shoulders, Seb’s footsteps had disappeared. ‘Get off me!’ she spluttered, ripping his hand off her mouth. She inhaled deeply and scrambled away, sending a few loose suitcases flying. ‘What is
wrong
with you?’ she screamed. ‘That’s my brother!’ She stumbled into the centre of the cave and made a beeline for the exit.
    Her head was spinning.
    Seb . . .
    She had to get him back. She tried to think what her mum and dad would do if they were there, but the situation was so unbelievable she had trouble imagining them there at all.
    â€˜Where have they taken him?’ she growled.
    The dark-haired boy got to his feet, rubbing his shoulder where a large suitcase had just struck him. ‘To the underguard station,’ he said matter-of-factly, ‘in the main cavern.’
    Ivy came to a stop.
The underguard station . . .
She didn’t even want to consider what might happen to Seb if Officer Smokehart got hold of him. ‘Where’s that?’
    He considered her for a moment, cocking his head to one side. ‘Tell me, why are the Ugs even after a commoner like you? It doesn’t make sense.’
    â€˜I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ Ivy said. ‘And I don’t care. Just tell me how to get my brother back.’
    The boy rubbed his chin. ‘
If
I tell you,’ he said carefully, ‘you’ve gotta promise to do me a favour.’
    â€˜
What?
’ Ivy balled