The History Keepers Circus Maximus (38 page)

There was a communal sigh of relief.

‘Are you sure?’ asked Jupitus.

Galliana nodded. ‘She is smiling at me.’

‘Who is Madame Tieng?’ Jake asked.

‘She’s the commander’s counterpart in Peking,’ whispered Miriam. ‘A formidable lady. But what on earth is she doing here?’

Eventually the ship docked, a gangplank was lowered and the travellers nervously filed down onto the pier; distinguished-looking men and women, all dressed in exquisite Chinese clothes. Jake noticed there were no youngsters amongst them – they were mostly Galliana’s age. They shivered in the brisk Atlantic wind. The ladies looked like rare flowers imported from some exotic clime.

Madame Tieng, a striking white-haired woman with black eyes and rosebud lips, stepped forward and bowed to Galliana.

‘We escaped in the dead of night,’ she informed her. ‘The Chinese bureau has been ransacked.’

‘Ransacked?’ Galliana asked, trying hard to hold onto her emotions. ‘By whom?’

Madame Tieng looked up at her. She shook her head and closed her eyes. ‘By Xi Xiang’s men,’ she said. ‘I sent a young team in search of him, but I believe we are all now in danger.’

There was a horrified gasp. Jake had no idea who Xi Xiang was, but it was clear from the hurried, nervous conversations that another mission would soon be sanctioned, perhaps to the east – maybe to China itself. He already longed to be part of it. His father was right: he was an adventurer, it was in his blood. He was a History Keeper – surely he had proved that now. And, after all, he had travelled to history as a baby.

He turned round and locked eyes with Topaz; then both of them looked out to sea. Jake thought again of his brother Philip. The Atlantic breeze seemed to stir his heart.

‘You’re alive,’ he murmured as it ruffled his hair. ‘I know you are out there . . .’

A
CKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ONCE AGAIN I
would like to thank the five wise goddesses: Jo Unwin, Becky Stradwick, Sue Cook, Sophie Nelson and Lauren Bennett for all their incredible work and never-ending support. And, of course, Ali Lowry for being his fantastic self.

Finally I would like to dedicate this book to my brother Justin, and to Berne, Lukas and Zak – in memory of Justine, a wonderful and inspiring lady, who will never be forgotten.

About the Author

Damian has worked extensively as a screenwriter on projects as diverse as
Phantom of the Opera
and
Puss in Boots
. He is a keen explorer, inspired by everything from archaeology to cosmology, and loves nothing more than a rollicking adventure story. He is a proud Londoner and lives on the South Bank with his dog Dudley.
Circus Maximus
is the sequel to his first novel,
The Storm Begins
.

Also by Damian Dibben

The History Keepers: The Storm Begins

THE HISTORY KEEPERS: CIRCUS MAXIMUS
AN RHCP DIGITAL EBOOK 978 1 446 48036 6

Published in Great Britain by RHCP Digital,
an imprint of Random House Children’s Publishers UK
A Random House Group Company

This ebook edition published 2012

Copyright © Damian Dibben, 2012
Cover artwork copyright © Steve Stone, 2012

First Published in Great Britain by Doubleday, 2012

Doubleday Childrens 9780857530578 2012

The right of Damian Dibben to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorized distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

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A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

• Cover
  
• About the Book
  
• Title Page
  
• Dedication
  
• 1. The Queen of the Night
  
• 2. The Wide-Brimmed Hat
  
• 3. Josephine of Nantes
  
• 4. Meslith from Deep History
  
• 5. The Hippocampus
  
• 6. Catastrophe Siciliano
  
• 7. A New Beginning
  
• 8. Ocean to the Ancient World
  
• 9. The Shadow’s Hand
  
• 10. The Hydra Guard
  
• 11. Exit Paradise
  
• 12. The Flame-Haired Sibyl
  
• 13. To the Eternal City
  
• 14. Dawn Encounter
  
• 15. Diabolical Dinner
  
• 16. Andromeda and the Sea Monster
  
• 17. Lucius Down
  
• 18. The Secret Room
  
• 19. The End of Dominions
  
• 20. The Claws of Death
  
• 21. Circus Maximus!
  
• 22. Seven Laps to Doom
  
• 23. Fireball Rome
  
• 24. A Place in History
  
• Acknowledgements
  
• About the Author
  
• Also by Damian Dibben
  
• Copyright