Grimsdon Read Online Free Page A

drawing.
    Xavier glanced at her notepad and her picture of the Aerotrope. ‘Can I see the rest?’
    Fly pushed it towards him. There were sketches of the river, the Palace, the kids. He stopped at one of Isabella staring out at the harbour, as if she was searching for something. And there were the others: beasts lurking beneath waves, creatures rising out of the ocean with long, scaly bodies and sleek, powerful necks, battling smaller sea creatures with sharp talons and dagger-like teeth.
    â€˜These are good,’ he said. ‘I especially like–’
    â€˜What do you want?’ Griffin blurted out. ‘Why are you here? What did you come to steal?’
    â€˜Nothing, I’ve got everything I need where I live.’
    â€˜Then why break in?’ Isabella demanded.
    â€˜I wasn’t sure you’d let me in.’ Xavier’s confidence faltered. ‘When I followed you, I saw how much fun you have together. I’ve been so focused on surviving, I’d forgotten what it was like to have friends.’
    Griffin huffed. ‘You expect us to believe you came here because you’re lonely?’
    Xavier looked down, the angel wings of the chair rising behind him.
    â€˜What do you want in return?’ Isabella asked.
    He was quiet for a few moments. ‘To stay.’
    â€˜With us?’ Griffin laughed in disbelief. ‘We don’t know anything about you.’
    â€˜My name is Xavier Stone. I’m fourteen, my parents died in the floods, swept away as I tried to reach for them, and I’ve been on my own ever since.’
    The room went quiet. Xavier frowned and looked away.
    â€˜We need to have a meeting,’ Isabella said.
    â€˜But there’s nothing to talk about,’ Griffin said. ‘He’s a thief who broke into our house, so we don’t want him here.’
    â€˜Which one of us isn’t a thief?’ Xavier asked. ‘None of you actually owns this grand house you live in.’
    â€˜That’s different,’ Griffin said.
    â€˜Is it?’ Xavier held his stare. ‘I never stole a thing before this all happened.’
    Isabella pointed to the other side of the dining room at a set of glass doors leading to a library. ‘You can wait in there until we decide.’
    Xavier got up from his chair and entered the room. He closed the doors and gave one last look before turning and perusing the shelves.
    The children gathered around Isabella.
    Griffin got in first. ‘I say he goes.’
    Fly flicked back to the drawing of the Aerotrope.
    â€˜It’s true. He has the Aerotrope,’ Isabella said. ‘We can get to places we haven’t been able to reach, like the Haggle he told us about.’
    â€˜The people there could be dangerous,’ Griffin said.
    â€˜But it’s where Xavier found the bike for his flying machine.’ Bea shrugged.
    â€˜And you’re always looking for bits and pieces to help make your inventions,’ Raffy added.
    â€˜We’ve been through the houses around here,’ Isabella said. ‘We haven’t found any new sources of food in weeks. With the sneaker waves and storms, having to go further away using only the flying fox and the dinghy is getting too dangerous.’
    Griffin shifted in his chair. ‘I’ve got a bad feeling about him. In three years, all we’ve needed is each other. Why should we let someone else in now?’
    â€˜He could be useful. Plus, he’s older and bigger than us, and his strength will come in handy for defending ourselves and getting supplies for Sneddon.’
    Griffin tried to puff himself up. ‘But you have me.’
    Isabella smiled. ‘And I will always appreciate you for your many talents, but strength isn’t one of them.’
    He shrank. ‘I’m not as puny as people think.’
    â€˜I don’t think you’re puny,’ Bea chimed in.
    â€˜You’re one the smartest people I’ve