The Hero's Tomb Read Online Free Page A

turned the key. His cutlass hilt slipped in his sweating palm, and he gripped it tighter, setting his jaw and trying to look as menacing as he could. Not easy when your coat is twice as big as you are.
    ‘Where is he?’
    ‘Where’s— What are you talking about?’ spluttered Lortt. ‘Can’t you see we’re a bit bleedin’ busy?’
    ‘Indeed, young man,’ said the surgeon. ‘I am about to remove this gentleman’s foot, and the least you could do is—’
    ‘For the last time,’ roared Lortt, so loudly the surgeon flinched. ‘You ain’t cutting off my foot! Just make the pain go away. An’ do it quick.’
    ‘You know who I mean,’ said Joseph. ‘I’m looking for Jeb the Snitch. You brought him here to Azurmouth, didn’t you? After the battle.’
    ‘What d’yer want with that lousy weevil?’
    ‘Never you mind. Just tell me where he is, and no one’ll get hurt.’
    ‘I’m already hurt, mongrel, can’t yer see?’ snarled Lortt, pointing at his foot. ‘That filthy blue-haired friend o’ yours done this.’
    Tabitha. Joseph’s stomach twisted at the thought of his friend. He hadn’t told her where he was going. Hadn’t even said goodbye. Would she have come after him, when she found him gone? Would she have brought Newton and the Demon’s Watch?
    He hoped not.
    The surgeon rattled a bag hopefully. ‘Yes, now, about that foot … Perhaps my fine range of whalebone replacements might change your mind?’
    A sudden battering on the cabin door made Joseph’s ears twitch. ‘Want us to kill ’im, Captain?’ came a shout from outside.
    Joseph darted around the table, putting the injured hobgoblin between him and the door.
    ‘Where d’you think you’re going?’ said Lortt.
    ‘Perhaps,’ said the surgeon, ‘if you would just allow me to—’
    ‘PUT. THAT. SAW. DOWN!’
    The surgeon looked pale as he tucked it away in his bag. ‘Well, I can’t say I’m not disappointed.’
    Joseph puffed out his chest, trying to imagine he was big and tough like Captain Newton. ‘If you don’t tell me, I’ll have to, er …’
    What would he do? The thought of actually using the cutlass was too horrifying. Still, he had to pretend at least. What would Tabitha say?
    ‘I’ll … I’ll cut your foot off!’
    ‘That would certainly save me the trouble,’ muttered the surgeon.
    ‘And the other one too!’
    Lortt smirked. ‘Hope you ain’t plannin’ to charge as much as this quack.’
    Joseph felt his face getting hot. The hobgoblin didn’t think he had it in him. Just tell me. Tell me now. All of a sudden he found that he’d taken a step forward, his cutlass raised. He could just imagine it – bringing the blade down with all his strength …
    It scared him.
    Lortt’s eyes grew wide, as though he could sense what was going on in Joseph’s head. Obviously it scared him too.
    ‘All right, keep yer breeches on. Me and Jeb, we ain’t friends. Matter o’ fact, the bilge crawler cheated me out o’ half my pay for bringing him across the ocean. So I’ll help you out, and in return you can get off my ship. That clear?’
    Joseph nodded, lowering the cutlass with shaking hands. ‘Tell me where he is.’
    ‘He said he had business here with the GreyBrotherhood. They got a place called the Whale, on Seagull Alley off Butcher’s Cross.’ He hesitated. ‘Just don’t tell ’im I sent yer, understand? The Snitch don’t like being crossed.’
    ‘Thank you,’ said Joseph. ‘And, er … I’m sorry about your foot. I hope you—’
    ‘Just get off my ship. ’
     
    Two minutes later, Joseph was dripping and shivering as he hurried over the cobblestones. Lortt had promised not to hurt him, but he didn’t exactly trust the hobgoblin, and he trusted his sailors even less – which meant he’d had no choice but to wriggle out of the cabin window and go plunging into the sea. It had been freezing cold and brimming with slimy seaweed, but that didn’t matter.
    He had a lead. A real, solid