The
Revognase - Lucy Sussex
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Ever since I
came across the concept of a pass-the-parcel story, where the
plot revolves around a mysterious artefact passing between a
group of characters, I’ve wanted to do one of my own.
Quentaris provided me with the perfect opportunity, with the
added fun that because the series is fantasy, the artefact could
be anything I liked. Or what my subsconscious liked –
some of the properties of the Revognase were a surprise even
to me. I had a lot of fun passing the Revognase between my characters,
seeing it get lost, stolen, even straying at times. In the process
I learnt a lot about crime writing, and how to keep a multi-stranded
narrative moving. |
Blurb
Life in the city of Quentaris is never
dull. The city's two feuding families, the Blues and the Greens,
have just held a battle in the market. There has been a duel
between wizards and a burglary at the Villains' Guild. And the
Chief Soothsayer has just prophesied another
disaster: 'I see a disc of changing colours, passing from hand
to hand. I see murder, misery and mayhem. I see the disc destroying
everyone who touches it!'
Extract
Junko sent the boat across the black
lake. They reached the centre of the flooded cave, the rock
roof arching low overhead. The water was ink-dark, and it rippled
with the movement of creatures underneath.
Back on the shore, the lift hit the cave floor. Figures poured
out.
‘That’s Watch uniform,’ said his boss Dunor.
‘Lad, you haven’t done anything I should know about?’
‘No,’ said Junko. The Watch commandeered the largest
rowboats, pushed them into the water and rowed rapidly across
the lake.
‘Aren’t you worried?’ asked Junko. ‘They’re
almost upon us.’
‘Ah, but I am lad. Just not about the Watch. More ‘bout
certain things that live in these caves. Watch won’t try
and bite my head off, see…’
From behind him Junko heard a faint but disturbing splash. Dunor’s
face went blank. He was looking over Junko’s shoulder.
Junko slowly turned, and gazed into the lamp-like eyes of the
Bhugwash. The great head loomed out of the water and the monster
opened its jaws.
‘Quick lad, throw it a bribe-sweet,’ whispered Dunor.
His hands trembling, Junko felt for the sweets.
‘Hurry, I can’t hold its gaze forever …’
His pouch was empty, no wonder, since he hadn’t got around
to re-filling it. The Bhugwash’s great spiked teeth grated
against the thin wood of the hull.
We’re doomed, Junko thought. |
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