Free The History Keepers Circus Maximus by Damian Dibben

arranged alphabetically: a series of twelve belonged to the Barco Dorado , another fifteen to the Campana , twenty or so to the Conqueror , and so on. Jake noticed one book standing slightly proud of the others: it was the last in the series dedicated to the Escape , the ship on which he had first sailed from London – that fateful journey during which he had learned that he could travel through time. He took it down and flicked through its pages, each one densely inscribed with beautifully curling letters. The last entry brought a smile to his face:at the end of the list of passenger names – Jupitus Cole , Charlie Chieverley , Topaz St Honoré , etc., etc., was his own: Jake Djones, 14. So I’m leaving Point Zero , Jake thought to himself, but here’s the proof, in black and white, that I’m a History Keeper .
    He put it back and found the records of the Hippocampus – only six volumes. Jake took down the first and started scanning its contents. There was nothing but a succession of unfamiliar names. The second had no more to offer. In the third, Galliana Goethe’s name appeared a number of times. In the fourth he saw Jupitus Cole’s, and then, to Jake’s amazement, the name Djones started making an appearance. Alan, Miriam and Rose were all there, either travelling alone or together, on trips to Macedonia, Persia, Numidia, Ostia – even a trip to Londinium, as London was called during Roman times. Next to each entry was the agent’s age at the time. It was odd for Jake to imagine his parents when they were only seventeen and eighteen. How different they must have been.
    The fifth volume revealed further unfamiliar names, but on the second page of the sixth, Jake got a shock: listed amongst the passengers on a mission to Cagliari in Sardinia in AD 121 was Philip Djones , 14 . Jake ran his finger over the inscription as if it could somehow connect him with his lost brother. He carefully scanned the remaining records, but that was the only mention of him.
    Jake was just returning the tome to the shelf when Felson started growling quietly, eyes fixed on the far end of the room. ‘What is it?’ Jake asked. The dog’s growl deepened and he started to curl his lip and bare his teeth. A table scraped on the floor in the communications room. Just as Jake started looking around for a place to hide, the door began to creak open. At first it seemed as if the visitor was a ghost. Then Jake realized that it was an animal – he glimpsed dark golden fur. The creature padded into view – a lioness cub with a menacing look in her eye. Josephine stopped dead when she caught sight of Jake and his companion. There was a moment of frozen silence; then she gave a low snarl and began to advance towards them. Felson also pressed forward, protective of his master, eyes narrowed, teeth bared.
    ‘Stay there – that’s a good boy,’ Jake commanded quietly, quickly scanning the room for another exit; there was nothing but book shelves on all sides. Then everything happened at once: Josephine shotforward, Felson intercepted her, the lioness’s giant paws came down on him; and they tumbled to the floor in a tangle of limbs, both snarling savagely.
    ‘Felson!’ Jake shouted in terror, rushing to intercept them as the dog gave a yelp.
    Then another voice boomed out: ‘Josephine, arrête !’ Oceane Noire swept into the room. ‘ Arrête tout de suite! ’ she shouted. She was carrying an old book, which she hurled at the lioness, who reluctantly let go of Felson. Oceane was holding a lantern in front of her face and didn’t notice Jake at first. ‘What’s going on?’ she demanded of her pet. ‘Why is this stupid dog here?’ It wasn’t until she had pulled Josephine away by her diamond collar that she became aware of another figure, half hidden behind a globe. ‘You?’ she said, stiffening.
    ‘You should keep your animal under control,’ Jake replied firmly, putting his arm around Felson, who was trembling with