Free The Book of Beasts by John Barrowman Page A

was instantly as hard as a diamond.
    â€˜What do you know of that manuscript?’ he asked warily.
    If Matt was going to find and free Jeannie and have any chance of returning to the twenty-first century, he would need Solon’s help. Perhaps the help of the old monk Renard too. He’d have to trust them with what he knew about The Book of Beasts.
    But where to begin?
    â€˜My mum found a page from an ancient manuscript,’ he began. ‘ The Book of Beasts . My sister and I googled it, and learned how it had been used in the nineteenth century to open Hollow Earth—’
    Matt paused. He realized from Solon’s expression that he’d lost him at googled . He began again.
    â€˜My mum found evidence of the book’s existence at the Royal Academy, in London.’
    â€˜A royal academy?’ Solon asked curiously. ‘For a king?’
    Not for the first time in recent days, Matt wished he’d paid more attention to history.
    â€˜Kind of,’ he mumbled, deciding to fudge this bit. ‘She was a visitor to this academy and she found a page that proved the existence of a place called Hollow Earth. A place where Animare trapped the beasts and monsters from ancient times by drawing them into this manuscript, The Book of Beasts .’
    Solon’s eyes sharpened in recognition. ‘My master, Brother Renard, told me a story right before your father arrived on the island. It was about the First Animare, Albion.’
    â€˜You mentioned him earlier,’ said Matt.
    Solon nodded. ‘Albion founded the monastery of Era Mina. He drew the first pages of The Book of Beasts . The mission of the monks since his death has been to continue this work, drawing the creatures into this manuscript and protecting their hiding place. The Abbot told me that when The Book of Beasts is completed, it will seal Hollow Earth forever.’
    â€˜Yes!’ Matt exclaimed, drinking in this fresh information. ‘That’s it exactly! Where is it now?’
    â€˜The Abbot took it from my master when Brother Renard’s mind began to break,’ said Solon. ‘For safekeeping. It may yet have escaped the wave.’
    â€˜It’s not complete, is it?’ said Matt.
    Solon shook his head. ‘There is one last beast to be sealed into Hollow Earth. The Grendel. It lives in the swamp near the Devil’s Dyke. Until it is drawn into the manuscript by a trained Animare like my master, Hollow Earth cannot be sealed. It is vulnerable to men like your father. We must finish it, but…’ Solon lifted his hands hopelessly. ‘My master’s mind is too fragile for such work now.’
    Carik had crawled outside and now returned with her hands full of seeds, nuts and one or two squirming wormy creatures that made Matt’s stomach lurch despite his hunger. She handed each of the boys a handful of what she’d foraged.
    â€˜These I can eat, right?’ Matt said weakly, trying not to look at what was in his hands.
    Solon laughed and nodded. Matt tossed the whole lot into his mouth, chewed quickly, and tried to ignore the tickling in his throat as he swallowed. Carik crouched next to the fire, warming her hands, eating more slowly.
    â€˜We need to get into the Abbot’s tower in the monastery,’ said Solon, tearing the legs off a beetle before popping it in his mouth. ‘If the Abbot had it before your father took him captive, he may have hidden it in his chambers.’
    Carik winced visibly as she rolled out a straw mat next to the fire. Noticing, Solon scooped two fingers into the root he had used to numb Matt’s head wound.
    â€˜Show me your injury, Carik,’ he said gently.
    Carik pulled her tunic off her shoulder and turned her back to the fire, revealing a hole the size of a fist directly under her shoulder blade. Matt gawked at the thin translucent skin healing over the centre of the wound, barely concealing a pulsing hole in the girl’s