Megan Cole - Riches - Snog, Steal and Burn

‘And who are they?’ Jhumpa asked.

The Professor’s lip curled. ‘Mercenaries, who will stop at nothing to get what they want. The Eye is believed to be the world’s largest diamond; it would sell for unimaginable amounts, could even wield unimaginable power, if you believe in that sort of thing. As for me, I believe your parents are being kept alive in case they have any information on the Eye’s whereabouts.’

Luci felt sick. She couldn’t bear to think of her father being mistreated. A horrible vision flashed into her mind. Her father, chained to the wall of a cave, starved and thirsty.

‘We have to find them,’ she said. ‘Professor Adams, tell me what I need to do.’

He nodded approvingly. ‘You’re a spirited girl, Luci. I can see why your father has so much faith in you.’ Reaching down into the leather briefcase by his side, he pulled out a wad of papers.

‘I received this just after your parents went missing. It contains the details of a private bank account for you to use for expenses, along with a letter written by Luci’s father in the event that anything should happen. He asks that you girls carry on the work they’d been doing and find the Eye before the others do.’ He passed the letter round. ‘It’s been signed by all your parents.’

They all read it in silence. ‘Why us?’ Celine asked. ‘This sounds really dangerous, I can’t believe my parents would do this to me.’

‘You’re the only people they truly trust,’ Professor Adams said simply. A small smile crossed his lips. ‘And from what I hear, you make quite a triumvirate - a linguist, a mathematician and an archaeologist? Yes, I think you’ll be very well equipped for the journey ahead.’

‘What if we don’t want to look for it?’ Jhumpa said. Why would she want to risk her life to find some diamond for a country she’d never been to? Probably never would either, unless they thought about opening a Chanel there. Bhutan could just collapse for all she cared.

‘It is your parents’ express wish,’ Professor Adams said gravely. ‘I pray they will be found in time, but in the meantime they have asked you to carry on the quest. Who knows? You may find a clue to their whereabouts along the way.’ His eyes gleamed behind the spectacles. ‘It is imperative the Eye is returned to its rightful place.’

‘Was there anything else in the letter, Professor? How do we know where to start looking?’

‘There is a name,’ the professor said. ‘A Doctor Bate. He works in Marrakech at the university.’

Celine had an image of a fusty bearded guy as old as one of his fossils. ‘So this Doctor Bate will tell us where my dad is?’

Professor Adams held his hands out. ‘That’s all I know I’m afraid.’

‘This is crazy,’ Jhumpa said. ‘We’re expected to go chasing off all over the place with just a name in Marrakech to go on?’

‘What else have we got, Jhumpa?’ Luci said. ‘At least it’s a start.’

Celine gave a small nod. ‘Luci’s right. And I know I’d rather be out doing something than going mad sitting here.’

Anticipation crackled though the air. The professor was watching them closely.

‘Oh, for God’s sake,’ Jhumpa said crossly. ‘I suppose I’m in then.’

Luci and Celine grinned nervously at each. Game on.

As Luci showed Professor Adams out, he stopped at the front door. ‘Good luck, Luci. You know, if I was twenty years younger, I would have loved to come along.’

Was that a wistful gleam in his eye?

‘Professor, were you one of the Reclaimers?’ she asked.

The old man slowly peeled back his shirtsleeve. On the underside of his wrist was a small black symbol.

‘My dad’s got that on his shoulder!’ Luci said. ‘He always told me it was something stupid he got done when he was younger.’

‘So he would have.’ Professor Adams smiled. ‘The mark of the Reclaimers is a great privilege, Luci, but one to be guarded.’

‘I’ll honour that privilege, I promise.’

Professor Adams suddenly looked deadly serious. ‘You’re entering a viper’s nest, Luci. Be careful who you trust.’

‘I will,’ she said.

He shook her hand. ‘Until next time.’

‘Next time,’ Luci called after him. She stood and watched as the little car disappeared down the driveway in a cloud of dust.

Chapter Eight Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty-one Chapter Twenty-two Chapter Twenty-three Chapter Twenty-four Chapter Twenty-five Chapter Twenty-six Chapter Twenty-seven Chapter Twenty-eight Chapter Twenty-nine Chapter Thrity Epilogue Credits Previously by Megan Cole About the Publisher

Marrakech, Morocco

It was just a wooden door, down a quiet street off the medina. But once the girls had stepped through into the Riad Aziz, they’d found themselves in a scene out of Arabian Nights. With a huge, domed roof and arched doorways, the centrepiece of the house was a mosaic-tiled courtyard with a pool in the middle. Rose petals floated lazily on the surface, scenting the air. Gold lanterns lit the way along the richly painted corridors. On the floor above, a marble balcony stretched the whole way round the courtyard.

The private suites were no less luxurious, with sunken baths and fireplaces, hand-stitched camel leather on the floors. The girls had landed late and gone straight to their antique wooden beds. Next morning they met on Jhumpa’s private terrace for breakfast. The plan was to have a day to acclimatise, and then go to find this Doctor Bate. Celine and Luci wanted to go and explore in the meantime, but Jhumpa had other ideas.

‘I’m booked into the spa for a massage, manicure and pedicure.’ She sat there regally in her silk dressing gown, sipping from a glass of mint tea.

‘Don’t you want to come with us?’ Luci said. Marrakech looked amazing. She’d been online first thing, checking out what to go and see.

Jhumpa sniffed her pretty little nose. ‘It looks like Mumbai, only smaller.’

‘What is that girl like?’ Celine asked, as they walked out after breakfast. ‘I can’t believe how much she loves herself.’

Luci smiled. ‘Let her be, she’s probably tired.’ Even after twenty-four hours, she could see how high maintenance Jhumpa was. She was also clearly super intelligent, so maybe Professor Adams was right about their talents coming in handy.

‘Whatever, she’s really getting on my nerves.’ They walked out into a wall of heat and Celine shoved on her fluorescent blue Ray-Bans. ‘Let’s go shopping.’

Both girls quickly fell in love with the ancient city. A bustling labyrinth of street markets, it was a riot of colour, noise and delicious cooking smells. Tiny crevices no more than three feet wide were occupied by old men, selling the traditional leather Moroccan slippers. One cave-like shop seemed to stock only old bicycle tyres. There was jewellery, rugs, spice stalls: each owner calling out to them to come and buy their wares.

Celine was doing most of the haggling and the tall, striking blonde girl who spoke fluent Arabic quickly attracted lots of attention. Luci had wandered off to look at a robed man claiming to be selling love potions and came back to find Celine surrounded by a crowd of people having a good-natured argument with a shop owner about the price of his textiles. She eventually came out looking smug with the bargain tucked under her arm.

‘There is some seriously amazing stuff here!’

Next up was a tagine stall, where Luci managed to persuade Celine that the massive clay pot she wanted probably wouldn’t fit in her suitcase. There was a shop next door selling metallic poufs. Celine wouldn’t be put off here, especially when the beaming owner said he could send as many back to Buenos Aires as she liked. Luci gave up and went outside to wait.