Water Thief
Meet George - the newest Universal Companion
Chapter One: Close Encounter
‘You are getting in above your head, George,’
groaned Malvin. ‘I’m talking in deep, deep doodoo. Don’t think I’m gonna defend you when your
mum gets hold of you.’
Walking through the woods in the grounds of the
Myth Force Training Centre, George didn’t look at the squirrel-sized goblin
sitting on his shoulder – there was no need.
He knew exactly what expression that hideous green mug would have:
pebble black eyes would be screwed shut, pointed ears flat against oblong
skull, fluffy white hair and goatee beard bristled with anxiety. Malvin, George’s companion goblin, looked
like Yoda’s ugly younger brother, but without the world-saving-may-the-Force-be-with-you
disposition. The goblin was grumpy,
greedy and wicked – and he also happened to be George’s best friend.
‘It’s OK.
I’m a universal – I know how to handle this stuff,’ George said blithely. ‘Don’t get in a sweat.’
Malvin made a point of drawing his clawed paw
across his forehead and flicking imaginary perspiration at his human.
‘Liam said fire imps are cool. They know how to have a good time.’
‘Liam is also eight years older than you and a
graduate from the MFTC.’ Malvin rattled
his tiny wings with a sound like porcupine quills. ‘Your thing about encountering as many mythical
creatures as possible is getting way out of hand.’ The goblin dug his talons deeper in to the
padding of George’s jacket and used his half-furled wings to steady himself as the
boy clambered over a gate. ‘Kraken
scales, would you listen to me! Me, the goblin, giving you, the human, good advice! I’m ashamed of myself. Yeah, go ahead, Georgie boy, go get yourself
toasted by the fire imps. I mean, it’s
not as if there aren’t loads of
universal companions out there with essential roles to play in saving the
world. Not.’
‘I won’t get toasted.’
‘Yeah, right.’
Malvin folded his arms.
‘If you don’t want to hang around and watch, why
don’t you go do something else? Drag
washing off the line or scare a few cats – whatever it is that gives you your
kicks.’
Malvin muttered something unrepeatable.
‘So you’re staying?’
‘Yes, because unlike you, I am fire-proof. Unlike you,
I might be able to haul your butt out
of danger when you get your fingers burnt.’
‘I love you too, Malvin,’ George said in a falsely
cheerful voice.
The goblin heaved out a brimstone-flavoured
snort. ‘Cut out the warm fuzzies. Makes me want to vomit.’
‘Whatever makes you happy, sweetpea.’
George tried not to let the goblin see he was
smiling. Against his bad nature, Malvin
could not help wanting to keep his human safe and that really got under his
scaly hide. They had been inseparable
ever since George had found Malvin tormenting the family cat, using his skill
for ventriloquism. As far as the cat was
concerned, the blue teddy really had barked at her. The goblin had been lying on the lawn,
paralytic with laughter as the cat fought the cuddly bear. George had been a toddler at the time and
thought the goblin just a weird looking toy that had wandered in to his
garden. After sticking his chubby finger
in Malvin’s eye and squeezing his tummy to make him squeak, the goblin had put
him right by biting down hard. After Toddler
George had got over his initial shock that one of his toys had fought back, he
became fascinated by the creature. The
attraction had proved mutual – like most mythical creatures, the goblin could
not resist a universal companion who was able to create a special bond
mind-to-mind with all of them. From that
moment, Malvin became George’s secret companion, getting expert at posing as
one of his action figures when an adult came in the room. He had been the toy smuggled to the first day
at nursery – boy, was that a mistake!
Half the kids in Hescombe of George’s age were still having nightmares
about the burping green baby doll. Humiliated
by that outing, Malvin had demanded that he be treated with dignity rather than
as a TeenieTinyTears. And ever since an
entire day bingeing out on Star Wars DVDs, he sported Jedi robes when
travelling in public with George.
Funny, thought George, looking sideways at the
rigid profile of his friend, you would have thought as a rare universal
companion, fate would have picked a more awesome creature for his friend. His cousin Connie, head universal in the
Society for the Protection of Mythical Creatures, had a beautiful golden dragon
called Argand. He had a little green
goblin with bad breath.
As his American buddy, Ashvin, would say: go
figure.
George jumped a fence in to the wood. Everything was quiet in the cool April
twilight. A flush of green on twig tips showed
the trees were rousing from their winter hibernation. Pale yellow catkins dangled from bare birch
fronds, like fish bait laid out to hook spring.
George could sense many old friends out and about this evening: wood
sprites, fey folk, kelpies, and the more distance presence of dragons flying on
Dartmoor. George shivered with
anticipation.
‘I’ve got a really bad feeling about this,’
muttered Malvin.
Ignoring the doomsayer, George gathered some dead
wood and built a campfire in a clearing.
The sky was smoke grey – thick cloud hiding the over-flight of winged
creatures. His backbone tingled as he
felt the pegasi going through their manoeuvres.
‘Look, George my friend,’ Malvin continued in a suspiciously
reasonable voice, ‘you don’t have to prove yourself to anyone. Connie doesn’t expect you to finish your
training early.’
George snapped a branch and shook his head. ‘It’s not about her.’
Of course, it was, but he wasn’t about to admit it,
not even to Malvin. He lived in Connie’s
shadow. His older brother, Col, was
married to her so every family gathering inevitably brought news of yet another
triumph or amazing encounter as the couple travelled the world trying to save
mythical creatures from extinction. And
thanks to a nearly fatal encounter with her arch-enemy, Kullervo, Connie had also
become the only shape-shifting human in existence which made her even more
exceptional. George loved her dearly,
but sometimes wished she wasn’t so perfect.
As the only other universal in the Society, he could not hope to measure
up.
But he was going to try. He was going to fast track through the
training programme and kick some environmental butt when he was finished. The climate crisis meant no one could afford
to sit in a classroom; action was needed now, even from thirteen year olds like
him. Under Connie’s leadership the
Society had shaken off centuries of tradition and completely reorganized to
meet the new challenge; George wanted to take his place in that fight. So tonight he was going to cross another
species off his list and show that he could manage a tricky challenge on his
own. Only then would the Society
consider letting him lead his own Myth Force squad. He wanted to be the youngest commander in
Society history and this was his ticket to that promotion.
Or the door to his expulsion. It was, he had to admit, a high risk
strategy.
He took out a match and struck it on the side of
the box. Puff – the match went out,
thanks to a gust of foetid air from Malvin.
‘Stop that,’ grouched George. ‘I’m going do this.’
He tried again.
This time he was able to set the flame to the tinder. It caught – fire eating up the dry leaves,
lapping at the twigs.
‘Now what?’ asked Malvin, intrigued despite his
misgivings.
‘When Liam does this, he gets the fire imps to dance
on his fingertips. He kind of summons
them somehow.’
George closed his eyes, reaching inside himself for
his gift. Having been trained by Connie
almost from birth, he knew exactly how to access his universal powers, drawing
a thread to throw out in to the wind, calling the imps to the campfire.
Whoosh! The
explosion of flame almost singed off his eyebrows. George staggered back, momentarily
blinded. From the quivering hump he had
just acquired, he guessed Malvin had taken shelter under his jacket. He rubbed his eyes to see two giant-sized
imps dancing in his campfire. They were
pure flame, taking shape then shifting in to another form in a blink of an eye. Dark smoke billowed from their mouths,
drifted in a cloak from their spine, snaked from hands and toes. No way were these going to fit on his
fingertips.
Er, hi, he stammered, using
the mind-to-mind communication of the universal.
Yo, dude, crackled one imp,
flickering in to the man’s shape. The
voice seared through his head like a blaze in the Australian outback.
‘Yo dude?’ snorted
Malvin. ‘What’s with that?’
‘Liam told me he introduced them to hip-hop and rap
– it’s spread like wild fire in the imp community,’ George explained. ‘Now, just shut up a minute while I do this.’
Fire Imps, I’m pleased
to meet you, George said, bowing to the pair.
He knew he sounded too proper but he couldn’t quite bring himself to
pretend to be Eminem.
Wanna dance? asked the second imp,
a female from her appearance. She moved
with a sultry grace, body shimmering in waves of heat.
George blushed. Not
today, thanks. I just wanted to meet you
and...and get to know you a bit. George thought his first contact with this
new species lacked the Neil Armstrong words – one small step and all that. He sounded like a loser.
The male grinned, displaying a row of fire-white
teeth. Yeah, we feel you too, dude.
Who’s the green bro?
That’s my goblin,
Malvin.
George prayed his companion hadn’t been listening in on that last question.
Malvin tweaked his ear. ‘George, the fire!’
‘Ssh!’ So,
how’s life for you fire imps? How’s it...um...hanging. He would kill Liam for getting these
creatures in to hip-hop, he really would.
He couldn’t talk the talk.
It’s hangin’ good – real
loose, man.
That’s...er...good to
know.
‘George, you will listen to me!’ squawked Malvin. ‘Your trainers are melting!’
Bonded with the creatures, George had not noticed
the heat or realized that the fire had grown to Guy Fawkes Night proportions. The nearby trees were beginning to suffer
from the blaze, wood sprites rustling their protests at him.
Look, um, bro...and
er...sista, this has been awesome...er...huge, George told the imps,
but I gotta go.
The imps wove around him, engulfing him in a fiery
ring, smiles a touch evil.
Leaving so soon? asked the female,
extending a long finger nail to him and scoring a hole in his jacket.
George flapped at the burn, making sure it didn’t
spread. Yeah, sorry. Got things to do –
places to be. But we’ll know each other
next time, right, er...you feel me?
The imps were growing larger, the female’s fiery
hair streaming straight up in to the sky like a comet’s tail.
‘I don’t mean to interrupt,’ Malvin said in a snide
tone, ‘but how are you going to end this?’
Aware the encounter was fast heading out of
control, George clamped down on a surge of panic. He couldn’t fail at so simple a task – he
wouldn’t be able to face Connie if he did.
He struggled to remember what he’d been taught. Liam had told him that the principle for
dealing with fire imps was the same no matter the size: snuff the flame. But Liam had also said always to carry his
mobile so he could dial 999. Trying not
to gulp in smoke, George bowed again to the imps and raised his hands.
Sorry, guys.
No! bellowed the male.
Sorry, but I’m gonna
blow this party, George replied, feeling the surge of power as he clapped his hands
together, squeezing the air tight in his palms.
With a final pop, the fire went out, leaving a
large charred circle in the centre of the clearing. George sensed the imps shooting in to the
sky, their bodies invisible until the next time they hit flame.
‘Woo-hoo! Are
you impressed or what?’ crowed George to Malvin, feeling very proud of himself.
‘Or what,’ growled Malvin. ‘Your face looks like it’s sunburnt, the ends
of your hair frizzled, your clothes...your clothes are a write-off, human.’
George looked down at himself. The soles of his trainers had melted in to a
rubber fringe around the blackened canvas, his jeans were a wreck, his jacket
smoking on one shoulder. Malvin patted a
spark out on the crown of his head with unnecessary force. George couldn’t see his brush-cut brown hair
but he would take the goblin’s word for its abysmal condition.
‘Wasn’t that great!’ enthused George, mentally
ticking the imps off his list of creatures to meet.
‘You are certifiable, universal. Absolutely bonkers.’
‘Must be the company I keep,’ George grinned,
rubbing Malvin under the chin just as he liked.
The goblin purred with pleasure. ‘You have your uses, I suppose. But you are
still in deep doodoo.’
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Messages
M.H.D wrote on 05 May 2013:
Mrs. Golding - I read the opening chapter of 'Water Thief' and I noticed that the goblin Malvin claims to be fireproof whereas George is apparently not. However, later in the chapter it is mentioned that George's universal armoury is properly equipped and has been for many years. Why then does George not think to implement the hauberk to give himself Malvin's protection from the flames as Connie did in 'The Chimera's Curse' with Argand when Liam first saw fire imps up close? Sorry for being long-winded as usual, Melissa Hannah
But even Connie's couldn't last forever against fire - it is a temporary defence whereas Malvin is always fireproof (like an oven dish!).
Sahana wrote on 23 April 2013:
Hi I just wanted to say I LOVED the Companions Quartet!!! I saw all four of them at the library, got them, and finished them all in two or three days. I would have finished them even faster if I wasn't busy that weekend. I couldn't put them down!! :):):) Thanks for writing them and I am going to try to get Water Thief to read as soon as possible! :):):):):)
Thanks, Sahanna.
Beth wrote on 03 April 2013:
I am a big fan and i absoulutly LOVE your books they have inspired me to try and write (I would like to be a writer when I am older). I was rather depressed when your last book (The Chimeras Curse) finished when it did. I am very happy that I decided to look up your name since it brought me to this webpage. I have read the whole series at least eight times now (some more than others *Coughs* Mines of the Minatour) and I think its a bit of a shame you left the last book where it was because I was wondering 'What happens now' and 'Oh so how does she tell them (The Society) that she can change her shape, does she decide to get up on stage and shift into another form... (so unlike Connie i know because shes shy)' I was wondering, were you going to continue from that. Thank you, Beth
Hi Beth I chose to continue a few years on - see Water Thief. Julia
Alexandra wrote on 19 March 2013:
Hi, Julia! I just wanted to say I love the companions quartet, as does everybody else, :) and I'm pretty sure I'll love the Universal companions. I ESPECIALLY loved how at the end of chimera's curse, connie's like "and we have another universal companion" or something like that, I can't get it to your perfect writing, but that was absolutely a shocker, and it finished the series perfectly. I ordered your book on amazon, too by the way. (books) I finished the whole series in two days, and I couldn't get enough of it, really addicting!!!!!!!!!! The only thing I didn't like in the series was how #1)Col and Connie never kissed!! :) and #2) It was a bit hard to specify the ages of connie and george and all, (which I now know connie is already TWENTY SEVEN, OMG SHE GREW UP SO FAST D:) but now I got it all covered. I looooveeeee the new book so far, and I can't wait for it to deliver. I saw with many other comments you told them about 'Young Knights' and I thought I could wait it out reading it, but I find that after I read a whole series and finish it, I get stubborn, and don't want to read a different story, but I'll try it anyway, because I absolutely cannot wait any longer :) I was hoping you could make something where Connie gets a little more involved when I first started the sample, but as I read into it I grew satisfied that you included connie and col, but I was wondering If you could include more detailed descriptions of how the characters look, such as little details like whether or not connie's hair is curly or straight, what col looks like. I'm not trying to be rude in any way, I'm just trying to understand how they look :) Your books are amazing, and I hope you keep up the wonderful work!! Sorry this turned out so long!! :) Happy writing, ~Alexandra
Hi Alexandra, You need to re read the very first chapter of Sirens for Connie's first mention (hair etc -it is given, same goes for Col). How much physical description you give is very much an author personal style issue - my view is that too much overloads, gets in the way of seeing and repetition gets boring. I'm not alone in taking this approach. Think about what you know of Harry Potter - scar fast growing hair and green eyes - that is about it! The thing about reading is unlike a film you are in partnership with the reader and they provide 'their' image from the clues you give. Anyway, I love that you loved the stories! Thanks for getting in touch.
Ana wrote on 13 March 2013:
I really like this new book and i'm sooo glad that you carried on the books because they are awsome. Could you right some more books about Connie and what she does- like when she was growing up because you kind of left it on a cliff hanger and I really want to know more about what happened to her as well as George.
Thanks, Ana.
Grace wrote on 01 March 2013:
Hey I absolutely loved your Cat Royal series but I wanted more of your books to read. So I read Companions Quartet I loved it and wanted more of the series to read. But I found Universal Quartet it sounds great so as soon as it comes out I'm getting it . Thanks for writing these really great books. i also read dragonfly and glass swallow.
You might like Young Knights - almost out. Take a look at my page for it.
K.J. wrote on 15 January 2013:
I absolutley LOVE your books! It took me 2 days to read them all and I read them like 3 times over again after that!!! I am SUPER excited to read all of your other books. I'm a speed reader so it doesn't take long for me to plow through good books. Keep up the good writing!
Thanks!
Alice wrote on 27 December 2012:
Oh, am I glad I had the sense to Google your name after finishing reading the Companions Quartet for probably the second time ever. I'm shocked at myself for letting those fantastic books hide away on my bookshelf for so long. I haven't read them since 2008 and was so glad they hadn't lost their charm. I had such a fan-gasm when I saw 'Universal Companions'. I adored your writing style, the characters, the plot, the sub-plots, literally everything about the Companions Quartet and I'm positive that will apply to the Universal Companions series from what I've read in the sample chapter. Put in an order for a physical copy on Lulu just before. A real shame that e-books take the magic out of reading, otherwise I'd be writing this after finishing the book. I do hope you write another Universal Companions book when you aren't as busy with Young Knights; which I will try to get my hands on ASAP, along with any of your other books. I'm sure I'll love most (if not all) of them if they're written as well as the ones I've just read. Sorry for the long message...and Thank You for making everything better ;~ ;
Great to hear from a fan! Hope you are enjoying the holidays, Alice!
KATE wrote on 26 December 2012:
Can you write more books on Connie? I know that Kullervo has been defeated but couldn't you just write some more? It need not be about Connie fighting another enemy, but just let it be about her.
Glad you are a fan! No plans at the moment to go back as am working on Young Knights - out in April. Should have many of the same thrills and pleasures for fantasy fans.
lauren wrote on 26 December 2012:
i like water thief but I still wish to be able to read more books on Connie. Like, for example, how she married, and her struggles to prevent the mythical creatures from around the world from extinction, and more. And perphaps you can add in books about Simon?
Glad you liked it - you can see some of what has happened in between, can't you?
Bonzeroni wrote on 15 December 2012:
I loved the original series, i read it a couple weeks ago in about a week since I couldn't get to the school library fast enough. I f you're making a new sieries will there be more of Gard because he was my favorite character in the series?
I'll bear that in mind! Not writing this series at the moment as have Young Knights about to go - if you liked Companions you'll probably like this too.
Arjun Singh wrote on 13 December 2012:
Hi, I'm from florida, and I love to read good books. The problem is that I am a speed reader and have read the Inheritance cycle, and the Percy Jackson series, and the Kane Chronicles, and...well, you get the idea. I love the concept of having more universal companions, but would also like to see Connie's new gift in action. This is my challenge. Since I am a speed reader, do you think that this series can be expanded even more? If not, please give me some good fantasy recommendations based on the above series. Thank you. In great awe of your work, Arjun Singh
A speed reader needs a speed writer! You can get your teeth into Young Knights next year if you can access the UK version - I'll do my best to keep up with you...
emma wrote on 06 November 2012:
I really loved the companions quartet and finished all of them in like 4 days. i just saw water thief and was very excited there was more. i read the first chapter and it was great but i also was wondering if you are making a book that has connie showing everyone her shape shifting powers and her and col getting married. PLLLEEEAAASSEE make one. Thanks for reading this!
I'm glad you like them. You sound like you will like my next series Young Knights. If you want to enter the competition to win an early copy just put up a brief review of one of the Companions novels on this site or somewhere else safe and send me the link (cut and paste works fine).
Bri wrote on 30 October 2012:
Hey! I just finished your first book and totally loved it. After reading the Inheritence Cycle I was worried I wouldn't find another really good book that you can read for hours again until I found your book. I'm so glad your writing another series about the companions and universal companions. I should be done with the Companion Quortet soon, I'm just really glad I found one more brilliant writer.
Thanks!
Amber wrote on 16 October 2012:
*contains spoilers* oh my gosh! im so glad Connie and Col got married theyre so cute together :) i cant wait to read more i was wondering about George and im so glad you decided to write more because i loved this story world :)will there be appearances from other characters from the original series e.g. Evelyn, Mack, Connie, Col etc. ???
If I get a chance to write more. I'm busy on my Young Knight series (you might like that too as it draws on myths).
Z wrote on 07 October 2012:
How come it says that Connie is George's cousin but Col is his older brother? I don't remember Connie and Col being related... is she a figurative cousin? Are Col and Connie first cousins? I suppose it is legal for first cousins to marry... Anyway, I'm looking forward to reading this one! The first series was great, although I had a real struggle to find the books anywhere in Australia! I ended up reading them when I was holidaying in UK. :)
Cousin through her aunt, Evelyn. Col and Connie aren't related but his dad married her aunt.
Francesca wrote on 24 September 2012:
Do Connie and Col play a big part in the water their?
They are the senior team but George is the main character.
olivia wrote on 03 September 2012:
I loved the companions quartet! I read the chapter and so far I love it! I wanted to know if you could do a book about Connie and Col like what the wedding was like and how Connie revealed her shape shifting powers to everyone.
I'll leave that to your imagination!
Rebe wrote on 21 August 2012:
Hey! I love your books! I really do! I can't wait till I get my hands on this one! That will take quite a long time, considering the fact that I live in a place where I hardly got the two first books of the series in my language. I even had to ask someone I knew to buy them for me in EU. I love your books! (at last this series, as I said before, you can't get a book that easily in here)
Thanks for persisting!
Catherine wrote on 18 August 2012:
I have read every single one of your books (except Dead Lock and water theif which I'm getting on kindle tomorrow) and I think that they are all amazing, I have been inspired by your books and have started writing my own, they are also about mythical creatures but I am trying not to steal too many ideas. You are defiantly my favourite author, there has not been a single book that you've written that I haven't loved, my favourite book is Dragonfly because Tashi's beliefs (although they arn't similar to mine) seem to have a similar effect as mine do for me, because when we have nothing left but our faith, it grows more and that is when we are strongest. I was wondering how did you get into writing? How old were you when you started? And where did you find your ideas for the fundimental plot lines? And also do any of your books have a character who is based on yourself, if so which one? Thankyou for taking the time to read my message, I know it's pretty long x.
Hi. I wrote lots of stories from a very young age but only got into it as a profession in my early 30s. The immediate reason was wanting to write for my own children. See FAQs for inspiration. Characters are part of me but not like me if you get the difference.
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