Hidden (32 page)

‘And what are you?’

‘You could say I’m a friend, his Earthly representative, and, of course, the messenger. So what is your answer, Jordan? Will you do it?’

‘How much time do I have to do this?’

He snorts. ‘Haven’t you figured it out yet? The magical number for angels, light and dark?’

‘Eighteen.’

‘Jackpot.’

‘So I have at least a year.’

‘Let me give you some advice,’ he says as he casually leans into my window from the outside.

‘What the … ?’ I glance at my suddenly vacant passenger
seat and back to where he’s now resting his elbows on my driver’s side window. ‘How did you do that?’

He simply grins. ‘Don’t leave it too long before you start. You don’t want to die before you break them apart, or all contracts are void and your mother stays in Skade.’

‘But, how will I know when … it’s my time to … you know?’

‘Die?’

I nod, and quickly work moisture into my mouth. ‘Will I make it to eighteen?’

‘I seriously have no idea. I’m just warning you. But, mate, with your luck, you should start breaking them apart today.’

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the people who helped create this book.

Firstly, my readers: Amanda Canham for her talented insights, ideas and critiques; Danielle Curley, for her invaluable comments; and Chris Canham for his important male perspective and honesty, even though he was analysing his mother-in-law’s work!

A big thank you to Ele Fountain, a brilliant editor I have been lucky to work with on all five of my books. Isabel Ford for the line-editing and I am sure a million other things, as well as everyone else in the Bloomsbury offices – London, Australia and New York – who has had a hand in bringing
Hidden
to publication. I appreciate everything you have done to make this book happen.

To my wonderful agent, Geoffrey Radford, thank you for your help and support and belief that I could come back from the brink and deliver a work to be proud of.

And to my sister Therese, your belief in this story from inception to publication was truly inspiring. We have shared blood, sweat and tears, and I love you with all my heart.

And finally the two men in my life – my husband John and son Chris, for all your uplifting and motivating conversations, thank you both.

The Guardians of Time series
The Named
The Dark
The Key

Old Magic

Copyright © 2013 by Marianne Curley

All rights reserved
You may not copy, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means (including without limitation electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, printing, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages

First published in Great Britain in March 2013 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Published in the United States of America in June 2013
by Bloomsbury Children’s Books
www.bloomsbury.com

This electronic edition published in June 2013

For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, write to
Permissions, Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10010

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Curley, Marianne.
Hidden / by Marianne Curley. — First U.S. edition.
pages      cm
Summary: Ebony Hawkins was kidnapped as a baby and brought to our world by an evil
force—a force that hoped to harness her angel power one day. Hidden for sixteen years,
even Ebony doesn’t know her true identity.
[1. Angels—Fiction. 2. Identity—Fiction. 3. Love—Fiction.] I. Title.
PZ7.C9295Hi 2013         [Fic]—dc23         2012038537

eISBN: 978-1-5999-0980-6