Extract from

WARRIOR HEROES

The Samurai’s Assassin

Finn drifted lazily towards consciousness, dreaming that he was leaping to impossible heights and then rushing back down to earth, only to leap even higher into the air once more. He licked his lips and tasted brine, noting that heavy rain was pelting his back as he took another giant leap skywards. It was just as he reached the highest point of the arc and hung there for a moment, waiting for the fall that he woke with a jolt.

A huge wave rolled forward and Finn swooped down the back of it, slipping off a plank of wood that he had been half-lying on and gulping down a mouthful of sea water as he shouted out in panic. Spluttering, he kicked and hoisted himself back onto the tiny float, at the same time trying to blink and shake the water out of his eyes before the next wave began to lift him up again. As he reached the top of the wave he twisted around, praying he would see some way out of this nightmare that he had swapped for the Professor’s study. He felt marginally better when he saw that the waves were surging towards land and that he was in the middle of a small bay.

Finn pulled himself further forward on the plank, as if he were lying on a surfboard, and as he rose with the next wave he pushed himself up on his arms to get a better view. He could see very little of the shoreline through the torrent of rain, but what he did see turned his stomach and the feeling of relief he had felt just moments ago quickly evaporated. The huge rollers were breaking over a line of jagged rocks that stuck up out of the sea like teeth, and he was heading straight for them.

About the author

Growing up in London I spent a lot of time sitting on the Underground, daydreaming and reading books. Historical adventures in far-flung lands were always my favourite and I used to love visiting castles and ruins.

After I left home I lived in Japan for a while and learned all about the Samurai. Now I’ve swapped the city for the countryside, and as well as reading books I also write stories and plays for young people.

The thing I like most about being a writer is playing around with ideas for stories in my head, which is daydreaming really so not much has changed!