More on this book
Community
Kindle Notes & Highlights
“Lavender and honeysuckle,” I answered. “If you like the scent, you can buy it at Fancy Frocks on the High Street.” His jaw collapsed. “Are you doolally? Fancy Frocks? How likely is it I’d put even one of me toes in that place, eh?” “You never know, Roman. If you want a female as mate, you might want to smell like something other than flame water and smoke weed.” He gaped at me and I smiled sweetly at him, and then I walked over to the quad.
The sass lmao
I had seen up close how tricky and resourceful he was fighting. I could not use the same move I had employed against Duk Dodgson, for Racksport would be ready for that. So I had something else up my sleeve. While it was true I could have defeated him easily using Destin, I had already proven that I could win using my wits and what other talents I actually possessed. And I wanted to beat Racksport fair and square. But it was not to be. Silas came up to me and raised my hand in victory. I looked at him, puzzled, as a groan went up from the crowd of Wugs who had been all set to see some blood.
...more
You're serious? Like be so fucking for real
He had drawn within a foot of Ladon-Tosh, who still hadn’t moved, when it happened. I’m not sure I even saw the blow fall. No, I am sure. I didn’t. All I saw was Tilt rise up in the air and hurtle backward far faster than he had ever rushed forward. He landed in a crazy pile of arms and legs a good twenty feet out of the quad and didn’t move again.
Uh... So... About not dying and winning the dueleum...
I stared after him, dumbfounded. When I turned back to the Mendens, I saw with horror that they were placing a sheet fully over Tilt, including his face. I turned to the old male Wug standing next to me. “Is he … ? He can’t be …” I said shakily, all my limbs tingling and trembling. In a quavering voice he said, “’Fraid he is, Vega. Ladon-Tosh has killed that poor lad with one blow. I can’t believe it neither.”
HE FUCKING KILLED HIM???? Oh fuck vega
I felt something touch my arm and I looked down. I was surprised to see that it was Hestia Loon. She gripped my wrist firmly and said in a fierce whisper, “You are not to step one foot inside the quad with the likes of Ladon-Tosh. Not one foot, mind you, Vega. Your poor mum. Why, she would never have allowed it. And since she’s not here to speak up for herself, I will. I’ll talk to bloody Thansius himself if I must, but you are not fighting that … that thing.”
The care hestia shows vega :(
Roman Picus came over and handed me back my two wagered coins. He eyed me nervously and then said in a subdued tone, “Listen, Vega, you saw? I mean you saw?” “I saw,” I replied quietly. I could see his hands were trembling and his lips quivered. “It’s not like you and me have always seen eye to eye on things, o’course.” I managed a brief smile. “No, we haven’t. In fact, you accused me of cheating.” “I know, I know,” he said miserably. He gazed over my shoulder at the pitch. “But I liked your mum and dad. And Virgil too, truth be known. And there weren’t a finer Wug than your granny, Calliope.
...more
Oh so now you care, after someones been murdered??
Roman gripped my shoulders tighter, tearing me from these thoughts. “Vega, for the love of your mum and dad’s memory, please don’t do this.” “I am touched by your concern, Roman. I really am.” And I really was. “But I have to fight; I have to finish this.” I paused. “I am a Finisher after all.”
Title of the book baabbyy
“How do I beat Ladon-Tosh, Domitar? For that is why I am here. I believe you know how it can be done. And I need you to tell me or else I will surely perish in the quad.” Domitar looked away for a sliver. When he turned to face me, his expression was truly strange. “You already know how to defeat him, Vega.” I gaped. “I do? How can that be?” “Because you’ve done it before.”
HUH?!
As I drew closer, I saw the long, plain wooden box with Tilt’s remains inside. His mum and dad were sobbing next to it. Tilt had three brothers and one sister. They were all there, all crying just as hard. Tears were constantly wicked off the faces of all Wugs here because the Tilts were a kind and good family that did not deserve such a tragedy as this.
The dueleum is so fucked up
I palmed the Stone so it could not be seen by either of them. Maybe it could not regrow limbs, but I knew it could make pain vanish. When they turned and spoke to some other Wugs who inquired how Duf was doing, I surreptitiously waved the Stone over what remained of Duf’s legs and thought as good thoughts as I could. The change in Duf was almost instantaneous. I had just put the Stone back in my pocket when Duf turned to look at me, the most serene expression on his face.
thank you for taking his pain away vega
“That was because I had Destin.” “And you’ll have Destin when you fight Ladon-Tosh.” “That would be cheating.” “Bollocks!!
I dont think now is the time to think about how its cheating. You're Literally gonna die if you dont use destin
Before I finished speaking, he had fired off the stone right at me. When I looked down a sliver later, I saw the stone cupped in my hand. I looked up in amazement. “How did I do that?” Delph grinned and pointed at Destin. “Reckon the answer lies there.” “But it lets me fly. And it gives me strength. But —” And now Delph was about to shock me. “I think what it does, Vega Jane, is give ya what i’tis you need at the time you need it.”
Helll yeahhh
“You got to move. Wear him down. Let him punch.” He paused. “And if you got to take to the air, Vega Jane, take to the bloody air.”
Ok but like even if that keeps her safe for the duel, wouldnt everyone just think shes some witch anyway and kill her???
“Don’t be barmy. Like I said, you think something dodgy’s not going on with Ladon-Tosh? Bloke don’t even talk. And he ain’t younger’n twenty-four sessions, I’ll tell you that. I’m not sure he’s even a Wug, tell the truth. Har.”
They keep saying how they don't think he's a wug then i wanna know what he is
EVERYWHERE I WENT the next lights and nights, Wugs came out of all corners of Wormwood to wish me well or, in some cases, to say their good-byes.
Alright chill everyone she ain't dead yet jesus
But I broke the silence first. “I’m fighting Ladon-Tosh. So please don’t bother trying to talk me out of it.” “I never intended to. I believe you must fight him.” This stunned me. I sat back, gaping at him. “You’re surprised by my statement?” he said unnecessarily, for my mouth was still hanging open. “I am.” “So many of our fellow Wugmorts never manage to see past the sole light facing them. Past the borders of Wormwood or their own narrow minds. For our borders are indeed narrow, Vega.”
Ok no he has to be hinting that there is something beyond the quag
“And the things she can do? Where did that come from?” He paused and gave me a stare so sharp that I thought I would bleed. “You mean the things you also can do?” “How did you —” He waved away my surprise. “Every Wug has a job, from the lowest to the highest. Now, my job is to know things, Vega. I don’t know all, but I know close to all. And I know that the powers with which Morrigone has been endowed are showing themselves in you. There is, however, a critical difference, I think.” “And what is that?” “Simply that your powers are greater.”
Yess thansius shes a badass
“Didn’t you harden my tree and protect it?” I asked. Because this is what I had thought had happened. “No, indeed. I don’t have the means with which to do so. You, Vega, you saved your tree.” “How?” “By, I believe, simply willing it to survive. I saw your face. I could easily realize what was in your heart. Thus, your beloved tree became hard as rock. And it survived.”
And Thansius knew that right away and still stuck up for her. Love you Thansius
“Your grandfather possessed it in abundance. It is the reason he is no longer among us.” I looked at him eagerly. “So you know where he’s gone? You said you know all, or at least almost all.” “He is gone from us, Vega. To another place, most certainly. A place assuredly beyond the Quag.” “And why did he go?” “It was his destiny to do so,” Thansius said simply.
But he just confirmed her grandfather could still be alive!
“And what of the Outliers? The Wall?” For the first time I could ever recall, Thansius, mighty Thansius, looked embarrassed, even ashamed. He said, “There is a sense of duty sometimes, Vega, which compels even the most honest of Wugs to do things that lack that very honesty.” “So it’s all a lie, then?” “Lies are sometimes given for the very best of intentions.” “Do you think that’s the case here?” “On the surface, unequivocally yes. When one reaches more deeply?” He shook his head sadly. “Then it merely becomes an act of dishonesty for which there is no sound basis.”
Even though its a lie i admire he was honest with vega
At the door, he turned back. “Good luck, Vega, next light.” He paused and seemed to stare off for a moment before looking back at me. “And beyond. For I knew this time must come at some point.” And then Thansius was gone.
He definitely knows shes planning on leaving
When Wugs saw me coming, something truly extraordinary happened. They started to clap. Just a few at first, but then others took it up and within a sliver, the pitch was thundering with the sounds of hands coming together. As I continued to march forward and the sea of Wugs respectfully parted so I could pass, I felt my face redden and my eyes moisten.
Imma cry bruh
Darla Gunn came up seemingly from nowhere and wrung my hand. “You are so brave, Vega, so brave. But I still wish you weren’t doing this. I mean, we just got your hair looking so nice, didn’t we?” I laughed and it did my spirits good. “You got my hair looking nice, Darla. I had nothing to do with it.” I looked away when tears filled her eyes. I was not going to let myself cry. Ladon-Tosh would probably just kill me harder.
Darla you sweet soul
I smiled and then had to look away before the tears started to fly. I was here to fight, not cry.
GIRL YOU CAN CRY AND FIGHT. Cancers rise up
Right before the bell sounded, I looked over and saw Domitar. He was staring directly at me. I could swear he was saying something to me. I tried to hear the words. “All before. Done it before” was all I could make out.
????
I saw the fist coming at me so fast it seemed impossible to avoid its crushing impact. But as the knuckles raced at me, I flipped sideways in the air and came down on both feet. The crowd screamed as Ladon-Tosh was suddenly now on my side of the ring. “Oh my holy Steeples,” screamed Darla Gunn.
REFLEXES LIKE A FUCKING CAT BITCHHHH
He turned toward me. I went into a crouch and studied him. And then another amazing thing happened. Everything, and I mean everything, slowed down. My breathing, the movements of the crowd, the birds in the sky, the wind and even the sounds. They all seemed to be moving at a mere hundredth of their normal speeds. I watched one Wug sneeze and it seemed to take him a sliver to accomplish. Another excited Wug was jumping up and down and it seemed as if he was suspended in the air before he began his descent. But most important of all was the slowing down of Ladon-Tosh.
She locking in
The next punch came, but I saw it so well in advance that I had already moved, it seemed, before he even threw it. In fact, I leisurely watched it go by at the spot I had been a moment ago. He whirled around and looked at me. Yes, now Ladon-Tosh was looking at me. I was glad the git had finally condescended to actually see who he was trying to kill.
Yeah look her in the eye while she fucks you up
This time I struck. I slammed my fist into my opponent’s back with such violence that I was convinced I had punched a hole right through him. Pain shot all the way up my arm and burst into my shoulder. I had never hit anything so hard in my life. Not even the rock cobble had been that hard. And I had exploded him.
NICE HIT but also fuck
Instead of hitting him with my good hand — since it would be good no longer — I spun around, supported by my one able arm, and flicked my feet against his buttocks as he flew past me.
Hah kicked you in the ass haha
Fortunately, Delph snatched Silas out of the way before he was crushed by Ladon-Tosh leaping back into the ring to attack me. He was now throwing punch after punch with astonishing speed. I dodged them all and then I started to employ my other tactic. I started to race in a circle around him. He spun too, punching at me but landing nothing. I told myself that he had to tire at some point.
Ring around the Rosie that motherfucker
I ran one more circle around him and then leapt and kicked him in the head with my left foot. Again, the shattering pain swept down my limb. Again, he went down hard. I noted with satisfaction that he took longer to rise this time. But rise he did.
Shittt girl you’re screwing up
They were damaged no longer, but I once more lost my focus. I heard the crowd collectively scream and I felt the blow hit me across my shoulders. I was knocked fifty feet into the air and crashed hard well outside the ring.
DAMNNN
I glanced over at Morrigone. Her gaze was only on Ladon-Tosh. I had never seen her face look so hard, so … unrelenting. She had obviously made her decision. I was to die. And Ladon-Tosh was the tool with which she would kill me.
Ok but what if shes pulling a snape and trying to stop laden-tosh
Not a natural killer, I steeled myself to become one. I slipped off my cloak. Underneath I had on a shirt and trousers. But in my cloak was Destin. I gripped the chain at both ends and waited. When Ladon-Tosh struck with a speed that was beyond a blur, I had already somersaulted over him. When he sailed past me, I turned in midair and flung the cloak and with it Destin around his neck. I landed on the ground, set my feet and pulled with every bit of strength I had. The giant Ladon-Tosh was lifted off his feet, flew backward over me and, as he went past, I crossed my arm and thus the chain, as
...more
Holy shit that was cool af but also EWWWW I HATE THAT
“No,” screamed a voice. I looked up in time to see Morrigone yelling this over and over. “No! No!”
She was indeed not pulling a Snape. Fuck you Morrigone
The crowd had turned as one to run. Now they turned back for an instant to see what Morrigone was screaming at. I already knew. The screeches were ear-shattering. The two jabbits that had nearly killed me at Stacks catapulted from the husk that had once been Ladon-Tosh. How creatures so large had been compressed into the space of one Wug, albeit a big Wug, I couldn’t fathom. They hit the ground so hard that the pitch seemed to whipsaw under our legs. Then five hundred heads and with them one thousand eyes looked at all the Wugs so perilously close, and I could almost see the lustful hunger in
...more
Bruh Morrigone put so many people endanger by doing this
He drew something from under his robe. It was the same sword he had used at the Council hearing. He said he had no special powers, but what the Wug did have in abundance was courage. Yet I didn’t think he would get a chance to use his blade in time.
THANSIUS IS READY TO BEAT DOWNNNN
looked back once more at Morrigone. She was staring dead at me. Her mouth was moving. She was yelling something. Finally, I could make it out over the screams of the crowd. “Help me, Vega! Help me!”
YOU ASK FOR HELP? You stupid motherfucker
I don’t remember reaching in my pocket and slipping on my glove. I really don’t. I willed the Elemental to full size, sprang upward into the air, twisted my body to the left — and the golden spear launched from my grip with as much torque as I could place upon it. It shot through the air just as the jabbits struck. They attacked in parallel, as I knew the beasts did, which made it perfectly perfect for me. The Elemental hit the first jabbit, passed through its body and collided with the second jabbit a moment later.
FUCK YEAH
“Wotcha, Vega Jane?” he said, his voice weary but now filled with relief. I blurted out wildly, “Where am I? Hospital? The Care? The Hallowed Ground?” He touched my forehead as though to test for its warmth. “You jargoled?” “Where, Delph?” I persisted. “Your digs.” I looked around and saw that this was so. “How did I get here?” “Carried you.” “I remember hitting something really hard.” “Spot on, that was me you hit.”
PFFT
“How did I hit you? I was thrown far away from all Wugs.” “Well, I sort of ran to … to catch you when you got blown.”
Delph frantically running to catch Vega made me giggle
“Well, they’re waiting, ain’t they?” “Who’s waiting?” I said suspiciously. He held out a hand, which I slowly took and rose off the cot. He led me over to the window. I peered out and my jaw dropped. “They are,” said Delph, smiling. When Delph opened the door to my digs and I stepped out, the cheers started and hats were flung high into the air. It looked like every Wug was in attendance. “Ve-ga Jane. Ve-ga Jane,” they started chanting over and over.
CAUSE YOURE THE CHAMPION BITCHHH FUCK YEAHH
I had forgotten that with the defeat of Ladon-Tosh, I was the champion. “Quiet, please. Quiet.” The voice belonged to Thansius. As the crowd parted and became silent, he came forward holding two objects. One was a metal figurine. The other a woolen bag with a cord tied firmly around its neck. Thansius motioned to me. “Vega, please step forward.” I let go of Delph’s hand and walked toward the Chief of Council with hesitant steps. I was still a bit wonky, but I couldn’t not go, could I? Thansius turned to the crowd and proclaimed, “I officially declare Vega Jane the champion of the Duelum.”
Imma say it, David Baldacci writes some badass women
He handed me the figurine. They must have made it special because it was a female holding a male over her head. Thansius bent down and said in my ear, “The young Dactyl Jasper Forke, one of your fellow Stackers, made that for you. Just in case,” he added.
I DONT WANNA HEAR NO MOTHERFUCKER SAY WOMEN CANT KICK ASS
When they had settled down, Thansius said, “And now the one thousand coins.” He handed me the wool bag. “As the first female champion in the history of the Duelum. And on a job exceptionally well done.” He peered at me. “Exceptionally well done. Where not only a prize was won but many Wug lives were saved.” He put out his hand. “Thank you, Vega Jane. All of Wormwood thanks you.”
I can feel how grateful he is
When I looked back at Thansius, he was smiling broadly as he turned to face the crowd. “Drinks are on me at the Witch-Pidgy. And for those younger wugs, there will be pink ginger ale. And food for the bellies all around. Off you go.”
LETS GET FUCKKKEDD UP
Duf grinned and pointed at me. “I knew it,” he said. “You done did it. You won the bloody thing, didn’t-cha? Course you did. Knew it, didn’t I?” “How did you know?” I called out, though I couldn’t keep the grin off my face. “’Cause you ain’t dead, that’s why.” “Dad!” exclaimed a mortified Delph. “He’s right, Delph,” I said. “I’m not dead, ergo, I won.”
I mean no one truly thought she would’ve won and she might not have if she didn’t have Destin
I took the bag of coins from my cloak and held it up. “The winnings,” I said. “Har,” he said. He pointed the lip end of his stick bowl at it. “Now, that’s some winnings, I tell you. Thousand coins. Right, Delph?” “Right.” “Well, it’s our winnings,” I said. “What?” said Delph, looking gobsmacked. “Delph helped train me up, Duf. Never would’ve won without his help.” “G’on with yourself,” said Duf. He puffed on his stick bowl and studied me curiously. “And since I’ve no head for coin, I want you and Delph to take it.” “Vega
TAKE THAT GOLD DUF YOUVE EARNED IT
“Duf and you can really make a go of it. You just needed a bit of coin.” “Okay, but we need to talk about this.” “We will. Next light. Now I just need some rest.” I would never have that conversation with Delph. Because I was going to leave Wormwood and enter the Quag. And I was going to do so this very night. I walked on.
I can’t believe she’s leaving without delph
