“You know that is not true, the monster said. You know that your truth, the one that you hide, Conor O’Malley, is the thing you are most afraid of.”

“Conor O’Malley who wants to be punished,” Harry said, still stepping back, his eyes on Conor’s. “Conor O’Malley who needs to be punished. And why is that, Conor O’Malley? What secrets do you hide that are so terrible?”

“It is not what I want from you, Conor O’Malley, it said. It is what you want from me.“I don’t want anything from you,” Conor said.Not yet, said the monster. But you will.”

“You are the one who called me, Conor O’Malley, it said, looking at him seriously. You are the one with the answers to these questions.”

“Conor shook his head. "That's a terrible story. And a cheat." "It is a true story," the monster said. "Many things that are true feel like a cheat.”

“This was a kingdom.(“What?” Conor said, looking around his backyard. “Here?”)(The monster cocked its head at him curiously. You have not heard of it?)(“Not a kingdom around here, no,” Conor said. “We don’t even have a McDonald’s.”)”

“What did he say?” Conor asked.He said enough to bring me walking, the monster said. I know injustice when I see it.”