Fyre (45 page)

“Someone go after her, please,” said Marcia wearily. “Thank you, Beetle.”

Those left fell silent. Septimus was thinking. “Maybe,” he said, “there is more than one improbable truth. You see, when I spoke to Hotep-Ra—”

“When you
what
?” Julius Pike interrupted.

“Spoke to Hotep-Ra,” Septimus repeated.

The ghost gazed at him openmouthed.

From his pocket Septimus took a large blue-black pebble with a slight iridescent sheen to it. It nestled in his palm, showing a brilliant gold
“
Q” set into the stone. He put it on the desk in front of the ghost. “I went on the
Queste
.”

Julius Pike went virtually transparent. “The
Queste
?” he whispered.

“Yes.”

“And you
returned
?”

Septimus could not resist. He grinned. “Here I am, so I guess I must have.”

“Septimus . . .”
warned Marcia.

Julius Pike looked stunned. “You
came back
. Unlike two of my Apprentices. Oh, my poor, dear Syrah. . . .”

Marcia held her hand up to stop Septimus. She knew what he was going to tell Julius. “This is not the time,” she said.

“So you met the ghost of Hotep-Ra on the
Queste
?” asked Julius.

“No. I met Hotep-Ra himself.”

“But . . .
how
?”

“It’s a long story,” said Septimus. “I’ll write it down one day.” He turned to Marcia. “One of the things Hotep-Ra asked me about was damage to his
Templates
. He was afraid they might have been degraded by the
Darke
stuff that DomDaniel brought to the Tower—degraded just enough so that they still looked okay, but they no longer worked. Of course I didn’t know anything about them at the time. But I think this is what must have happened.”

“Well, that
is
an explanation,” Marcia conceded. “If the
Template
is changed, then all other forms change with it at the very same time—including the spoken form. Which was why Jenna’s was identical.” She sighed. “So it’s hopeless. The
Committal
is lost forever.
Septimus, where are you going?
”

Septimus was already halfway out of the door. “I’m going to see Hotep-Ra,” he said.

Marcia leaped to her feet. “Don’t be ridiculous!”

“I’m not being ridiculous. I’m going to ask him what the
Committal
is. He must know.”

“Septimus, I will
not
allow you to go back to that ghastly House of Foryx. You’ll never come out again.”

“My
Questing Stone
gives me safe passage,” he said. “I can go into the House of Foryx and always come out in my own Time.
Always
.”

Marcia sighed. She thought of the alternative: of the
Darke
Wizards roaming the Castle unhindered, of the never-ending danger to Jenna—to everyone—and she knew she had no choice but to agree. “So . . . how do you propose to get there?”

There was only one way that made sense right then. “By Dragon Boat.”

Septimus found Jenna and Beetle down in the Great Hall of the Wizard Tower. Beetle was trying to persuade Jenna to come back upstairs, with little effect.

“Jen,” said Septimus. “I’m going to get the original
Committal
and I’d like you to come with me.”

“You bet,” said Jenna. “Anything to get out of here.”

The door of the duty Wizard’s cupboard opened a fraction and Milo’s head appeared. “Jenna,” he whispered. “I
thought
I heard you. I hope you’re not going outside.”

“Milo! What are
you
doing here?” said Jenna.

Milo sighed. He had been stuck in the cupboard ever since the Barricade had come down. “I do sometimes wonder,” he said. “Jenna, please, you
must
stay here. You are in great danger.”

“Jenna will be okay,” said Septimus. “We’re leaving the Castle at once.”

“Very sensible. I will escort you.”

Jenna was about to protest, but Septimus stepped in. “Thank you,” he said. “We’re going to Jannit’s boatyard.”

Milo took a serious-looking dagger from a small scabbard at his waist. Its shiny steel glinted purple, reflecting the lights flickering across the floor. “They won’t get past me,” he said. “Oh.
Bother
.”

Milo saw Marcia striding purposefully across the Great Hall at the head of a group of seven of the most senior Wizards. “Jenna, here are your guards,” she said. “You must allow them to surround you completely until you are safely aboard.
Milo!
”

Milo sighed. “Hello, Marcia.”

“You’ve had a wasted visit, Milo,” Marcia said acidly. “Hildegarde is busy at the moment. She has more important things to do.”

“Marcia, please, it’s not—”

“Of any consequence,” Marcia cut in. “Put it away, please, Milo. The Wizard Tower is a weapon-free zone.”

Milo sheathed his knife, muttering, “Sorry.”

Marcia turned to Septimus and Jenna. “
Search
and Rescue have a fix on Saarn and Naarn. They are heading up Alchemie Way, so you have a clear run to the boatyard. Hurry!”

Jenna looked at Beetle. “Will you come too?
Please?
” she asked.

Very regretfully, Beetle shook his head. “I can’t leave the Manuscriptorium at a time like this.”

Jenna sounded disappointed. “No, of course you can’t. I’m sorry, I didn’t think.”

“But I’ll come with Milo and make sure you get to the boatyard okay,” said Beetle.

The great silver doors to the Wizard Tower swung open, and the party set off down the steps and headed across the Courtyard. Septimus, Beetle and Milo led the way, followed by a protective ring of seven Wizards, in the middle of which was Jenna. They
UnLocked
a small side gate and moved stealthily along the snaking pathway that led to the tunnel into Jannit Maarten’s boatyard.

The two Ring Wizards marched up Alchemie Way
left-right-left-right-left
covering the ground fast in their five-foot-long strides. At the foot of the Alchemie Chimney they stopped and stared up at it. Some brave watchers from the corner house on Gold Button Drop saw four pencil-thin beams of red light travel up the chimney and linger on the thin line of white smoke that emerged. They saw the ten-foot-tall shining beings turn to each other and agree something between them. Then, to their terror, they saw them swivel on their heels and head toward them. They dived under their bed and did not come out until the next morning.

Spit Fyre was in his usual place beside the Dragon Boat. His presence every night since Jenna had
Revived
her had given the Dragon Boat great strength. She was now fully recovered and her long, dark days covered in ice were no more than a distant memory. Spit Fyre opened an eye and regarded the oncoming party with interest, and at the sight of his Master he thumped his tail down with a bang. The Dragon Boat opened her eyes and bent her neck toward Spit Fyre, who lifted up his head and gently bumped her nose.

Nicko was showing Eustace Bott how to fix a keel bolt, but when he saw Milo, Septimus and Beetle leading a group of Wizards toward the Dragon Boat he put down his tools. Something was going on. “Eustace, I’ll be back in a moment,” he said.

Nicko headed over to the Dragon House, not quite believing what he was seeing—it looked to him as though Jenna and Septimus were going off in the Dragon Boat. The Wizards were now gathered inside the Dragon House and above their heads Nicko could see Septimus standing at the tiller, looking as if he was waiting for the wind to change. Jenna was in the prow, leaning down and saying something to Beetle. The dragon’s head was held high; a glint of emerald green glanced from her eyes, which were bright with excitement. With a delicate swanlike movement, the dragon lowered her head so that she was looking Jenna in the eye. Nicko saw Beetle jump back rather quickly, then, shocked, he heard Jenna’s whisper echo around the Dragon House:
“Take us to Hotep-Ra.”

Nicko leaped up onto the marble walkway and pushed past the Wizards.
“Are you crazy?”
he demanded.

“Nik, please don’t be upset. We
have
to,” Jenna said.

“You can’t go back to that awful place.
You can’t
.”

“I’m really sorry, Nik. We have no choice. We
have
to go.”

Nicko knew Jenna well enough not to argue. “In that case,” he said, “I am coming with you.” And he jumped on board.

Now the purpose of the marble walkway that ran around the inside of the Dragon House became clear. It needed every one of the seven Wizards—plus Milo and Beetle—to push the Dragon Boat out from her berth. She was a heavy boat and moved slowly at first, but as the first ray of sun touched her nose, the dragon stretched her long neck out of the shadows of the Dragon House to feel the warmth. Now she began to glide easily out of the dim blue light, neck and tail arching up to greet the sun, her iridescent green scales shimmering in the sunlight.

Beetle, Milo and the Wizards walked the Dragon Boat along the narrow confines of the Cut and guided her out into the Moat. Jenna, Nicko and Septimus looked at one another, remembering the night—so long ago now—that they had brought her there, wounded and dying.

“I never thought we’d all be here again. Like this,” said Nicko.

“I did,” said Jenna. “I knew we would. One day.”

While the Wizard escort made their way out of the boatyard, the Dragon Boat floated out into the middle of the Moat. She was watched in awe not only by Beetle, Milo and Eustace Bott, but also by a small boy in an attic window above the Castle Wall. Even Jannit Maarten looked mildly impressed as the dragon’s magnificent wings—neatly folded along the hull—began to move slowly upward and unfurl until they were spread so wide the wing tips touched both banks of the Moat.

“Ready?” Septimus called down to his crew.

“Aye,” said Nicko, lapsing into sailor-speak.

“Ready!” called Jenna.

“Septimus! Septimus!” a shout came from the boatyard.

“Wait,” said Septimus. “There’s Rose.”

Breathless, Rose reached the edge of the Cut. “I’ve”—
puff, puff
—“got something for you. From Marcia. Here!” She waved her arm.

“Chuck it over, then,” said Nicko.

Rose shook her head. “I’m a really bad shot,” she called. “It might fall in the water.”

“I can row you out,” Eustace offered. “I got my boat.” He pointed to a small rowboat tied up to the bank.

“Oh Eustace, you’re a star!” said Rose.

Eustace blushed. No one had ever called him a star before. A few minutes later Rose was standing on tiptoe, leaning against the smooth, burnished gold of the Dragon Boat’s hull, and Septimus was stretching down to take a small velvet
Charm
bag, in which he knew was the
Flyte Charm.

“She’s such a beautiful boat,” said Rose shyly. “Does she really fly too?”

“Like a bird,” said Septimus.

“Wow . . .” Rose breathed. “That is just so . . . wow.”

“Are we going or what?” demanded Nicko.

“Oh, sorry, I’ll get out of your way,” said Rose.

“You’re not in our way,” said Septimus, reluctant to see Rose go.

“Oh, but I am. Good luck. I’ll be thinking of you.”

“Yeah. Me too.”

“Oh, for goodness’ sake,” said Nicko. “Get the girl on board and stop fussing.”

“Gosh!” said Rose. “I
wish
. But . . .”

“Marcia would have a fit,” Septimus finished for her.

“Yes, she would.” Rose smiled. “Well, safe journey.”

The Dragon Boat got ready for takeoff. She pushed down the tip of her tail and stretched out her neck as though reaching for something far away, and then with a loud
thwoosh
her wings came down, sending water splashing onto the banks and Eustace Bott’s boat rocking. She began to move down the long, straight section of the Moat in front of the boatyard, slow at first but soon picking up speed. Seven wingbeats later Nicko felt the
thrum
of the water running below the hull disappear and he suddenly remembered how disturbing it felt to be in a boat that flew.

Septimus, however, felt utterly at home. He was surprised how much flying the Dragon Boat felt like flying Spit Fyre. Confidently, he pushed the tiller away from him, wheeling the creature up above the Castle walls. A continuing gentle pressure on the tiller brought the Dragon Boat around once more above the boatyard where Beetle, Milo and Eustace Bott waved. Jannit, however, stood impassive, arms folded, not at all pleased to see her Senior Apprentice going absent without leave—although she was more than pleased to see that
that wretched dragon
was going too.

As the Dragon Boat flew high up above the Castle, Spit Fyre—like the dutiful son he was—followed her. But Septimus had yet to realize that Spit Fyre was coming too. All the Dragon Boat’s passengers had eyes for was what they could see far below: the Wizard escort now gathered outside the Manuscriptorium around the bodies of Ernold and Edmund Heap.

39

I
NTRUDERS