Septimus Heap, Book One_ Magyk - Angie Sage [106]
The Hunter did nothing.
He didn’t turn or even flinch as the bug landed on his shoulder and raised its sword to strike. Boy 412 was impressed. He knew the Hunter was tough, but surely this was taking things too far.
And then Aunt Zelda appeared.
“Look out!” yelled Boy 412. “The Hunter!”
Aunt Zelda jumped. Not because of the Hunter but because she had never heard Boy 412 speak before and so she had no idea who had spoken. Or where the unknown voice was coming from.
Then, to Boy 412’s amazement, Aunt Zelda snatched the Shield Bug off the Hunter and tapped it to make it roll back into a ball.
And still the Hunter did nothing.
Briskly, Aunt Zelda put the bug into one of her many patchwork pockets and looked around her, wondering where the unfamiliar voice had come from. And then she caught sight of Boy 412 peering out from the slightly raised trapdoor.
“Is that you?” she gasped. “Thank goodness you’re all right. Where’s Jenna?”
“Here,” said Boy 412, half afraid to speak in case the Hunter heard. But the Hunter gave no sign of having heard anything at all, and Aunt Zelda treated him as nothing more than an awkward piece of furniture as she walked around his immobile figure, lifted up the trapdoor and helped Boy 412 and Jenna out.
“What a wonderful sight, both of you safe,” she said happily. “I was so worried.”
“But—what about him.” Boy 412 pointed to the Hunter.
“Frozen,” said Aunt Zelda with an air of satisfaction. “Frozen solid and staying that way. Until I decide what to do with him.”
“Where’s Nicko? Is he all right?” asked Jenna as she clambered out.
“He’s fine. He’s gone after the Apprentice,” said Aunt Zelda.
As Aunt Zelda finished speaking, the front door crashed open and the dripping-wet Apprentice was propelled inside, followed by an equally dripping-wet Nicko.
“Pig,” spat Nicko, slamming the door. He let go of the boy and went over to the blazing fire to get dry.
The Apprentice dripped unhappily on the floor and looked over to the Hunter for help. He dripped even more unhappily when he saw what had happened. The Hunter stood Frozen in mid-lunge with his pistol, staring into space with empty eyes. The Apprentice gulped—a big woman in a patchwork tent was advancing purposefully toward him, and he knew only too well who it was from the Illustrated Enemy Cards he had had to study before he came on the Hunt.
It was the Mad White Witch, Zelda Zanuba Heap.
Not to mention the Wizard boy, Nickolas Benjamin Heap, and 412, the lowlife runaway deserter. They were all here, just as he had been told they would be. But where was the one they had really come for? Where was the Queenling?
The Apprentice looked around and caught sight of Jenna in the shadows behind Boy 412. He took in Jenna’s gold circlet shining against her long dark hair and her violet eyes, just like the picture on the Enemy Card (drawn very skillfully by Linda Lane, the spy). The Queenling was a little taller than he had expected, but it was definitely her.
A sly smile played on the Apprentice’s lips as he wondered if he could grab Jenna all by himself. How pleased his Master would be with him. Surely then his Master would forget all his past failures and would stop threatening to send him into the Young Army as an Expendable. Especially if he had succeeded where even the Hunter had failed.
He was going to do it.
Taking everyone by surprise, the Apprentice, although hampered by his sodden robes, flung himself forward and seized hold of Jenna. He was unexpectedly strong for his size, and he wrapped a wiry arm around her throat, almost choking her. Then he started to drag her toward the door.
Aunt Zelda made a move toward the Apprentice, and he flicked open his pocketknife, pressing it hard against Jenna’s throat.
“Anyone tries to stop me, and she gets it,” he snarled, propelling Jenna out the open door and down the path to the canoe and