Septimus Heap, Book One_ Magyk - Angie Sage [126]
With shaking hands she drew the key out of one of her patchwork pockets and opened the door to the lantern cupboard. She took out a lantern and gave it to Boy 412.
“You know where to go, don’t you?” asked Aunt Zelda. “The trapdoor in the potion cupboard?”
Boy 412 nodded.
“Go down into the tunnel. You’ll be safe there. No one will find you. I’ll make the trapdoor Disappear.”
“But aren’t you coming?” Jenna asked Aunt Zelda.
“No,” she said quietly. “Boggart’s very sick. I’m afraid he may not last if I move him. Don’t worry about me. It’s not me they want. Oh, look, take this, Jenna. You may as well have him with you.” Aunt Zelda fished Jenna’s Shield Bug out of yet another pocket and gave the rolled-up bug to her. Jenna tucked the bug into her jacket pocket.
“Now, go!”
Boy 412 hesitated, and another crack of lightning split the air.
“Go!” squeaked Aunt Zelda, waving her arms about like a demented windmill. “Go!”
Boy 412 opened the trapdoor in the potion cupboard and held the lantern high, his hand trembling a little, while Jenna scrambled down the ladder. Nicko hung back, wondering where Maxie had got to. He knew how much the wolfhound hated thunderstorms, and he wanted to take him with him.
“Maxie,” he called out. “Maxie boy!” From underneath the rug a faint wolfhound whine came in reply.
Boy 412 was already halfway down the ladder.
“Come on,” he told Nicko. Nicko was busy wrestling with the recalcitrant wolfhound who refused to come out from what he considered to be the safest place in the world. Under the hearth rug.
“Hurry up,” said Boy 412 impatiently, his head sticking back up through the trapdoor. What Nicko saw in that heap of smelly fur Boy 412 had no idea.
Nicko had grabbed hold of the spotted scarf that Maxie wore around his neck. He heaved the terrified dog out from under the rug and was dragging him across the floor. Maxie’s claws made a hideous scraping noise on the stone flags and as Nicko shoved him into the dark potion cupboard he whined piteously. Maxie knew he must have been very bad to deserve this. He wondered what it was he had done. And why he hadn’t enjoyed it more at the time.
In a flurry of fur and dribble, Maxie fell through the trapdoor and landed on Boy 412, knocking the lantern from his hand, putting it out and sending it rolling away down the steep incline.
“Now look what you’ve done,” Boy 412 told the dog crossly as Nicko joined him at the bottom of the wooden ladder.
“What?” asked Nicko. “What have I done?”
“Not you. Him. Lost the lantern.”
“Oh, we’ll find it. Stop worrying. We’re safe now.” Nicko hauled Maxie to his feet, and the wolfhound skittered down the sandy slope, his claws scrabbling on the rock underneath, dragging Nicko with him. They both slipped and slid down the steep slope, coming to rest in an unruly heap at the bottom of some steps.
“Ow!” said Nicko. “I think I’ve found the lantern.”
“Good,” said Boy 412 grumpily. He picked up the lantern, which sprang to life again and lit up the smooth marble walls of the tunnel.
“There’re those pictures again,” said Jenna. “Aren’t they amazing?”
“How come everyone’s been down here except for me?” complained Nicko. “No one asked if I might have liked to look at the pictures. Hey, there’s a boat in this one, look.”
“We know,” said Boy 412 shortly. He put down the lantern and sat on the ground. He felt tired and wished Nicko would be quiet. But Nicko was excited by the tunnel.
“It’s amazing down here,” he said, staring at the hieroglyphs that ran along the wall as far as they could see in the flickering light of the lantern.
“I know,” said Jenna. “Look, I really like this one. This circle thing with a dragon in it.” She ran her hand over the small blue and gold image inscribed on the marble wall. Suddenly she felt the ground begin to shake. Boy 412 jumped to his feet.
“What’s that?” he gulped.
A long, low rumble sent tremors up through their feet and reverberated through the air.
“It’s moving!” gasped Jenna. “The tunnel wall is moving.”
One side of the tunnel wall was parting, ponderously