Septimus Heap, Book One_ Magyk - Angie Sage [68]
Marcia was expecting Silas back with her KeepSafe.
Jenna and Nicko were expecting a message from Silas.
Maxie was expecting his breakfast.
Boy 412 was expecting trouble.
“Don’t you want your porridge chunks?” Aunt Zelda asked Boy 412 at breakfast. “You had two helpings yesterday, and you’ve hardly touched them today.”
Boy 412 shook his head.
Aunt Zelda looked concerned. “You’re looking a bit peaky,” she said. “Are you feeling all right?”
Boy 412 nodded, even though he wasn’t.
After breakfast, while Boy 412 was carefully folding his quilt as neatly as he had always folded his Army blankets every morning of his life, Jenna asked him if he wanted to come out in the Muriel Two with her and Nicko to watch for the Message Rat coming back. He shook his head. Jenna wasn’t surprised. She knew Boy 412 did not like boats.
“See you later, then,” she called out cheerily as she ran off to join Nicko in the canoe.
Boy 412 watched Nicko steer the canoe out along the Mott and into the marshes. The marshland looked bleak and cold that morning, as though the night’s east wind had rubbed it raw. He was glad he was staying in the cottage by the warm fire.
“Ah, there you are,” said Marcia behind him. Boy 412 jumped. “I’d like a word with you.”
Boy 412’s heart sank. Well, that was it, he thought. She’s going to send me away. Back to the Young Army. He should have realized it was all too good to last.
Marcia noticed how pale Boy 412 had suddenly become.
“Are you all right?” she asked him. “Was it the pig-foot pie last night? I found it a bit indigestible myself. Didn’t get much sleep either, especially with that awful east wind. And speaking of wind, I don’t see why that disgusting dog can’t sleep somewhere else.”
Boy 412 smiled. He for one was glad that Maxie slept upstairs.
“I thought you might like to show me the island,” Marcia continued. “I expect you already know your way around.”
Boy 412 looked at Marcia in alarm. What did she suspect? Did she know he’d found the tunnel?
“Don’t look so worried.” Marcia smiled. “Come on, why don’t you show me the Boggart patch? I’ve never seen where a Boggart lives.”
Regretfully leaving the warmth of the cottage behind, Boy 412 set off with Marcia to the Boggart patch.
Together they made a strange pair: Boy 412, ex–Young Army Expendable, a small, slight figure even in his bulky sheepskin jacket and baggy rolled-up sailor’s trousers, was made instantly visible by his bright red hat, which so far he had refused to take off, even for Aunt Zelda. Towering above him, Marcia Overstrand, ExtraOrdinary Wizard, strode along at a brisk pace, which Boy 412 had to occasionally break into a trot to keep up with. Her gold and platinum belt flashed in the weak winter sunlight, and her heavy silk and fur robes flowed out behind her in a rich purple stream.
They soon arrived at the Boggart patch.
“Is that it?” asked Marcia, a little shocked at how any creature could live in such a cold and muddy place.
Boy 412 nodded, proud that he could show Marcia something she didn’t already know.
“Well, well,” said Marcia. “You learn something every day. And yesterday,” she said, looking Boy 412 in the eye before he had a chance to look away. “Yesterday I learned something too. Something very interesting.”
Boy 412 shuffled his feet uneasily and looked away. He didn’t like the sound of this.
“I learned,” said Marcia in a low voice, “that you have a natural Magykal gift. You did that spell as easily as if you had been studying Magyk for years. But you’ve never been near a spell in your life, have you?”
Boy 412 shook his head and looked at his feet. He still felt as though he had done something wrong.
“Quite,” said Marcia. “I didn’t think so. I suppose you have been in the Young Army since you were, what…two and a half? That’s when they usually take them.”
Boy 412 had no idea how long he had been in the Young Army. He could remember nothing else in his life, so he supposed Marcia was right.