Septimus Heap, Book One_ Magyk - Angie Sage [78]
The Hole in the Wall was an ancient tavern built inside the wide Castle wall. When Marcia had taken her shortcut to the North Side those few days ago, part of her journey had taken her over the roof of the tavern, but she had been unaware of the motley collection of ghosts talking the long years away right beneath her feet.
It took Silas a few minutes for his eyes to adjust from the brightness of the snow to the dull glow of the lamps that flickered along the walls. But as they did he became aware of a most amazing collection of ghosts. They were gathered around long trestle tables, standing together in small groups beside the ghostly fire or just sitting in solitary contemplation in a quiet corner. There was a large contingent of ExtraOrdinary Wizards, their purple cloaks and robes spanning the different styles fashionable through the centuries. There were knights in full armor, pages in extravagant liveries, women with wimples, young Queens with rich silk dresses and older Queens in black, all enjoying one another’s company.
Alther led Silas through the crowd. Silas did his best not to walk through any of them, but once or twice he felt a cold breeze as he passed through a ghost. No one seemed to mind—some nodded to him in a friendly manner and others were too intent on their endless conversation to notice him—and Silas got the impression that any friend of Alther’s was a welcome guest in The Hole in the Wall.
The ghostly landlord of the tavern had long ago given up hovering by the beer barrels, for the ghosts all nursed the same tankard of beer that they had been given when they first arrived, and some tankards had lasted for many hundreds of years. Alther bade a cheery hello to the landlord, who was deep in conversation with three ExtraOrdinary Wizards and an old tramp who had long ago fallen asleep under one of the tables and never woken up again. Then he steered Silas over to a quiet corner where a plump figure in a nun’s habit was sitting waiting for them.
“May I introduce Sister Bernadette,” said Alther. “Sister Bernadette, this is Silas Heap—the one I was telling you about. He is the boy’s father.”
Despite Sister Bernadette’s bright smile Silas felt a sense of foreboding.
The round-faced nun turned her twinkling eyes to Silas and said in a soft lilting voice, “He’s quite a lad, your boy, isn’t he? He knows what he wants, and isn’t afraid of going out to get it.”
“Well, I suppose so. He certainly wants to be a Wizard, I know that. He wants an Apprenticeship, but of course with the ways things are now…”
“Ah, to be sure it’s not a good time to be a young and hopeful Wizard,” agreed the nun, “but that’s not why he came back to the Castle, you know.”
“So he has come back. Oh, that’s a relief. I thought he had been captured. Or—or killed.”
Alther put his hand on Silas’s shoulder. “Unfortunately Silas, he was captured yesterday. Sister Bernadette was there. She will tell you.”
Silas put his head in his hands and groaned.
“How?” he asked. “What happened?”
“Well, now,” said the nun, “it would seem that young Simon had a girlfriend.”
“Did he?”
“Yes indeed. Lucy Gringe is her name.”
“Not Gringe the Gatekeeper’s daughter? Oh, no.”
“I’m sure she’s a nice lass, Silas,” remonstrated Sister Bernadette.
“Well, I hope she’s nothing like her father, that’s all I can say. Lucy Gringe. Oh, goodness.”
“Well now, Silas, it seems Simon took himself back to the Castle for a pressing reason. He and Lucy had a secret appointment at the chapel. To be married. So romantic.” The nun smiled dreamily.
“Married? I don’t believe it. I’m related to the ghastly Gringe.” Silas looked whiter than some of the occupants of the tavern.
“No, Silas, you are not,” said Sister Bernadette disapprovingly. “Because unfortunately young Simon and Lucy did not actually get married.”
“Unfortunately?”