Septimus Heap, Book Six_ Darke - Angie Sage [144]
“It must have hurt swallowing that,” he said.
Simon, however, was not surprised. When Merrin had been Simon’s assistant at the Observatory he had swallowed a variety of metal objects. But that was not a time in his life Simon wanted to remember—or wanted Septimus to remember either. So he said nothing.
At their feet Merrin stirred. “Give it back,” he moaned weakly. “It’s mine.”
Both Septimus and Simon ignored him.
Simon looked at the disc lying in Septimus’s palm. “It’s the Paired Code!” he said excitedly. “We must get this to Marcia at once.”
Septimus did not like the sound of “we.” “I’ll take it,” he said, putting the disc into his Apprentice belt.
“But I know how to use it,” protested Simon.
Septimus was dismissive. “So does Marcia,” he said.
“How can she? She doesn’t know where to begin.” Simon sounded exasperated.
“Of course she does,” snapped Septimus.
The sound of running footsteps broke up the argument. Sarah, Sally and Marcellus were racing down to the New Quay. Not wishing to become embroiled in a reunion just then, Septimus gave them a hasty wave and, clutching the Paired Code, he ran off toward Spit Fyre, who looked triumphant. He had won his first fight. He was now a fully fledged, adult dragon.
A few seconds later Septimus and Spit Fyre were airborne. Drops of dragon blood marked their flight path all the way to the Wizard Tower.
Speechless with frustration, Simon watched Spit Fyre and his pilot disappear up over the Darke Fog.
“Simon.” Sarah gently touched his arm. “Simon love, you’re frozen. Come inside. Sally’s got the fire lit.”
Simon felt grateful that she hadn’t even mentioned Septimus. He looked at his mother, who was herself shivering despite one of Sally’s blankets thrown around her shoulders. He felt so sad for her, but right then there was nothing he could do about it—except what he was about to do.
“I’m sorry, Mum,” he said gently, “I can’t. I’ve got to go. You go back with Sally. Tell Lucy I . . . I’ll see you all later.” And he walked briskly away, striding up the well-worn path to the South Gate.
Sarah watched him go without a protest, which worried Sally. Sarah seemed defeated, she thought. Sally led her friend back to the café and sat her down beside the fire. Nicko, Lucy, Rupert and Maggie gathered around her but Sarah neither moved nor spoke for the rest of the night.
Marcellus Pye put the shivering, bedraggled Merrin in one of Sally’s more dismal, windowless bunkhouses with a pile of dry blankets. As he went to lock the door his prisoner glared at him.
“L-Loser!” Merrin spat, his nose streaming as his cold returned with a vengeance. “Your st-stupid little key won’t keep m-me in.” He jabbed his left thumb at Marcellus. The green faces on the Two-Faced Ring shone malevolently. “H-He who wears this is indestructible. Atchoo! I wear it, therefore I am indestructible. I can do what I like. B-Buckethead!”
Marcellus did not deign to reply. He closed the door and locked it. He looked at Sally’s flimsy tin key and reflected that even without the power of the Two-Faced Ring, Merrin could probably get out—but for the moment, freezing cold and in shock from nearly drowning, he didn’t think Merrin was in a state to do anything.
On the chilly footpath outside the bunkhouse, Marcellus kept guard, pacing up and down to keep warm, his shoes flip-flapping on the frosty stone. Over and over again Merrin’s defiant words came back to him. Unlike much of what Merrin said, they were true. While he wore the Ring, Marcellus knew that Merrin himself was indeed indestructible—and free to wreak havoc. There was no doubt in Marcellus’s mind that while Merrin had the ring, the Castle and all who lived there were in grave danger.
Marcellus thought of the shivering, sniffling boy alone in the bunkhouse. A feeling of pity flashed through him but he pushed it to one side. He made himself remember the Two-Faced Ring glinting on the taunting thumb and he knew that as soon as Merrin recovered he would be wreaking revenge. There was little time to lose—something had to be done. Fast. Now.