Septimus Heap, Book Six_ Darke - Angie Sage [154]
Jenna walked slowly up to the Palace, her footprints showing trampled grass through the snow. Ahead of her the Palace was dark against the late afternoon sky, with the winter sun already having dropped down behind the ancient battlements. It was an eerie sight, enhanced by the occasional crow call from the tops of the cedars down by the river, but Jenna did not see it that way. She had turned down offers from Silas and Sarah to come with her. This was the way she wanted to return to her Palace—on her own.
The ancient double doors were half open, left ajar by Simon when he had fled with Sarah in his arms. And guarding them was a familiar figure.
“Welcome home, Princess-in-Waiting,” said Sir Hereward.
“Thank you, Sir Hereward,” replied Jenna as she stepped inside. A flurry of snow entered with her. Jenna hung up her witch’s cloak in the cloakroom and closed the door on it with feelings of fondness. It had served her well and who knew? She might need it again one day.
“You’d better come in too,” she said to Sir Hereward, who was still out in the snow.
“Strictly speaking, Princess, now that you have taken possession of the whole Palace rather than just your room, I should stay outside,” Sir Hereward replied.
“I’d rather you came in,” said Jenna. “I could use some company, if you don’t mind.”
A smiling Sir Hereward strode in, and Jenna quickly pushed the doors together. They closed with a bang that echoed through the empty building. Jenna looked around the entrance hall, which was full of shadows and ghosts. She reached into her pocket for the CandleLight Charm Septimus had given her that afternoon and began lighting the first of many extinguished candles.
Later that evening Jenna was sitting in Sarah’s old sitting room with a bewildered duck in her arms when she heard footsteps coming down the Long Walk. These were not the soft tip-tap of ghost steps but solid boot-wearing human ones. Sir Hereward, who had been standing guard beside the fire, strode off to investigate. He returned—to Jenna’s surprise and delight—with Aunt Zelda and Wolf Boy.
Aunt Zelda swept her up into a huge, padded hug and Wolf Boy grinned broadly.
“We’re really, really sorry we missed your party,” he said. “But it was weird—we couldn’t get out of the Queen’s Room for two whole days.”
Aunt Zelda settled herself beside the fire. She looked at the duck in Jenna’s arms. “That creature has been in the Darke, dear,” she said to Jenna a little disapprovingly. “I do hope you are not dabbling with things you shouldn’t. Some Princesses of your age have done so in the past.”
“Oh . . .” Jenna did not know what to say. It was as if Aunt Zelda knew about her Port Witch Coven cloak hanging in the cupboard.
“Now, Jenna dear,” said Aunt Zelda, “tell me all about it.”
Jenna put some more coal on the fire. It was going to be a long evening.
Chapter 49
The Chief Hermetic Scribe
It was MidWinter Feast Day. Jenna looked out the Palace ballroom window and watched the snow falling fast, covering the lawns, festooning the bare branches of the trees and obliterating all traces of the Darke Domaine. It was beautiful.
Jenna was hosting a MidWinter Feast. She was determined to get rid of all traces of the Things in the Palace and she had decided that the best way to do that was to fill it with everyone she cared about. Silas, Sarah and Maxie had come over from the Ramblings. After a tearful reunion—on Sarah’s part, anyway—between Ethel and Sarah, they began to help Jenna get the Ballroom ready for that evening. There was, Jenna said, a lot to do.
Silas smiled. “That’s just what your mother would say,” he said.
The winter morning drew on. Snow piled up outside the long windows, while the Ballroom was transformed with holly and ivy, red ribbons, huge silver candlesticks and a whole box of streamers that Silas had been keeping for a special occasion.
At the other end of Wizard Way, the Pick for the new Chief Hermetic Scribe was underway.
The previous afternoon Marcia had