Septimus Heap, Book Six_ Darke - Angie Sage [157]
The Big Freeze came in fast. It was rare for it to begin on the MidWinter Feast Day but everyone in the Castle welcomed the blanket of white, covering all traces of the Darke Domaine, turning the Castle into a Magykal place once more. Even those who had lost family and friends—and there were more than a few—welcomed it; the silence of the snow felt right.
Walking to the Palace that evening, Septimus met Simon going the same way.
“Hi,” Septimus said, a little awkwardly. “No Lucy?”
Simon smiled tentatively. “She’ll be along later. Gone to collect her Mum and Dad. They’re okay, but her Mum’s making a fuss.”
“Ah.”
They walked through the Palace Gate and headed for the Palace. Breaking the rather uncomfortable silence, Septimus said, “I wanted to say thank you.”
Simon looked at his brother. “What for?” he asked, puzzled.
“For saving me. In the river.”
“Oh. Oh well. I owed you.”
“Yeah. Well. And I’m sorry I didn’t listen about the Paired Code.”
Simon shrugged. “Why should you? Stuff’s happened. And I’m sorry too.”
“Yeah. I know.”
Simon turned to Septimus. “Quits?” he asked, smiling.
“Quits,” Septimus smiled back.
Simon put his arm around his brother’s shoulders—noticing that he was very nearly the same height—and together they made their way up to the Palace, leaving behind them a trail of two pairs of footprints breaking through the frosty covering that coated the blanket of snow.
That night the Palace Ballroom was ablaze with light and—for the first time for many, many years—full of people. Even Milo, Jenna’s father, was there, having arrived back from a voyage a little late for her birthday, as ever. At either end of the table, at Jenna’s insistence, sat Sarah and Silas. When they had first moved into the Palace, Sarah and Silas had sometimes taken those seats as a joke, with Jenna perched uncomfortably somewhere in between, but now the long table between them was full of people, laughter and conversation.
At Sarah’s end of the table sat Milo, his red and gold silk robes shimmering in the candlelight while he regaled her with the details of his latest voyage. Opposite Milo was the ExtraOrdinary Wizard, who was, naturally, seated next to the Chief Hermetic Scribe. Sarah had insisted that Jenna sit next to her father, but she made a point of talking mainly to Septimus, who was placed next to her, just across the table from Beetle. Septimus looked over at his friend, resplendent in his new robes, and saw how well they suited him. Already Beetle seemed at ease in the heavy dark blue silk with the sleeves hemmed with gold, the colors echoing his Admiral’s jacket which, Septimus noticed, he still wore underneath. Beetle had a glow of happiness about him that Septimus had never noticed before—it was good to see.
A burst of raucous laughter came from Silas’s end of the table, where Nicko was sitting with Rupert, Maggie and Foxy. Nicko was making seagull noises. Toward the middle of the table Snorri and her mother sat quietly talking, while Ullr lay on guard beside them. Every now and then Snorri glanced disapprovingly at Nicko. Nicko did not seem to notice.
Next to Septimus was Simon. Simon’s attention was mainly taken up by Lucy, Gringe and Mrs. Gringe, who were talking about the wedding—or rather listening to Lucy talking about it. Occasionally Simon glanced down to a small wooden box sitting on his lap and smiled, his green eyes—unclouded for the first time in four years—gleaming in the candlelight. Written on the box was the word “Sleuth.” It was a thank-you present from Marcia and it meant more to Simon than any present he had ever received.
Igor, with Matt and Marcus and his new employee, Marissa, were in deep conversation with Wolf Boy and Aunt Zelda.
Jenna, who was sitting on the other side of Septimus, nudged him. “Look at Wolf Boy. Without his long hair, don’t you think he’d look just like Matt and Marcus?”
“Matt and Marcus?”
“From Gothyk Grotto. Look.”
“Almost identical. That is so weird.”
“They sound