Septimus Heap, Book Six_ Darke - Angie Sage [24]
On her way out, Jenna bumped into Sarah who, with the help of Billy Pot and the cook, had begun to put up bunting in the entrance hall.
“Has Dolly gone?” asked Sarah.
“Who?”
“Dolly Bingle. She works in the fish shop down by the New Quay. I knew I’d seen her before. Funny how different she looks with a bit of gold flummery and her hair out of a fish net.”
“The Bringer of the Book was Dolly Bingle?” Jenna was stunned.
“Yes, it was. And Dolly knows perfectly well who I am. I shall expect some cheap haddock when I next go there,” said Sarah with a wicked grin.
Chapter 8
Chemistry
On the way down the Palace drive Jenna remembered her walk with Septimus the previous evening. The memory still upset her but now, with The Queen Rules safely in her pocket, it annoyed her too. Septimus had treated her as though she was no more than an irritating child. And here she was chasing after him again, about to give him the opportunity to behave in exactly the same way. Why did she need his opinion on what was going on in the Palace attic? He wasn’t the only one who knew stuff—there was someone much nearer who would actually be glad to help.
A few minutes later Jenna was standing outside Larry’s Dead Languages Translation Service. She took a deep breath and readied herself to step inside. Jenna didn’t like Larry and Larry clearly didn’t like her. However, she did not take this personally because, so far as she could tell, Larry didn’t like anyone. Which made it very odd, she thought, that Beetle had not only taken a job as Larry’s transcription scribe but, now that his mother had moved down to the Port, was living there too.
Bracing herself for the caustic remarks that always accompanied her entrance, Jenna put her shoulder to the shop door and shoved (the door was notoriously stiff—Larry liked people to really want to get into his shop). The door flew open with unusual ease, Jenna hurtled across the shop and crashed into a pile of manuscripts on which a tall, expensive-looking vase was precariously balanced.
Accompanied by the sound of Larry’s throaty chuckle coming from the upstairs gallery, Beetle performed an impressive flying catch and saved the vase just before it crashed to the floor.
He helped Jenna to her feet. “Hey, are you all right?” he asked.
Winded, Jenna nodded.
Beetle took Jenna’s arm and led her through the shop to the library at the back, saying loudly, “I have your translations ready, Princess Jenna. Perhaps you’d like to take a look?”
As they disappeared out of Larry’s earshot, Beetle said, “I’m really, really sorry about the door. I didn’t have time to warn you. Larry oiled it yesterday afternoon and set up the vase on top of the manuscripts. Since then he’s sat upstairs in the gallery waiting for people to do exactly what you did just now. He’s charged three people for breaking the vase—and they’ve paid.”
“Three?”
“Yep. He sticks it back together after each time.”
Bemused, Jenna shook her head. “Beetle, I really don’t know why you want to work here—let alone live here. Especially as Marcia offered you a place at the Wizard Tower.”
Beetle shrugged. “I love the old manuscripts and their weird languages. And I’m learning all kinds of stuff; you’d be amazed at what people bring in. Besides, I’m not Magykal. The Wizard Tower would drive me nuts.”
Jenna nodded. The Wizard Tower would drive her nuts too. But so would working for Larry.
As if he’d read her mind, Beetle said, “You know, after working for Jillie Djinn, Larry’s not so bad. And I like living on Wizard Way. It’s fun. Fancy a FizzFroot?”
Jenna smiled. “You got one in chocolate?”
Beetle looked crestfallen. “Sorry, no. They only come in fruit flavors.”
Jenna took her much-loved Chocolate Charm from her pocket. “We could try them with this,” she said.
“Okay,” said Beetle a little doubtfully. “Larry!” he called out. “I’m going for my break.”
Jenna heard a gruff, “Ten minutes and no more,” from the gallery and followed