Septimus Heap, Book Six_ Darke - Angie Sage [26]
Beetle began sawing at his cube. The multicolored gloop ran across his plate and swirled into a thick rainbow puddle. Beetle began to turn pink. His sandwich was an utter disaster.
“So . . . um, what is it you wanted Sep to do?” he asked, trying to deflect attention from the accident on his plate.
“There’s something going on in the Palace. In the attic,” said Jenna. “No one’s allowed up there since that stuff with Dad and the Sealed Room—even I don’t go there—but sometimes when I’m in my room I hear footsteps above my head.”
“Probably rats,” said Beetle, staring at “Chemistry” in dismay. “There’re some big ones down by the river.”
“It’s human,” whispered Jenna.
“But some ghosts make footstep noises,” said Beetle. “It’s one of the easiest things a ghost can Cause. And you have a load of ghosts at the Palace.”
Jenna shook her head. That was what Silas and Sarah had said too.
“But Beetle, someone is using those stairs—the dust is worn away from the middle of the treads. I thought it was Mum, as she does wander around a bit at night when she can’t sleep, but when I asked her about it she said she hadn’t been up there for ages. So yesterday I decided to go up and have a look.”
Beetle looked up from the mangled mess on his plate. “What did you see?”
Jenna told Beetle what had happened the previous evening. By the time she had finished, Beetle wore a look of consternation.
“That’s not good. Sounds like you might have an Infestation,” he said.
“What, like cockroaches or something?” Jenna was puzzled.
“No. I didn’t mean that kind of infestation. It’s what we used to call it in the Manuscriptorium. I suppose Wizards might have a different name for it.”
“For what?”
Beetle also lowered his voice—it wasn’t good to talk about the Darke in a public place. “For when something Darke moves into someone’s house. In fact, it sounds like something might be setting up a”—he glanced around to check that no one was listening—“a Darke Domaine.”
Jenna shivered. She didn’t like the sound of that at all. “What’s a Darke Domaine?” she whispered.
“It’s like a kind of foggy pool of Darke. It can get really powerful if it’s not gotten rid of. It grows by drawing strength from people, and it lures them in with promises of all the things they long for.”
“You mean there might really be something nasty in the attic?” Jenna looked scared. She hadn’t quite believed it until now.
From what Jenna had just told him, Beetle thought it was highly likely. “Well, yes. You know, I think you should really get Marcia to have a look.”
“But if I ask Marcia to come today, Mum will throw a fit.” Jenna thought for a moment. “Beetle, I’d really appreciate your advice first. If you say it’s a”—she too glanced around—“you-know-what, then I’ll go straight to Marcia. I promise.”
Beetle could not refuse. “Okay,” he said.
“Oh, thank you.” Jenna smiled.
Beetle took out his treasured timepiece. “Suppose I come round, let’s see . . . about half-past three. Gives me time to pick up a SafeCharm from the Charm desk at the Wizard Tower. It will still be daylight then. You don’t want to go near that kind of stuff after dark.”
It was then that Jenna remembered that the last time Beetle helped her, he had lost his job. “But what about Larry? What about your job?”
Beetle grinned. “Don’t worry, I’ll fix it with Larry. He owes me a lot of time. And Larry’s okay as long as you tell him what you’re doing. He’s nothing like Jillie Djinn, so don’t you worry about that. Half-past three at the Palace Gate?”
“Oh, thank you, Beetle. Thank you.” Jenna regarded the gooey mess on Beetle’s plate, which was beginning to fizz alarmingly. She pushed her stack of sandwiches to the middle of the table. “Let’s share,” she said. “I can’t possibly eat them all.”
Chapter 9
Charming
Beetle and Jenna emerged from the warmth of Wizard Sandwiches into