Septimus Heap, Book Six_ Darke - Angie Sage [42]
The voice on the other side of the door sounded irritated. “Marcus, I’ve told you about telling stories before. Now go and get me my cup of tea. Okay?”
The boy turned around to Jenna and Beetle and shrugged. “Sorry,” he said. “He gets funny at twilight. I’ll go and get him a cup of tea. He’ll see you after that.”
“But we don’t need to see him,” said Beetle, exasperated. “We only want to know if you have ever had any fake Two-Faced Rings.”
“Exactly. So you have to see him. It’s the rules. Sorry.” The boy grinned apologetically and disappeared back into the labyrinth.
“This is stupid,” said Jenna, “I’m not waiting here all night.” She rapped loudly on the little black door and then, without waiting for a reply, she went in. Beetle followed.
A man with a long, extremely white face ending in a wispy, pointy beard was sitting at a small desk playing a solitary card game. He did not look up but murmured, “That was quick, Marcus. Just put it down here, will you?” When no cup of tea appeared in his line of sight the man looked up. His jaw dropped. “Good ghouls!” he gasped. He leaped to his feet, scattering the cards, and bowed awkwardly. “Princess Jenna! It is you. I am so sorry. I had no idea . . .” He looked around. “Where’s Marcus gone? Why didn’t he say you were here?”
“Well, Matt said I was here,” said Jenna, confused.
“Matt, Marcus, same thing,” said the man obscurely. “Oh, please, please sit down, Princess. And you, scribe Beetle.” He waved his hand to stop Beetle from explaining. “No, don’t say anything. I know what happened. But once a scribe always a scribe, eh? Now to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit? What can I do for you, eh?”
Jenna got to the point. “We need to know if you have ever sold copies of the Two-Faced Ring.”
Igor went a shade whiter. “So it is a nine-nine-nine. Oh dear, how very embarrassing. I do apologize. But it’s part of the terms of our licence, eh?” Igor reached below the desk and pressed a large red button. Then he looked up and smiled awkwardly. “Purely a formality of course,” he said. “Do please sit down.” He indicated two unsteady wooden chairs that were pushed up against the wall. Igor watched them gingerly sit down, not taking his eyes off them for a moment. “Well, your Grace—”
“Please, just call me Jenna,” Jenna interrupted.
“It seems a little familiar. Princess Jenna if I may. Eh?”
Jenna nodded.
“Well, Princess Jenna, if it had been anyone else asking this I would have to keep you in custody here until the arrival of the duty Wizard. But as it’s you, eh, I wouldn’t dream of keeping you against your wishes. Naturally.” Igor looked highly embarrassed.
“What do you mean?” asked Jenna.
“Well, it’s like this, eh? We have what we call a Notification List of certain Darke objects, potions, Charms, Spells, etcetera. Top of the list is the Two-Faced Ring. It is, as Marcus said, code nine-nine-nine. If anyone asks for something on the list, we have to notify the Wizard Tower.”
“But why?” asked Jenna.
Igor shrugged. “I don’t know, eh. The Wizard Tower doesn’t actually tell us anything. But I would guess that knowing that these things exist, and then wanting copies of them, shows a knowledge of Darke things that is suspicious, eh? Maybe even dangerous. Excepting yourself, Princess, of course,” he added hurriedly. “Of course you have a right to be interested in everything. Totally understandable—totally.”
“So is that a yes or a no?” asked Jenna.
“A yes or no what?” Igor looked puzzled.
“Have you ever sold copies of the Two-Faced Ring?”
Igor looked shocked. “Good ghoul, no. Of course we haven’t. What do you take us for?”
“I’m sorry,” said Jenna. “I . . . we didn’t mean anything bad. We just needed to know.”
Igor lowered his voice. “Do not seek to know. Keep this ring from your thoughts. Take care, Princess Jenna. Do not meddle with this. Do not name it again.” He gazed at a point a few feet above Jenna’s head and a frown flitted across his brow. “Be careful, Princess,” he muttered. “Walk with the Darke and you do not walk alone.” He stood up and bowed solemnly. “Your