Septimus Heap, Book Six_ Darke - Angie Sage [97]
“Okay!” Jenna shouted back.
Surprised, Septimus turned around. “Really?” he shouted.
Jenna smiled. “Yep! Really!”
Septimus gave Jenna a huge grin of relief—he hated arguing with her—and once more Spit Fyre began his approach to Snake Slipway. The slipway was hemmed in on both sides by houses, some leaning in toward each other and none wanting their windows smashed by a misplaced dragon’s tail. It was not an easy landing, even for a dragon used to the narrow confines of the Castle. With a loud snort of excitement—Spit Fyre liked a challenge—the dragon headed down.
It was a perfect landing. Spit Fyre settled lightly in the center of the slipway and folded his wings with an air of satisfaction and the creaking sound of old leather. His Pilot and Navigator slipped down from their places and stood on the sleet-shined slipway.
“Spit Fyre,” said his Pilot. “Stay!”
Spit Fyre regarded his Pilot quizzically. Why did his Pilot want him to Stay in this bad place? Had he done something wrong? His Navigator came to his rescue.
“You can’t tell Spit Fyre to Stay, Sep.”
“It’s only for a few minutes, Jen. Then I’m going to get Mum.”
But Spit Fyre’s Navigator dug her heels in. “No, Sep. Supposing those Things come back? You have to take the Stay off. It’s not fair.”
Septimus sighed. Jenna was right. “Okay. Spit Fyre, Stay replaced with StaySafe.” He patted the dragon’s nose. “Okay?”
Spit Fyre snorted. He thumped his tail and sent a plume of Moat water up into the air. The dragon watched his Pilot and Navigator walk to a doorway a few yards up on the left where the slipway leveled out. His Pilot placed a key in the lock and turned it, then they disappeared inside and the door closed behind them.
Spit Fyre watched the door, waiting for them to come out again. And while he watched he stretched out his wings so that he was ready to take off quickly—just in case. He didn’t like the slipway. It was narrow and full of hiding places on either side. Spit Fyre didn’t like what was happening to the Castle either; he could smell the Darke, he could feel it coming closer. And then, suddenly, he saw a movement in the shadows. His Pilot’s StaySafe kicked in and so, as a group of Things crept up on him in a pincer movement, knives at the ready, Spit Fyre raised his wings and, with one powerful downstroke, he was airborne. He looked down and saw the Things on the slipway staring up at him. A moment later there was a loud splat—a particularly large amount of dragon poop had scored a direct hit.
Jenna didn’t like Marcellus’s house very much. There was something about the smell of it that reminded her of a Time five hundred years ago.
“Do we have to come here?” she asked uneasily.
“Marcellus has a SafeChamber,” said Septimus. “Where you can be, um, safe.” He glanced around. The narrow hallway and the flight of stairs leading up to the next floor were ablaze with candles, as they always were, but a stillness hung in the air, and he knew the house was deserted. Septimus felt at a loss. He realized he was also hoping for Marcellus’s company—and advice. “He’s not here,” he said flatly.
Jenna was puzzled. “He must be. All these candles are lit.”
“He always does that,” said Septimus. “I’ve told him that one day he’ll come back to find his house burned down but he doesn’t listen.”
“I don’t want to stay here on my own, I really don’t,” Jenna said anxiously. “It’s so creepy . . .”
“Let’s go,” said Septimus. “We’ll sit it out on Spit Fyre and wait for him to come back.”
“I’m not leaving the Castle,” said Jenna, a warning in her voice.
“Neither am I. We’ll just kind of hover. We’ll be safe on Spit Fyre.” Septimus opened the door and stepped outside. Jenna heard a sharp intake of breath.
“What is it?” she asked.
“Spit Fyre. He’s gone.”
Chapter 33
Thieves in the Night
As Jenna and Septimus stood on the lonely slipway, the dark waters of the Moat to their right and the spreading Darkenesse of the Castle all around them, they heard an echoing, flip-flapping noise coming toward them.
“Quick, Jen. Let’s get back inside.”
Jenna nodded. The