“No, no, Septimus. These things take years.”
Septimus felt relieved. “Marcellus won’t take that long to get the Fyre going,” he said.
Hildegarde Pigeon—sub-Wizard, but soon to be an Ordinary Wizard—stepped out from the porters’ cupboard.
“Still on door duty, Hildegarde?” asked Marcia. “I thought you were up at Search and Rescue now.”
Hildegard smiled. “Next month, Madam Marcia. But I enjoy it here. I have a letter for you. Mr. Banda left it this morning.”
“Did he? Well, thank you, Hildegarde.” Septimus thought Marcia went a little pink.
Hildegarde Pigeon handed an impressive envelope with a red-and-gold border to Marcia. Septimus noticed Hildegarde’s delicate blue lace gloves. Hildegarde was self-conscious about her fingertips, which had been damaged when the Thing InHabiting her had chewed them. They reminded Septimus how destructive the Darke was—and how important it was to get rid of the Two-Faced Ring.
The huge silver doors to the Wizard Tower had swung open. Marcia was dallying on the top step, reading Milo’s note. Septimus was impatient to be off.
“Come on, Marcia,” he said.
“Yes, yes. In a moment.”
Septimus set off down the steps. Marcia put the letter carefully in her pocket and followed. “It shouldn’t take too long to open a dusty old door to a chamber,” she said.
Septimus waited for Marcia at the foot of the steps. “I think opening the Great Chamber of Alchemie and Physik might be a bit more complicated than that. And anyway, it hasn’t got a door.”
“All the better, then,” said Marcia. “I shall just declare it open and then I’ll shoot off. I shall be busy this evening.”
Septimus had the distinct impression that Marcia was expecting to cut some kind of ceremonial ribbon and then go home. But he knew better than to say anything. He set off quickly.
Marcia hurried across the Courtyard, trying to keep up with her Apprentice. As she hurried through the Great Arch, her Wizard Induction vow came back to her. Marcia sighed. She felt as though she were on her way to betray the Castle.
5
THE GREAT CHAMBER OF ALCHEMIE
The atmosphere was strained but polite as Marcellus Pye ushered Marcia and Septimus into his house on Snake Slipway.
“Welcome, Marcia. Welcome, Septimus, or should I say, Apprentice,” he said, smiling.
Septimus heard a tut from Marcia but to his relief she said nothing more. He lugged his backpack inside and dumped it on the floor with a crash. Both Marcia and Marcellus winced. Septimus saw his black-and-red-velvet Alchemie Apprentice cloak with its heavy gold clasp hanging ready in the hallway. He gave Marcia an anxious glance and saw that luckily Marcia did not recognize what it was.
“Let’s get going, shall we?” said Marcia impatiently.
“Get going?” asked Marcellus.
“Yes, Marcellus. To the Great Chamber of Alchemie. Isn’t that the idea?”
Marcellus looked shocked. “What—are you coming too?” he said.
“Naturally I am coming too, as you put it. Surely you didn’t think I would allow you to open up that place on your own?”
That was precisely what Marcellus had thought. He fought down panic. The Chamber of Fyre was below the Great Chamber of Alchemie and the Fyre was beginning to come to life. What if Marcia noticed the warmth that had begun to spread upward—wouldn’t she think it was odd? Marcellus told himself sternly that Marcia would not know what was odd and what wasn’t. He must not give her any cause for suspicion.
“Er, no. Of course not, Marcia. Absolutely not,” he said. And then he added tentatively, “You . . . you’re not planning on staying there, are you?”
“I have much better things to do, thank you,” snapped Marcia, remembering Milo’s note.
“Then of course you must come,” he said, as if magnanimously inviting Marcia to a party where she had been left off the invitation list.
“Yes,” said Marcia stonily. “I must.”