"Yes, yes it is."
"No one has discovered you?" Milo sounds worried.
"Er, no, sir. No one. Not - not anyone, sir, and that's the truth, honestly, sir, it is."
"All right, all right, I believe you. How long until arrival?"
"Tomorrow, sir."
Milo nods approval and hands the man a small purse of coins. "For your trouble. The rest on delivery. Safe and undetected delivery."
"Thank you, sir." The man bows and is gone, melting into the shadows. Milo surveys his intrigued audience. "Just a bit of business. Something rather special for my princess." He smiles fondly at Jenna. Jenna half smiles back. She kind of likes the way Milo is - and she kind of doesn't. It is most confusing.
But by the time they arrive at Milo's ship, the Cerys, Jenna is less confused - the Cerys is the most wonderful ship she has ever seen, and even Nicko has to admit it is better than a stinky net loft.
Chapter 1 Promotion
S eptimus Heap, ExtraOrdinary Apprentice, was woken up by his House Mouse leaving a note on his pillow. Blearily he opened his eyes and, with a sense of relief, remembered where he was - back in his bedroom at the top of the Wizard Tower, Queste completed. And then he remembered that Jenna, Nicko, Snorri and Beetle were still not home. Septimus sat up, suddenly awake. Today, no matter what Marcia said, he was going to go and bring them back.
Septimus sat up, picked up the note and brushed a couple of mouse droppings off his pillow. He carefully unfolded the tiny piece of paper and read:
FROM THE DESK OF MARCIA OVERSTRAND EXTRAORDINARY WIZARD
Septimus, I would very much like to see you at midday in my study. I hope that is convenient for you.
Marcia
Septimus let out a low whistle. Even though he had been Marcia's Apprentice for nearly three years, he had never had an appointment with her before. If Marcia wished to speak to Septimus, she would interrupt whatever he was doing and speak to him. Septimus would have to stop what he was doing right away and listen. But today, his second day back from the Queste, it seemed that something had changed. As Septimus read the note again, just to make sure, the distant chimes of the Drapers Yard clock drifted through his window. He counted them - eleven - and breathed a sigh of relief. It would not be good to be late for his first-ever appointment with Marcia. Septimus had slept late, but that was on Marcia's instructions; she had also told him that he did not have to clean the Library that morning. Septimus looked at the rainbow-colored beam of sunlight filtering through the purple glass in his window and shook his head with a smile - he could get used to this.
An hour later, dressed in a new set of green Apprentice robes that had been left out in his room for him, Septimus knocked politely on Marcia's door.
"Come in, Septimus." Marcia's voice drifted through the thick oak door. Septimus pushed open the creaky door and stepped inside. Marcia's study was a small wood-paneled room with a large desk set under the window and a fuzz of Magyk in the air that set Septimus's skin tingling. It was lined with shelves on which were crammed moth-eaten leather-bound books, stacks of yellowing papers tied with purple ribbons and a myriad of brown and black glass pots that contained ancient things even Marcia was not sure what to do with. Among the pots Septimus saw his brother Simon's pride and joy - a wooden box with Sleuth written on it in Simon's loopy Heap handwriting. Septimus could not help but glance out of the tall, narrow window. He loved the view from Marcia's study - a breathtaking vista across the rooftops of the Castle to the river and beyond that to the green slopes of the Farmlands. Far, far in the distance he could see the misty blue line of the foothills of the Badlands.
Marcia was sitting behind her desk in her much-worn - but very comfortable - tall purple chair. She looked fondly at her Apprentice, who was unusually well turned out, and smiled.
"Good afternoon, Septimus," she said. "Do sit down." Marcia indicated the smaller but equally comfortable green chair on the other side of the desk. "I hope you slept well?"
Septimus took his seat. "Yes, thank you," he replied a little warily. Why was Marcia being so nice?
"You've had a difficult week, Septimus," Marcia began. "Well, we all have. It is very good to have you back. I have something for you." She opened a small drawer, took out two purple silk ribbons and laid them on the desk.
Septimus knew what the ribbons were - the purple stripes of a Senior Apprentice, which, if his Apprenticeship went well, he would get to wear in his final year. It was nice of Marcia to let him know that she would make him a Senior Apprentice when the time came, he thought, but his final year was a long way off, and Septimus knew only too well that a lot could go wrong before then.
"Do you know what these are?" Marcia asked.
Septimus nodded.
"Good. They are yours. I am making you Senior Apprentice."
"What, now?"
Marcia smiled broadly. "Yes, now."
"Now? Like, today?"
"Yes, Septimus, today. I trust the ends of your sleeves are still clean. You didn't get any egg on them at breakfast, did you?"
Septimus inspected his sleeves. "No, they're fine."