he asked. "It has been nothing but trouble. And I can tell you that I am the last Questor - it was the last Stone in the Pot. And I can tell you something else - all the others who went on the Queste never returned. It is not an honor - it is a curse. Every Apprentice dreads their last day because of it. And Tertius Fume is - "
"Tertius Fume?" Hotep-Ra gasped. "Has that lying, underhanded, double-crossing streak of Wurm Slime returned?"
"Well, his ghost has," said Septimus.
"His ghost? Ha! At least he is no longer Living. But what effrontery - I Banish him and he sneaks back as soon as I am gone. When did this happen?"
"A long time ago. He's ancient."
"How ancient?"
"I - I don't really know. He's one of the oldest in the Castle."
"One of the oldest..." Hotep-Ra fell silent for some minutes. Neither Talmar nor Septimus dared speak. Finally the ancient ExtraOrdinary Wizard said very quietly, as if expecting bad news, "Tell me, Apprentice - how many ExtraOrdinary Wizards have there been since Talmar and I left the Castle?"
"Seven hundred and seventy-six," Septimus said.
"You jest!" exclaimed Hotep-Ra.
"No. I had to learn it when I first became an Apprentice. My ExtraOrdinary Wizard made me write it out and stick it on the wall. Anyway I counted them all last week."
Hotep-Ra swallowed hard. "I thought it was maybe five or six at the most," he said quietly. "Things are not as they should be."
"How - how should they be?" asked Septimus.
Hotep-Ra sighed. "Eat, fellow Dragon Master," he said. "Tell me about your Queste and I will tell you about mine."
And so Septimus sat under the moonlit dome and told Hotep-Ra how he had come to the House of Foryx. And then, while he hungrily ate from the dishes of fragrant fruits, spicy meats and fish and drank mint tea, he listened to the soft, melodious frail voice of the Castle's very first ExtraOrdinary Wizard.
"When I was a young man," said Hotep-Ra, "and I was a young man once, it was forbidden to dabble with Time. But, like many young men, I did not always obey the rules. And when I discovered the secret of suspending Time I knew I had to find a place where I could keep my secret and make it work. I traveled far and wide until I came across a beautiful forest in the center of which was an abyss. From the middle of this chasm rose a tall rock and when I saw it I knew I had found the perfect place to build my secret House of Time.
"And so I set to work. First, I Caused a bridge to be made - it is a beautiful bridge is it not?"
Septimus nodded. Hotep-Ra spoke the truth: the bridge was beautiful.
Hotep-Ra smiled. "Beautiful but terrifying. Now, among the more Magykal Wizards, there is an unfortunate tendency to be afraid of heights. I have to admit, I wished to keep my fellow Wizards away from my House of Time - I wanted no interference and no scheming. Wizards can be jealous of true talent, Apprentice. They are not above sabotaging projects of the more gifted. Remember that.
And so, to make doubly sure of being left in peace, I enticed the Foryx, which many now think are mythical beasts, for they are no longer seen - except here. I Caused them to forever run around the precipice path to guard my House of Time. I soon noticed that those who came began to call this place the House of Foryx and I was pleased, as it gave no clue that this was a place where All Times Do Meet.
"When I became old I left the Castle, the dear Queen and my poor Dragon Boat, and I came to my House of Foryx. I wish now that I had come earlier, when I still had my strength, but I wanted to see my Dragon Boat restored. Never get a boat repaired by the Port men, Apprentice - they are laggards and thieves. As I made my way to the House of Foryx, I comforted myself that although I would miss the Castle terribly, I would still know what was going on, because I had set up the Queste.
"The Queste was to be a great honor. I had toyed with the idea of having only the most talented Apprentices go on my Queste, but then I realized that this would be unfair, so I devised a lottery.