Fyre by Angie Sage

shocked. “You mean those two Wizards might actually come to life?”
    Life life life .
    Marcia put her fingers to her lips to shush him. She muttered a new Lock for the box. “Let’s go,” she said.
    Go go go .
    Septimus was more than happy to agree. He clambered out and waited for Marcia while she backed awkwardly out the narrow doorway, then slammed the door shut with a satisfying thunk and hung up the Bargepoles.
    Back in the lobby, Marcia looked quite pale. “Madam Marcia, are you all right?” asked Thomasinn.
    Marcia nodded. “Fine.” But her hands were trembling as she Sealed the door to the tunnel.
    Marcia was angry with herself. She realized she had delayed opening the Great Chamber of Alchemie dangerously long. Like all Wizards, Marcia had sworn an oath at her induction to “abjure all things Alchemical” and she took it seriously. It had been a difficult decision to allow Marcellus to light the Fyre once more in order to DeNature the Two-Faced Ring, and even though she knew it was the only way to destroy the ring, the lighting of the Fyre frightened her and she had hesitated to begin. It was a huge step for a Wizard to take and before the Chamber was opened, Marcia had wanted to understand what she was doing. However, the more she tried to find out about the Fyre , the less she understood. Nothing quite made sense. So many documents were missing, so much seemed to have been altered and she had been left with an unsettling impression that something was missing—something big . But now, whatever her fears, Marcia knew she could wait no longer.
    Septimus shouldered his backpack and walked across the Great Hall with Marcia. “Did you mean that about the two Wizards?” he asked. “Could they really come back to life?”
    Marcia sighed. “It is a possibility, that is all. The Darke Domaine has theoretically given it the power, which is why we are keeping it so securely.”
    “So . . . could it happen soon?”
    “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