Physik

There was no hope for Alice. Pale and still, she lay on the landing stage with a peaceful smile on her lips. Around her knelt Silas and Marcia, who had come running at the sound of the shot, and Alther and Jenna, who held the unconscious Ullr in her arms. Beside Alther lay the silver pistol, which Etheldredda had thrown down in disgust. As Alther gently stroked Alice's hair he began to realize that at last - at long last - he and Alice would be together. He could not help but wonder if Alice had been thinking of that when she had thrown herself in the path of the bullet - and if that was why she looked so peaceful now.

Marcia broke the shocked silence that surrounded Alice. "Jenna," she said, "I want you to stay close to me from now on. You are not safe while Etheldredda remains UnSealed. Now where is that wretched dragon? I think for once we may have a use for him."

Jenna nodded. Wishing that Snorri were there to help, she glanced around for any sight of Etheldredda. She saw nothing, but Jenna realized that nothing was exactly what Etheldredda wanted her to see. Warily she got up and laid Ullr on her blankets. The orange cat stirred, opened his eyes and gazed at Jenna with his faraway, unfocused look.

Jenna scooped up the little duckling, which was shivering, and settled it in between Ullr's paws for warmth. Then she and Marcia went to find Spit Fyre. The dragon was in the kitchen garden gulping down cooking apples with enthusiastic snorting noises. Septimus had heard the pistol shot, but he had assumed it to be some part of the dragon's digestive process. He was waiting impatiently while Spit Fyre sucked up the last of the windfalls and did not notice Marcia and Jenna's arrival. Neither did he see that right behind Jenna lurked Queen Etheldredda, though if he had looked closely Septimus might have seen a murkiness in the air, for Etheldredda was becoming increasingly Substantial.

But through Ullr's eyes, Snorri Saw Etheldredda stalking Jenna as a tiger stalks its prey.

Marcia marched up to Septimus. "Get that dragon organized, Septimus," she said. "We need Fyre - right now."

"He can't do Fyre," said Septimus.

"Yes he can," corrected Jenna.

"No he can't."

"He can. Look at his eyes. He's got the red ring of Fyre."

Septimus stood on tiptoe and stared into Spit Fyre's unblinking dragon eyes. Sure enough, the bright green iris was ringed with a thin red circle. "How did he get that?" Septimus asked suspiciously.

"I had to do the Ignite," Jenna explained.

"But he's my dragon," Septimus said, annoyed that he had not been there at such an important time.

"Enough of that," said Marcia. "It doesn't matter whose dragon he is. Follow me." She strode out of the kitchen garden. Spit Fyre, at the sight of his Seek rapidly disappearing, gulped down the last cooking apple, emitted a cider-smelling belch and rushed off after Septimus. He very nearly trampled Queen Etheldredda into the ground, but to Snorri's dismay, she sidestepped the dragon just in time and carried on stalking Jenna.

Etheldredda was not about to give up. She might have missed her chance with the pistol, but she would not be thwarted - from now on she would Follow Jenna wherever she went. She had all the time in the world and her chance would surely come. Jenna only had to step too near the edge of a parapet, stand too close to a running horse, warm her hands beside a blazing fire ... and she, Etheldredda, rightful Queen, would be there - ready.

As Jenna followed Marcia across the Palace lawn, she shivered and rubbed the back of her neck - it felt strangely cold. She glanced behind her but saw nothing.

Marcia stopped in the middle of the lawn between the Palace and the river. "Here will do," she said. "Septimus, I need Fyre - now."

"I don't know how," said Septimus, a little sulkily.

"I'll show you, Sep," Jenna said, fishing her Navigator Tin from her tunic pocket. She prised it open and offered Septimus the Ignite. Septimus did not look impressed, but he took the piece of dragon skin and examined it carefully. "Is that all you have to say?' he asked. "Just Ignite?"

Jenna nodded.

"You sure there's not something missing, Jen?"

Jenna sighed. "Of course I'm sure," she said, suppressing another shiver. "I did do it, you know."

Septimus did not look convinced, but he took a deep breath, looked Spit Fyre in his red-ringed eye, and said in a loud voice, "Ignite!"

With plenty of fuel - the dragon's fire stomach was still uncomfortably crammed with the Sacred Herd of Sarn - Spit Fyre was only too happy to oblige. Deep in his fire stomach a rumble began; it grew and grew, shaking the ground and filling the air with low, unsettling reverberations as the gases built up until they reached an unbearable pressure - and the fire valve opened. With a rush that shocked Spit Fyre as much as anyone else, the gases shot from the dragon's flared nostrils, hit the air and Ignited into a roaring jet of flame.

Everyone jumped back. Queen Etheldredda rubbed her hands together with glee; she had not expected an opportunity to present itself quite so soon. What could be better than a quick stumble into the path of a dragon's Fyre? No one would be able to save Jenna in time. Not with flames like that. Who would have thought that the interfering Marcia Overstrand would have so thoughtfully provided her with such an early opportunity? Etheldredda hovered, waiting impatiently for Jenna to get just a little closer - just enough for one tiny push...

Far away, across Time, Snorri was frantic. She Saw Etheldredda, she Saw the Fyre and Called to Ullr, but the orange cat, still stunned, did nothing.

"Keep the Fyre going, Septimus!" Marcia yelled above the roar of the gases and flames. "And now for the BoneFyre. Stand back, everyone."

Once again the Magykal haze surrounded Marcia. When the ExtraOrdinary Wizard was sure that her Magyk was complete and she was fully protected, she went up to Spit Fyre, the Fyre still pouring from his nostrils. The dragon looked at her warily through his red-ringed eyes, but he did not move. Then, to the amazement of Septimus and Jenna, Marcia put her hand into the jet of flame and Took a handful of Fyre. She rolled it between her hands until it looked like a great ball of red-hot dough, threw it high into the air and chanted:

"Pure Fyre

Burn higher

Make a Pyre,

A True BoneFyre"

Marcia's handful of Fyre exploded into a great fireball. With intense concentration Marcia guided the roaring ball of fire down until it was a few feet off the ground. There it hovered, burning with a brilliant orange flame and a deep purple center, casting long, dancing shadows across the lawn. The BoneFyre was ready.

Spit Fyre, his fire stomach exhausted, Ceased his own Fyre. As the roaring from the BoneFyre settled down, Septimus and Jenna drew closer to the flames to watch as Marcia began the second part of her plan - the Fetch. Un-Seen by anyone, even Alther - who was too taken with his Alice to notice - Etheldredda's pointy features lit up with excitement. Jenna was once again within stumbling distance of the fire. Etheldredda stepped behind Jenna, her vicious hand hovering no more than a finger's breadth above Jenna's back, waiting for the right moment for that one final push.

Only Snorri Saw the danger. "Ullr will not Hear me," she told Nicko. "But maybe there is once last thing ... I do not know if I can do it, but I have to try." And then Snorri did something she had never dared to do before. She Summoned a Spirit across Time. In the Hole in the Wall Tavern, the bemused ghost of Olaf Snorrelssen found himself being picked up, dragged through the throng of ghosts and, breaking all the rules of ghosthood, hurtling toward the Palace. And Snorri Saw her father for the very first time.

Now, Etheldredda decided, was the time to send Jenna into the flames. Now. Etheldredda extended her hands - and Olaf Snorrelssen grabbed her wrists. He did not know why, but he did it anyway.

"Unhand me, vile oaf!" screamed Etheldredda. Nothing would have pleased Olaf Snorrelssen more than to let go of the sharp and bony Spirit, but he couldn't. Something would not let him. Jenna felt a strange prickling at the back of her neck. Again she glanced around, but she saw nothing of the battle being fought over her by the two ghosts. Despite the heat from the flames, she shivered and turned back to watch Marcia.

Marcia was now well into the Fetch. Through the purple light of the flames and the Magykal haze, Jenna saw the portrait of Queen Etheldredda and the Aie-Aie emerge through the walls of the turret. Marcia reeled it in like a protesting fish - twisting, flapping, flailing - drawing it unrelentingly toward the BoneFyre.

Etheldredda saw it too and, knowing exactly what was in store, she redoubled her efforts to break free of Olaf Snorrelssen's grasp. If she was going into the BoneFyre, she was not going alone - she would take Jenna with her. But Olaf Snorrelssen, who had been strong and wiry in his Lifetime, hung on to Queen Etheldredda's arms and not once did the queen get her chance to give Jenna that great shove she so longed to.

Now the portrait was hovering above the flames, resisting to the last. The purple haze around Marcia deepened, and suddenly a resounding crack echoed around the Palace walls - Marcia had won. The portrait gave up its fight, and with a great whoosh it was sucked into the BoneFyre. It exploded with a searing black flame. With a terrible shriek, Etheldredda joined it and was consumed by the Fyre.

Etheldredda the Awful was no more.

Snorri laughed with relief. Reluctantly - for she would have liked to have Seen her father longer - she let Olaf Snorrelssen Return to the safety of the Hole in the Wall Tavern, where he sat bemused for many hours, nursing his beer and wondering why he had such a strong image in his head of a young girl who looked so much like his own dear Alfrun.

But the Fetch was not finished. A small speck appeared in the sky above the Palace and a terrible wail pierced the air: "Aie aie aie aie!" Twisting and resisting, snake tail flailing, its red saucer eyes popping with panic, Etheldredda's Aie-Aie hurtled toward the BoneFyre and, with a terrible scream, joined its mistress in the flames.

Deep within the BoneFyre, something was happening. An intense golden glow could be seen in the center of the purple flames. Entranced, Jenna and Septimus watched until it was so bright that neither could look at it further. As they turned away, something rolled out of the Fyre. It landed in the grass with a soft thud and, to their amazement, they saw Etheldredda's crown bounce along the scorched grass and roll down the slope toward the river. Jenna raced after it, grabbed at the crown, missed - and the crown fell into the river with a great hiss of steam. Throwing herself to the ground, Jenna plunged her arms into the freezing water and caught the crown as it slowly sank to the riverbed.

Triumphant and dripping, holding the True Crown in her hands for the first time, Jenna went and sat beside Silas, Alther, and Alice - who lay pale and peaceful on the landing stage. Nursing the crown, which felt surprisingly heavy in her hands, Jenna murmured, "Thank you, Alice. Thank you for saving me. I will always think of you when I put on this crown."

"Alice did a wonderful thing," said Silas, still shaken by what had happened. "But, er, maybe best not to tell your mother everything just yet?"

"She'll find out soon enough, Silas," said Alther. "It will be all over the Castle by the morning."

"That's what worries me," said Silas gloomily. Then he smiled at Jenna. "But you're back safe, that's all that matters."

Jenna said nothing. Suddenly she knew how Silas felt. She couldn't tell him now. Not about Nicko. Not yet.

Marcia Ceased the BoneFyre. The strange purple glow of the flames subsided and twilight began to take its place. Marcia, Septimus, and Spit Fyre joined the somber group on the landing stage. Marcia took off her heavy winter cloak with its indigo fur lining, folded it and placed it gently under Alice's head.

"How are you, Alther?" she asked.

Alther shook his head and did not reply.

Jenna sat quietly and looked at her crown. Even though it had spent years sitting on top of the disapproving head of Queen Etheldredda, the True Crown felt good in her hands - and as Jenna held it, the last ray of light from the setting sun caught the pure gold and the crown glowed as it never had when perched on Queen Etheldredda's angry head.

"It is yours now, Jenna," said Marcia. "You have the True Crown - the one that Etheldredda stole from her descendants."

Darkness fell and, unnoticed by anyone, the black from the tip of the DayUllr's tail spread slowly across the orange and changed him to the night creature that he really was. The NightUllr sat like the Sphinx, his green eyes seeing only what Snorri asked him to see.

Far away, in another Time, Snorri Snorrelssen Saw Jenna holding her crown and knew that all was well. She released Ullr. "Go, Ullr," she whispered. "Go with Jenna until the day I will return."

The NightUllr got up, padded out of the shadows and took his place beside Jenna. "Hello, Ullr, welcome back." Jenna smiled, stroking the panther and scratching his ears. "Come with me, there's something I want to do."

As the Palace clock struck Midnight and the lights from a hundred and one candles - Jenna had placed one in every window of the Palace - lit up the night, they all stood on the landing stage and waved farewell to Alice, who had been placed in her Leaving Boat and was drifting slowly away. Alther sat quietly beside the new ghost of Alice Nettles, as he would continue to do for the next year and a day at that very spot - for under the Rules of Ghosthood, ghosts must spend a year and a day in the very place where they entered their ghosthood, and Alther had no intention of leaving Alice to do that on her own.

"Well," Marcia sighed, as Alice's Leaving Boat disappeared into the night, beginning its long journey to the Beyond. "What a day ... I hope you don't have anything quite so exciting planned for tomorrow, Septimus."

Septimus shook his head. It was not strictly true; he did have something exciting planned - but he figured that just then Marcia would not appreciate being told the details of how he was going to save Marcellus Pye from his fate worse than death and get his Flyte Charm back.

He kept it simple. He smiled at Marcia. "I'm going fishing," he said.

THE END