The roar in the shell cut off, to be replaced by the rattle of iron and the creak of wood. The mirror clouded as if Arthur had breathed on it, then cleared to show not his reflection, but another dark scene, lit by a different light.
Arthur stared at the mirror. He could see Leaf, inside a very cramped, dimly lit room.
She was a prisoner.
Twelve
LEAF WAS SITTING slumped in a narrow space, with an inch or so of water around her legs. A heavy chain joined the manacles on her wrists to the manacles on her ankles, then ran to a dark iron ring set into the wooden wall. From the way the water gently sloshed from side to side, she was clearly aboard a ship. The only light came from a swinging, smoke-grimed lantern that hung from a hook in the planked ceiling, barely a foot above Leaf’s head.
Something moved in the darkness in the corner of the vision. Arthur shifted his head to try to see it, but that didn’t work. The mirror was like a TV set or a stage. Anything that happened to either side or behind it was invisible.
The movement came again. Leaf raised her head and looked around. Seeing nothing, her head slumped forward. It looked like she was totally despondent, till Arthur noticed that she was doing something to the manacle on her left ankle. Trying to pick it, he guessed, catching a glimpse of a nail file or something similar.
Arthur was concentrating so hard on what Leaf was doing to the manacle that it took a moment for him to realise he’d seen movement again. This time, the movement ended within the mirror’s frame and Arthur had a clear look at what it was.
A rat. But not just any old rat.
This was a four-foot-tall brown-haired rat that stood upright on its hind legs. It was also wearing clothes. It had on an old but well-kept swallow-tailed coat of dark blue with gold facings over a cream shirt and silver waistcoat, with white breeches that were rolled up to be out of the sloshing water. Its feet were bare and its pink, hairless tail flicked around behind.
The rat lifted its broad-brimmed but low-crowned hat of oiled leather and said in a voice that squeaked when it took in a breath, ‘Excuse me, Miss. Are you by any chance a mortal from Earth?’
Leaf started and scuttled back, her chains rattling.
‘I beg your pardon,’ said the rat. ‘I didn’t mean to startle you. I would not intrude, save that I have a commission regarding a mortal from Earth.’
Leaf shook her head and blinked a few times.
‘Sorry,’ she said. ‘I just kind of . . . wasn’t expecting . . . a . . . a visitor.’
‘Allow me to introduce myself,’ said the rat. ‘I am Commodore Monckton, officer in charge of the Raised Rats of the Border Sea.’
‘Raised Rats?’ asked Leaf weakly. ‘Border Sea?’
Commodore Monckton’s whiskers twitched before he answered.
‘The Raised Rats, young lady, are those rats that formerly served the Piper, and were brought by him to the House. The Border Sea is a demesne of the House, notionally ruled over by Lady Wednesday, self-styled Duchess of the Border Sea and Trustee of the Architect.’
‘Oh, I see,’ said Leaf sarcastically.
‘I beg your pardon?’
Leaf shook her head again. ‘Never mind. Yes, I suppose I am a mortal from Earth. A pretty dumb mortal.’
‘Yet you speak.’
‘I mean dumb like stupid,’ said Leaf. ‘Anyway, what do you want with a mortal from Earth? Can you help me get out of here?’
Monckton took a paper out of his coat pocket and held it out to Leaf. It was Post-it note size when he handed it over, but as Leaf picked it up it grew to full letter size.
The paper showed an engraved portrait of a boy. It was quite a good likeness of Arthur. Underneath it were a few lines of type:
REWARD
Information as to the whereabouts of one
Arthur Penhaligon,
a mortal boy from Earth.
Send particulars by telegram or message to
Monday’s Tierce, Suzy Turquoise Blue
‘Arthur!’ said Leaf. ‘And Suzy was the girl . . . the one with the wings.’
‘Ah,’ said Monckton. ‘You know Arthur? Do you know where he is?’
‘I might,’ said Leaf. Arthur could tell she was thinking from the way her eyes had narrowed a bit. ‘I guess you want the reward?’
‘Naturally,’ said Monckton. ‘Though in this case we have already been paid a small retainer. We are known to be expert searchers and finders.’
‘I’ll tell you what I know if you help me escape,’ said Leaf, holding up her manacled wrists. ‘And help me get in touch with Suzy Blue.’
‘Hmmm,’ mused the Rat. ‘We can’t help you escape, as that would be counter to several agreements we have with various authorities within the House. However, I would be honoured to act as your counsel in the forthcoming court of inquiry into your criminal activities.’