Lady Friday(58)

‘We will,’ rumbled Ugham. He flew away from the mountain too, to join the circling of Gilded Youths. But Suzy and Fred did not.

‘Quick!’ said Suzy. ‘Let’s get in before Uggie gets upset!’





Twenty


SUZY FLEW IN a shallow dive at the narrow crack, folded her wings beautifully, and slid through, disappearing from sight, though a loud ‘Ouch!’ announced that she had landed somewhere inside.

Arthur and Fred tried to go at the same time, Arthur only just flapping back as he saw they would collide. Fred mistimed his entry and a dozen tip-feathers of his left wing exploded into the air like blown petals as they caught on the edge of the crack.

Arthur flew in almost immediately after Fred. He managed to fold his wings properly but was going too fast. He landed at a run and then his legs buckled under him and he fell forward, striking the rocky ground on his elbows and knees, losing some skin under his paper clothes.

‘Dark in here,’ said Suzy, somewhere in the gloom. ‘Do you mind if I light my wings up, Arthur?’

‘Not too much. We don’t want to hurt the Servants.’

Suzy muttered something and her folded wings began to emanate a soft, warm glow. Fred opened his mouth to ask his wings to shed light too, but Arthur interrupted.

‘Just Suzy’s for now, Fred. Are your wings all right, by the way? You lost some feathers on the way in.’

‘Did I?’ Fred twisted around, trying to look at his own back. ‘I think they’ll still work. I suppose I won’t know till I try to fly …’

‘At least there’s plenty of people outside to catch you,’ said Arthur. ‘We’d better remember to warn them, though, when you’re coming out. Suzy, can you see a way ahead?’

‘Yes,’ said Suzy. ‘We’re in a kind of tunnel. It’s narrow and winds around a bit, but we can get through.’

She took a few steps and Arthur heard a splash.

‘Wet underfoot too,’ said Suzy. ‘Lots of puddles.’

They followed the tunnel for at least a hundred yards, going ever deeper into the mountain. It got wetter too, water dripping from the walls and ceiling as well as pooling in puddles beneath their feet. Every twenty paces or so, Arthur checked the gold leaf crystal, and the arrow kept pointing farther in.

At last, Suzy stopped. Arthur couldn’t see past her because the tunnel was so narrow.

‘There’s an iron gate,’ Suzy reported. Arthur heard her rattle it. ‘It’s locked.’

‘Is there a knocker or a bell?’ asked Fred.

‘Don’t be stupid, Fred,’ said Suzy. ‘The Servants wouldn’t put a knocker on their secret eyrie gate … Hmm …’

Suzy reached up and pulled something, and they heard the jangle of several bells ringing together even deeper within the mountain.

‘Told you,’ said Fred.

‘It wasn’t a knocker anyway,’ replied Suzy. ‘I only said they wouldn’t have a knocker.’

‘Quiet,’ ordered Arthur. ‘Someone’s coming. Dim your wings a bit more, Suzy.’

Suzy muttered and the light from her wings faded down to about the same luminosity as a child night-light, hardly enough to relieve the shadows around the three of them.

‘We should have got Fred to go first,’ whispered Arthur as they listened to whoever or whatever it was coming along the tunnel ahead of them. ‘To do the signs.’

‘They can hear all right,’ said Suzy. ‘And I was watching. I reckon I learned a few signs. I could try them out—’

‘No!’ Arthur and Fred said together. Arthur was about to add something but Suzy had started talking to a Servant the others couldn’t see.

‘Mornin’. Or hello again, in case we met last night. I’m Suzy Turquoise Blue and I’ve got Lord Arthur, the Rightful Heir to the Architect, behind me … and Fred, who can do your signs. Can we come through? Arthur has to find Part Five of the Will of the Architect. Thanks. By the way, have you lot ever thought about putting some drains in this tunnel? My feet are fair saturated—’

‘Suzy!’ whispered Arthur. ‘What’s happening?’

‘What? Oh, no problem, Arthur. Lot of nodding, a bit of hissing, and now he’s going away.’

‘Did he open the gate?’

‘Nope, but he’s gone to get someone, I reckon.’

‘I hope you’re right,’ grumbled Arthur. ‘It is wet in here.’

No one spoke for a few minutes, then Fred suddenly said, ‘You know, what if this whole tunnel is a drain?’

‘Fred …’ Arthur started to say, but then they all heard the jangling of keys, and Suzy said, ‘Greetings.’