Ten seconds later, a brown-paper parcel ricocheted off Florimel’s armour and into her hands. It was followed by an envelope for Fred, and soon everyone except Arthur had something. Even Sergeant Helve had received a small pink envelope decorated with flowers.
‘I won’t get anything,’ said Arthur. He didn’t know why he knew that, but he did.
Even as he spoke, a large, buff-coloured envelope smacked him in the face. Arthur reeled back onto a bench and found himself sitting down with the envelope in his hands.
It was addressed to Arthur Penhaligon, which confirmed the name he had remembered.
Arthur opened it. The letter was written on the inside of the envelope, so he had to crack the seams and smooth it out, which was quite difficult. It was very heavy paper. The letter was handwritten in pale-silver ink.
Dear Arthur,
An agent of ours has your parents under its control. Unless you immediately relinquish the Keys to Us and give up all claims to being the Rightful Heir, we will have our agent cleanse their minds of all knowledge of you. Our agent will also do this to your brothers and sisters and your friends. It will be as if you were never born. Your home will continue to physically exist, but you will have no place in it. As we believe that you desire to return to a merely mortal existence, you should consider this as an opportunity. Simply sign on the dotted line below and everything will be taken care of.
Saturday, Most Superior Denizen of the Upper House
Arthur read the letter again, but he couldn’t make sense of it. He was a Piper’s child. Whatever parents or family he might have had were long dead, somewhere in the Secondary Realms. And as far as he knew, he had no desire to return to some kind of mortal existence.
‘This is good,’ said Fred, tapping his own letter. ‘From my old mates back in Gilding Workshop Seventeen. Bringing back lots of memories. Who’s your letter from, Ray?’
‘I’m not sure,’ said Arthur. ‘I think it’s a hoax. Only … I do feel as if it’s triggered some memory just out of reach. Something about keys …’
‘Right, that’s enough loafing,’ ordered Sergeant Helve. ‘There’s more cleaning to be done. And preparation for tomorrow’s lessons.’
Arthur stuffed his letter into his pouch and stood up. He was just in time as Helve suddenly snapped, ‘Stand fast!’ swivelled on the spot, and saluted an officer who Arthur had seen coming but had dismissed as one of the ghostly figures of another unit.
‘Thank you, Sergeant,’ said the officer. Close up, it was easy to see he was one of the lieutenants who had talked with Colonel Huwiti before the battle. His helmet plume was rather ragged now, and he’d been cut down the arm. Blue blood had dried in a line from shoulder to wrist, surrounded by scorch marks. On a mortal, it would have been an incapacitating injury. The lieutenant seemed little bothered by it, returning Helve’s salute with only a slight stiffness.
‘I’m taking your two Piper’s children,’ said the lieutenant. ‘Orders came in just before the battle. From the very top. All Piper’s children to report to GHQ immediately. Have they had their Not-Horse riding lessons yet?’
No, we haven’t, thought Arthur with a sinking heart.
Seventeen
‘NO!’ LEAF CRIED out. ‘No message – but hey! Don’t hang up! Put me through to Suzy Turquoise Blue, please.’
‘Please hold,’ said the Operator. A stab of pain hit Leaf behind the right eye as the Operator spoke, and her left hand wriggled without any conscious direction. It was horrible, as if the hand itself had become imbued with a life of its own. But Leaf knew what was happening. The mould was established inside her brain and now it was checking its control. The Skinless Boy might already be able to see through Leaf’s eyes, hear through her ears, feel what she felt.
‘Hello. Suzy here.’
‘Suzy! It’s Leaf. I’ve got the pocket, but the mould … the Skinless Boy’s mental mould is in my head! And I can’t get back to the House!’
‘Well done!’ said Suzy. Her voice faded, and Leaf heard her say, ‘She has it, Sneezer. Set the dials!’
‘I need help,’ said Leaf. ‘I know you’re not supposed –’
Her left hand was flopping about like a stranded fish, but so far it was the only limb affected. The pain behind her eye was no worse … but it wasn’t getting any better either.
‘Who cares about that!’ exclaimed Suzy, talking away from the receiver and then into it again. ‘I’m coming through. Hurry, Sneezer!’
The phone abruptly hung up, the dial tone returning. Leaf dropped it back in the box, then used her right hand to restrain her flailing left arm before she hurt herself. Her arm didn’t fight against her, as Leaf had half-feared, but the strange sensation she’d first felt in that limb was starting to occur in her right leg as well.