Sir Thursday(76)

‘Putting you through now, sir,’ said the voice. In the background Arthur heard her add, ‘He said “please”, and him higher than all them rude nobs.’

There was some louder crackling, then a voice Arthur recognised as Sneezer’s spoke.

‘Monday’s Dayroom. May I help you?’

‘Sneezer, it’s Arthur. Put Dame Primus on please, straightaway.’

‘Very good, sir.’

‘Lord Arthur?’

The snake on Arthur’s arm jumped as Dame Primus’s voice echoed through the room. Not for the first time, Arthur wondered why all the superior Denizens did that on the phone. It was probably just so they sounded important.

‘Yes. I haven’t got much time, so listen carefully. I want every available Commissionaire Sergeant, Metal Commissionaire, Midnight Visitor, the former Overseers from the Far Reaches, the regular sailors, and all our superior Denizens to come through to the Citadel in the Great Maze with weapons and as much Nothing-powder as is available, as quickly as possible. Oh, and Dr Scamandros and anyone else who might be useful in a battle, including you. There’ll be an elevator in the Lower House. Any questions?’

‘Yes, Lord Arthur, I have numerous questions,’ said Dame Primus in a peevish tone. ‘What is going on? Are you planning to fight Sir Thursday? That would not be a sensible course. Even with all our forces, we would be no match for the Army –’

‘I have the Key and Part Four is free,’ interrupted Arthur. ‘Sir Thursday is under arrest –’

‘And will be judged!’ blurted out the snake.

‘And we are about to be attacked by a vast army of New Nithlings led by the Piper. So hurry up, will you?’

‘Indeed,’ said Dame Primus, her tone quite changed. ‘It shall be as you say, Lord Arthur. I do not know how quickly we can come, but we will do our best.’

‘That’s that, then,’ said Arthur. ‘Let’s have a look at the battlefield, and while we do that, somebody can find a big white flag. And an olive branch. You could do that, Marshal Noon. Lead on, Marshal Dusk.’

As they walked to the door, Arthur lifted his hand and took a surreptitious look at his crocodile ring. He did not need to hold it close to see that the gold had washed past the fourth marker and was a third of the way towards the fifth.





Twenty-seven





HIGH ON THE battlements of the Star Fort, it was easier to see just how much trouble the Citadel and all those who sheltered behind its walls were in. There was a blackened, churned-up borderland that stretched for about three hundred yards beyond the western bastions. After that, there were numerous diagonal trenches dug in a complex pattern that ran for miles to the west and to the north and south. These trenches were heavily populated by New Nithlings and New Nithling siege equipment, including scaling ladders, bundles of fascines for filling trenches, battering rams, and many large mantlets that were like portable roofs they carried to protect themselves from arrows and musketry.

‘So that’s what seventy-five thousand New Nithlings look like,’ said Arthur. He tried to sound nonchalant, but there were so many of the enemy, and everything about their position looked so organised, from the trenches to the way that each unit was formed up within the earthworks, each with its own colourful banner above it, spread by the breeze and bravely lit by the afternoon sun.

‘More like ninety thousand,’ said Dusk, looking at a strip of parchment in his hand. ‘The Borderers report another column has just arrived. There – you can see its dust in the distance.’

Arthur looked where Marshal Dusk was pointing.

‘How far away is that?’

‘Four miles,’ said Dusk. ‘Off the fixed tiles. They’d normally be moved far away at sunset.’

Arthur didn’t say anything, but everyone glanced at the downward-lurching sun, and there was an unspoken note of regret that the mission to destroy the spike had failed.

‘They’re preparing for another assault,’ said a colonel at Dusk’s side.

‘That’s unusual,’ said Dusk. ‘They’ve only just failed in their last attempt. Normally they wait a day or so, to really build up their numbers. I wonder why the hurry now?’

‘They were close to taking the southwestern corner bastion,’ answered the colonel. ‘Perhaps they think a quick assault will finish that task.’

‘I had best go see to the defences, sir,’ said Dusk. ‘If I may suggest, sir, it would be wise to send Marshal Noon there too. He is a tremendous fighter and always greatly cheers the troops.’

‘We’ll all go,’ said Arthur. He licked his lips, which had become suddenly dry.