R. LaFevers - Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos

Henry reached me first. “Did he get it?”

“I don’t know. I couldn’t see.”

“Did you see that Bragging Snot beast take a swing at him?”

“Yes, I did. His nose is bleeding buckets, too.”

“Vermin.”

We heard a shuffling sound off to the right. Will appeared, blood streaked across his face, and a black eye already beginning to form, but he was grinning from ear to ear. “Blimey! Did you see that Bogeyfellow take a swipe at me?” He sounded highly indignant, but proud, too.

“I certainly did. The rotter.” I discovered I couldn’t bring myself to ask if he’d got the Heart of Egypt. If he failed, I wasn’t sure I wanted to know quite yet. The fact that Will was smiling was promising, but he was a boy. He could just as easily be smiling at the adventure of it all.

Henry, however, had no such reservations. “So, did you get it?”

Will smiled so wide, I was afraid his face was going to split in half like an overripe squash.

He patted his front trouser pocket. “That I did!”

I went weak with relief. I closed my eyes and slumped against the wall behind me. “Oh, well done, Will! Very well done!”

His cheeks grew red and he shuffled his feet on the ground. “Oh, ’twer nothin’ miss. Really.”

“Nonsense! That foul man struck you! You could have—”

“Give off,” he mumbled, clearly not wanting to talk about this.

Henry piped up. “That was bloody brilliant!”

Will’s head jerked up and he and Henry exchanged devilish grins.

“May I have it now?” I asked, trying to change the subject.

“’Course.” He reached into his pocket, pulled out a velvet pouch, and placed it in my hand.

I shuddered as the force of the curse hit me.

“You all right, miss?” Will asked, concern in his voice.

“Yes, I’m fine. Let’s go home, shall we?” As we made our way home, a swell of pride surged through me.

We’d done it.

THE REST OF THE DAY, Henry and I basked in the glow of our smashing success. It was a heady feeling. Whenever Henry caught my eye, he would break into a grin. I should have scolded him for being too obvious, except I was too busy grinning back.

There was one sticky moment when I told him he couldn’t come with me to return the Heart of Egypt to Wigmere. But when I explained it was his job to keep Mother and Father from discovering I was gone, he was a little more cooperative.

And of course I felt ever so guilty having the Heart of Egypt right under my parents’ nose and not being able to tell them. How furious they’d be if they knew! They’d most likely ship me off to some horribly grim school for the next five years. (I tried to tell myself I was only saving them the pain of losing it twice, but it wasn’t helping much.)

I set off bright and early the next day and headed to Somerset House and the Society of Antiquaries. It was pouring rain and the wind was howling as if every disembodied spirit on earth had decided to join in. It was eerie, but I was confident. I patted the pocket of the old waterproof I was wearing. I had the means of saving our entire nation safely tucked in my pocket.

Because of the nasty weather, there were very few people about. It was a long walk, but satisfaction at having retrieved the Heart of Egypt gave me a rather lot of cheerful energy.

At Somerset House, I marched with confidence up the stairs to the third floor. The doorman must have sensed my resolve because he only threw me a quick glance and didn’t try to stop me. Perhaps he recognized me.

After my last visit, I intended to avoid Boythorpe at all costs. I kept my steps light and walked straight past his door, hoping he wouldn’t pop his annoying little head out to see what was going on.

Once safely past his office, I went to Wigmere’s, sixth door down on the left. I looked to make sure no one else was in the hallway. The place seemed quite deserted.

I knocked. There was no answer. I knocked again. Still nothing. Well, stuff and nonsense. How was I to return the beastly artifact if Wigmere didn’t have the decency to be here?

I stood there for a moment, thoroughly stumped. But then I remembered: the lift! I headed down the hallway and found the last door on the right, the skinny little one that looked like a closet. I stepped in, then shut the door behind me.

The attendant was surprised to see me. “What are you doing here, miss? All by yourself?”

“I need to see Lord Wigmere and he isn’t in his office. Is he on Level Six?”

The man hesitated, studying me with suspicion.

“It’s all right! I’m allowed down there. You saw me yourself not three days ago. Besides, it’s urgent that I see Wigmere.”

“Very well, but if there’s hell to pay, you’ll do the paying.”

I nodded. “Fair enough.”

I was a little more prepared this time when my stomach tried to shoot out of the top of my head, but not much.

When the lift stopped, the attendant opened the door. Before he could get any ideas about escorting me, I stepped out and waved a quick goodbye, then hurried into Level Six.

Only to find that the place was deserted. All of the desks were empty, all of the offices abandoned, piles of paper left helter-skelter. Where was everyone?

Feeling unsure, I headed to the infirmary where Stokes had been. Surely he was still too sick to move?

As I drew close to the small room, I heard voices. With relief, I recognized one of them as Wigmere’s.

When I knocked, the voices stopped abruptly, then Wigmere’s bulk filled the doorway, looking large and puffed up, like a cat when it’s trying to scare you.

His face relaxed when he saw it was only me. “Theodosia?” His gaze moved past me to the floor, then all the way back to the lift.

When I turned to follow his gaze, I saw a long puddling trail behind me from the water running off my waterproof. “Sorry about that. I’ll clean it up later, if you like.”

“Never mind,” he said. “Come in and let’s get you out of your wet things. Then you can tell me what you’re doing here.” I can’t say he sounded particularly happy to see me.

Wigmere stepped back and motioned me into the room. Stokes was sitting up in bed, and a table had been set up next to him, on which there was a large map spread out with lots of little pins stuck in it.

There were a few moments of fumbling as I wriggled out of my waterproof and Wigmere found someplace to hang it. “So,” he said at last. “Only something of great importance could bring you out in this sort of weather. I trust something has happened?”

“No,” I began.

His face drooped.

“Something even better than that,” I continued before he could get too discouraged.

He perked up again and I must say I quite enjoyed being the one to bring that look to such a long face. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the carefully wrapped bundle. “Here.”

He looked from the bundle to my face, then back to the bundle again. “What is this?”

“Open it and you shall see.” I was nearly dancing in anticipation. He would be so pleased!

Wigmere took the bundle out of my hand and unwrapped it. Once he had lifted the last of the wrapping away, he turned the velvet pouch upside down.

“Upon my soul!” he gasped. The Heart of Egypt sat in his palm, winking and blinking and glittering in all its malevolent brilliance. “How on earth did you get hold of this?”

“Are you sure you want to know?”

His mustache twitched. “I think I’m up to it. Come, have a seat and tell us your tale.”