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MR CREPSLEY WAS GRUMPY when I woke hi up before the sun went down - but stopped co when I told hi the long scar that ran down the left side of his face "I wonder what he wants?"

"I don’t know," I answered, "but he said not to leave until he had a ith you" I loweredseen if we hurried Dusk isn’t too far away You could handle about an hour of sunlight if we stayed in the shadows, couldn’t you?"

"I could," Mr Crepsley agreed, "were I given to fleeing like a dog with its tail between its legs But I a me my finest cloak - I like to look my best for visitors" That was as close to a joke as the va to come - he didn’t have much of a sense of hu, we made our way to Mr Tall’s caravan, where Mr Tiny was entertaining the owner of the Cirque Du Freak with stories of what he’d seen in a recent earthquake

"Ah, Larten!" Mr Tiny boomed "Prompt as ever"

"Desmond," Mr Crepsley replied stiffly

"Have a seat," Mr Tiny said

"Thank you, but I will stand" Nobody liked sitting when Mr Tiny was around - in case they needed tooff for Vampire Mountain," Mr Tiny said

"We leave tonight," Mr Crepsley confirmed

"This is the first Council you’ve been to in about fifty years, isn’t it?"

"You are well inforround"

There was a knock at the door, and Mr Tall let in two of the Little People One walked with kind of a li as h that was only a nickname - none of the Little People had real names

"Ready, boys?" Mr Tiny asked The Little People nodded "Excellent!" He smiled at Mr Crepsley "The path to Vampire Mountain is as hazardous as ever, isn’t it?"

"It is not easy," Mr Crepsley agreed cagily

"Dangerous for a young snip of a thing like Master Shan, wouldn’t you say?"

"Darren can look after hirinned proudly

"I’m sure he can," Mr Tiny responded, "but it’s unusual for so to make the journey, isn’t it?"

"Yes," Mr Crepsley said curtly

"That’s why I’uards" Mr Tiny waved a hand at the Little People

"Guards?" Mr Crepsley barked "We do not need any I have made the trip many times I can look after Darren myself"

"You can indeed," Mr Tiny cooed, "but a little help never went astray, did it?"

"They would get in the way," Mr Crepsley growled "I do not want them"

"My Little People? Get in the way?" Mr Tiny sounded shocked "They exist only to serve They’ll be like shepherds, watching over the two of you while you sleep"