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'Yeff,' it said They feemed in a bit of a hurry, if you ask me'

Mort was already up on Binky's back

'I fay!' shouted the knocker at his retreating back 'I fay! Could you unftick ed on Binky's reins so hard that the horse reared and danced crazily backwards across the cobbles, then reached out and grabbed the ring of the knocker The gargoyle looked up into his face and suddenly felt like a very frightened doorknocker indeed Mort's eyes glowed like crucibles, his expression was a furnace, his voice held enough heat to melt iron It didn't knohat he could do, but felt that it would prefer not to find out

'What did you call ht quickly 'Fir?' it said

'What did you ask me to do?'

'Unftick me?'

'I don't intend to'

'Fine,' said the doorknocker, 'fine That's okay by me I'll just ftick around, then'

It watched Mort canter off along the street and shuddered with relief, knocking itself gently in its nervousness

'A naaaarrow sqeeeak,' said one of the hinges

'Fut up!'

Mort passed night watch bells and shouting the name of the Princess, but a little uncertainly, as if they had difficulty re to voices inside his head which went:

She's only met you once, you fool Why should she bother about you?

Yes, but I did save her life

That s to her Not to you Besides, he's a wizard

So what? Wizards aren't supposed to – to go out with girls, they're celebrate

Celebrate?

They're not supposed to youknow

What, never any youknow at all? said the internal voice, and it sounded as if it was grinning

It's supposed to be bad for the ht Mort bitterly

Funny place to keep ic

Mort was shocked Who are you? he demanded

I'et out of h with h, said the voice, I was only trying to help But remember, if you ever need you, you're always around

The voice faded away

Well, thought Mort bitterly, that must have been me I'm the only one that calls me Mort

The shock of the realisation quite obscured the fact that, while Mort had been locked into the ates of the palace Of course, people rode through the gates of the palace every day, but s to be opened first

The guards on the other side were rigid with fear, because they thought they had seen a ghost They would have been far host was aluard outside the doors of the great hall had seen it happen too, but he had tiather his wits, or such that remained, and raise his spear as Binky trotted across the courtyard

'Halt,' he croaked 'Halt What goes where?'

Mort saw him for the first tiht

The guard ran his tongue over his dry lips, and backed away Mort slid off Binky's back and walked forward

'I ain, with a edness and suicidal stupidity that ht the spear gently and lifted it out of the way of the door As he did so the torchlight illuminated his face

'Mort,' he said softly

It should have been enough for any noruard was officer material

'I aze

'Which would you prefer?' he grinned It wasn't quite the grin of his rin and didn't have a trace of hued with relief, and stood aside

'Pass, friend,' he said

Mort strode across the hall towards the staircase that led to the royal aparted a lot since he last saw it Portraits of Keli were everywhere; they'd even replaced the ancient and cruhts of the roof Anyone walking through the palace would have found it i a portrait Part of Mort's mind wondered why, just as another part worried about the flickering do on the city, but e and bewilderht, this h-walls boy!'

He jerked his head up Cutas standing at the top of the stairs

The wizard had changed a lot too, Mort thought bitterly Perhaps not thata black and white robe eh his pointy hat was a yard high and decorated with h his red velvet shoes had silver buckles and toes that curled like snails, there were still a few stains on his collar and he appeared to be chewing

He watched Mort cliry about soot rather tied up with other things Very difficult, walking through – why are you looking athere?'

'I ht ask you the salanced at the small wooden punnet in the wizard's hands

'In mid-winter?'

'Actually, they're sprouts with a dash of enchantment'

They taste like strawberries?'

Cutwell sighed 'No, like sprouts The spell isn't totally efficient I thought they ht cheer the princess up, but she threw theaped at him

'She threw them at you?'

'Very accurately, I' lady'