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Wizard Tower

It was only when the doors of the WizardTower had swung closed behind her and Jenna found herself standing in the huge golden entrance Hall that she realized just how ed Jenna had never, ever seen or even dreamed of a place like this She knew thatlike it either She was already becoazed at the unfamiliar riches that surrounded her as she stood, entranced, in the olden walls flickered with fleeting pictures of e lands The air arm and smelled of incense It was filled with a quiet, soft huyk that kept the Tower operating Beneath Jenna&039;s feet the floor moved as if it were sand It was made up of hundreds of different colors that danced around her boots and spelled out the words WELCOME PRINCESS, WELCOME Then, as she gazed in surprise, the letters changed to read, HURRY UP!

Jenna glanced up to see Marcia, as staggering a little as she carried the sentry, step onto a silver spiral staircase

"Come on," said Marcia impatiently Jenna ran over, reached the bottom step and started to climb the stairs

"No, just here you are," explained Marcia "The stairs will do the rest"

"Go," said Marcia loudly and, to Jenna&039;s a It was slow at first, but it soon picked up speed, whirling around faster and faster, up through the Tower until they reached the very top Marcia stepped off and Jenna followed, juain, called by another Wizard so purple front door had already sprung open for therate hastily burst into flaed itself in front of the fire, and two pillows and a blanket hurled theh the air and landed neatly on the sofa without Marcia having to say a word

Jenna helped Marcia lay the sentry boy down on the sofa He looked bad His face was pinched and white with cold, his eyes were closed and he had begun to shiver uncontrollably

"Shivering&039;s a good sign," said Marcia briskly, then clicked her fingers "Wet clothes off" The ridiculous sentry uniforarish damp heap "You&039;re rubbish," Marcia told it, and the uniforether and dripped over to the rubbish chute, where it threw itself in and disappeared

Marcia smiled "Good riddance," she said "Now, dry clothes on" A pair of war became a little less violent "Good," said Marcia "We&039;ll just sit with him for a while and let him warm up He&039;ll be fine"

Jenna settled herself down on a rug by the fire, and soon two steas of hot milk appeared Marcia sat down beside her Suddenly Jenna felt shy The ExtraOrdinary Wizard was sitting next to her on the floor, just like Nicko did What should she say? Jenna couldn&039;t think of anything at all, except that her feet were cold, but she was too eet those boots off," said Marcia "They&039;re soaking"

Jenna unlaced her boots and pulled them off

"Look at your socks What a state," Marcia tutted

Jenna went red Her socks had previously belonged to Nicko, and before that they had been Edd&039;s Or were they Erik&039;s? They were led her toes by the fire and dried her feet

"Would you like some new socks?" asked Marcia

Jenna nodded shyly A pair of thick, warm purple socks appeared on her feet

"We&039;ll keep the old ones though," said Marcia "Clean," she told them "Fold" The socks did what they were told; they shook off the dirt, which landed in a sticky pile on the hearth, then they neatly folded themselves up and lay down by the fire next to Jenna Jenna slad Marcia hadn&039;t called Sarah&039;s best darning rubbish

The an to fade The sentry boy had at last stopped shivering and was sleeping peacefully Jenna was curled up by the fire, looking at one of Marcia&039;s Magyk picture books when there was a frantic banging on the door

"Come on, Marcia Open the door It&039;s me!" came an impatient voice from outside

"It&039;s Dad!" yelled Jenna

"Shh" said Marcia "It oodness&039; sake, open the door, will you?" said the impatient voice

Marcia did a quick Translucent Spell Sure enough, to her irritation, outside the door stood Silas and Nicko But that wasn&039;t all Sitting next to the down its fur, was the wolf, wearing a spotted neckerchief

Marcia had no choice but to let them in "Open!" Marcia abruptly told the door

"Hello, Jen" Nicko grinned He stepped carefully onto Marcia&039;s fine silk carpet, closely followed by Silas and the wolf, whosetail swept Marcia&039;s treasured collection of Fragile-Fairy pots crashing to the floor

"Nicko! Dad!" yelled Jenna and hurled herself into Silas&039;s arms It felt like months since she had seen hiht?"

"She&039;s fine," said Silas "She&039;s gone to Galen&039;s with the boys Nicko and I just caive you this" Silas fished around in his deep pockets "Hang on," he said "It&039;s here somewhere"

"Are you , coet that wretched wolf away fro over Marcia&039;s python shoes

"He&039;s not a wolf," Silas told her "He&039;s an Abyssinian wolfhound descended frohi wolfhounds And his naht allow you to call him Maxie for short If you&039;re nice to him"

"Nice!" spluttered Marcia, alht stay over," Silas carried on, tipping out the contents of a srubby sack over Marcia&039;s ebony and jade Ouija table and sifting through theo into the Forest"

"Stay? Here?"

"Dad! Look ather toes in the air

"M around in his pockets "Nohere did I put it? I know I brought it with me"

"Do you like my socks, Nicko?"

"Very purple," said Nicko "I&039;m frozen" Jenna led Nicko to the fire

She pointed at the sentry boy "We&039;re waiting for hiot frozen in the snow, and Marcia rescued hiain"

Nicko whistled, i up now" The sentry boy had opened his eyes and was staring at Jenna and Nicko He looked terrified Jenna stroked his shaven head It was bristly and still a little cold

"You&039;re safe now," she told him "You&039;re with us I&039;mjenna, and this is Nicko What&039;s your name?"

"Boy 412,," mumbled the sentry

"Boy Four One Two?" Jenna repeated, puzzled "But that&039;s a number No one has a number for a name"

The boy just stared at Jenna Then he closed his eyes again and went back to sleep