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Septi hi on end, his na in his ears Where was he? And then he re aboard the Cerys and Jenna throwing her ar his hand and introducing hinized as Jenna&039;s father, Milo Banda, and realizing that the Cerys was his ship - and that hy the name sounded familiar And what a ship the Cerys was Jenna had proudly showed hih his exhaustion - being aold-leaf gilding shining in the torchlight, the neatness of countless coils of rope, the richness of the wood, the deep shine of the brass and the immaculate crew in their crisp uniforround Eventually Jenna had realized how tired he was and had led hiilded doors One of the crew had sprung out of nowhere and opened the doors, bowing as they stepped down to the deck below He re him doide, polished steps into a paneled room lit by a forest of candles and then shouts of excite hi hi him off his feet, just to show that he was still his older brother, and Snorri s back with Ullr And then he re more

Blearily Septimus looked around his cabin It was small but extremely comfortable; his bunk was soft and wide and covered in a pile of ware brass porthole, through which Septi blue of the water and the dark shape of the harbor wall silhouetted against the sea beyond He lay down and gazed at shifting patterns of light reflecting on the polished wood ceiling and felt pleased that it was obviously not Marcia calling hilad to sleep in - he ached all over froether Dozily he wondered how many miles he and Spit Fyre had covered, and suddenly he sat bolt-upright once more - Spit Fyre!

Septimus threw on his tunic and was out of his cabin in thirty seconds flat He tore along the paneled corridor, heading toward a coht of steps up to an open hatch showing blue sky beyond He hurtled along, feet thudding on the wooden boards, and cannoned straight into Jenna, throwing them both backward Jenna picked herself up and hauled Septiasped "What&039;s the hurry?"

"Spit Fyre!" said Septi to explain He raced off, shot up the steps and out onto the open deck

Jenna was not far behind "What about Spit Fyre?" she asked, catching up with hirabbed hold of his sleeve and gave him her best Princess stare "Septimus, what about Spit Fyre? Tell me! "

"Left-him-on-the-sand-asleep-tide&039;s-coo," Septimus babbled He wrenched free of Jenna and fled across the deck, heading for the gangplank Jenna, as always faster on her feet than Septiway "Jen!" Septiotta find Spit Fyre!"

"Well, you&039;ve found him - or rather, he found you He&039;s here, Sep"

"Where?" Septi around "I can&039;t see him"

"Come on, I&039;ll show you" Jenna took Septi the freshly scrubbed deck to the stern of the ship The dragon lay peacefully asleep, his tail flung over the gunnels with its barb resting in the water On the quayside was a knot of ecstatic ad Club - a club formed only recently, on

"He turned up last night, just after you fell asleep," said Jenna She grinned "You were so out of it, you didn&039;t even hen he landed There was ato sink The creent crazy, but once I explained that on?" Seption?"

Jenna looked sheepish "Well, I aator, Sep And I knew that if I said he was mine, it would be okay Because, well" Jenna stopped and s I do on this ship is okay Good, isn&039;t it?"

Seption, Jen"

"Oh, don&039;t be so silly, Sep I know he&039;s your dragon I&039;ll tell theon if you like But it wasn&039;tin"

"It was going out"

Jenna shrugged "What ever Anyway, the cook&039;s gone ashore to find some chickens and stuff for his breakfast Do you want breakfast too?"

Septimus nodded and somewhat sulkily followed Jenna back down below The day on board the Cerys did not progress according to Septimus&039;s satisfaction He had expected to be welcomed as a rescuer once more, only to find that Milo Banda had stolen his thunder, and no one see ho to sail hoon s a tedious breakfast with Milo and Jenna, which had been spent listening to Milo&039;s accounts of his recent exploits and his excite at any moment, Septimus had wandered up on deck He was pleased to find Nicko and Snorri, ere sitting with their legs dangling over the side of the ship, looking out to sea Ullr, in his daytie cat, was asleep in the warm sunshine Septimus sat down beside them

"Hey, Sep," said Nicko quietly "Sleep well?"

"Yeah Too well Forgot Spit Fyre," Septirunt

"You were very tired, Septiood to sleep well And Spit Fyre is safe He sleeps too, I think?" At that a loud snore shook the decks, and Septiood to see you, Nik," he said

"You too, little bro"

"I thought we could go back on Spit Fyre later on this afternoon?"

Nicko took a while to reply And when he did it was not what Septimus wanted to hear "No thanks, Sep Snorri andto sail the Cerys back home with Milo Take some time out at sea"

"But Nik, you can&039;t," said Septimus

"Why not?" Nicko sounded irritable

"Mum, she really wants to have you safe at ho you back on Spit Fyre" Septi on on the Palace lawns, Sarah and Silas running down to greet them, Alther and Marcia too, andforward to, the final coun what seeo He suddenly felt cheated

"Sorry, Sep," said Nicko "Snorri and I have to do this We need tiain just yet I don&039;t want to have to answer all her questions and be happy and polite to everybody And Dad won&039;t , I knoon&039;t I justI just need time to think Time to be free, time to be me - okay?"

Septimus didn&039;t think it was okay at all, but it felt , and Nicko said noout to sea, wondering about the change that had come over his brother He didn&039;t like it Nicko was ponderous and sluggish, as though the hands on his clock were traveling more slowly - and he didn&039;t seem to care ht And neither he nor Snorri seemed to feel the need to speak, which eird - Nicko had always had so to say, even if it was completely crazy Septihed when he shouldn&039;t and said things without thinking Now it felt as if Nicko would have to think for hours before he said anything - and then it would be so in silence, Septiot up and wandered off Neither Nicko nor Snorri appeared to notice

Later that afternoon, after a lunch spent listening to yetainst Spit Fyre, as still asleep In fact, apart froes and the cook&039;s best frying pan, the dragon had done nothing but sleep since he had arrived on the Cerys Septis -able to leave - and now he sat leaning against the scales, waron&039;s breathing He stared ht and sunny, with a slight breeze - perfect dragon-flying weather - and he was impatient to be off He had tried his best to wake Spit Fyre but to no avail Even the surefire tricks of blowing up the dragon&039;s nose and tickling his ears had not worked Irritably Septiht red rope and stubbed his toe He wanted to get on Spit Fyre right now and go hoon would wake up

"Wotcha, your most Senior Apprenticeness!" Beetle&039;s voice sounded out cheerily

"Oh, very funny Hello, Beetle - gosh, what are you wearing?" asked Septimus Beetle flushed "Oh," he said "You noticed"

Septimus stared at Beetle&039;s new acquisition - a short, navy blue jacket adorned with a plethora of gold braid and frogging "I could hardly not notice," he replied "What is it?"

"It&039;s a jacket," said Beetle a little peevishly

"What, a captain&039;s jacket?"

"Well, no Adot lots of &039;em if you want one too"

"Uerly negotiated his way around Spit Fyre&039;s nose and regarded Septirin, which faded when he saw Septimus&039;s frown "Spit Fyre okay?" he asked

"Yep"

"So what&039;s up?" asked Beetle, settling hied

Beetle regarded his friend quizzically "You had a fight with Nicko or so?"

"Nope"