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Septi it would take the Wraith of the Syren to swirl up the escape stairs and come after hian a basic SafeShield - so that did not need too much concentration
He topped it up with a Silent UnSeen and set off through the copse, hoping that the Syren did not have the ability to See the telltale signs of Magyk - as soed on the other side of the trees, Septimus took a shorter, steeper path down the side of the hill that led to the cover of the dunes below As he half ran, half slid down the side of the hill, Septie of Syrah sprawled in the water out of his head It took hi Army boy left for dead in the shallows of the river, and an to haunt hih the dunes and was startled when he stumbled into Jenna and Beetle - but not half as startled as they were
"Argh!" shouted Jenna, swiping the air "Beetle, help! There&039;s soet it - oh! Sep, it&039;s you What are you doing?"
Septimus had very rapidly removed his UnSeen, but not before Beetle landed a swipe on his arasped Beetle Then, seeing Septimus&039;s expression, he asked with concern,
"Hey, what&039;s up - it&039;sit&039;s not Spit Fyre, is it?"
Septi he did not have to worry about, thanks to Syrah
Sitting in the sand dunes, watching the orange ball of the sun sink behind a strip of clouds on the horizon, outlining it with brilliant pinks and purples, Septimus told them what had happened
At the end of his story there was silence Then Jenna said, "That was a crazy thing to do, Sep, going into a creepy toith that Syrah girl - or whatever she was Some kind of island spirit, I suppose"
"Syrah&039;s not an island spirit," said Septimus "She is a real person"
"So why didn&039;t she come and say hello to us like a real person would?" asked Jenna
"Syrah is real," Septimus insisted "You don&039;t understand because you haven&039;t met her"
"Well, I hope I don&039;t," said Jenna with a shiver "She sounds weird"
"She is not weird"
"Okay, no need to get cranky, Sep I&039;ot out of there, that&039;s all You were lucky"
"She wasn&039;t," lance as if to say, What do you think? Beetle shook his head imperceptibly He really didn&039;t knohat to make of Septimus&039;s story - and in particular the description of the Ice Tunnel hatch Beetle cast his mind back to the previous week in the Manuscriptorium Vaults, when Marcia had allowed him to see the Live Plan of the Ice Tunnels - or had she? He knew he hadn&039;t seen an Ice Tunnel going out under the sea - he would have remembered that But Beetle also knew that the fact that he hadn&039;t seen it did not ; Marcia could easily have Obscured some of the information Everyone in the Manuscriptorium knew that the ExtraOrdinary Wizard only showed you what she wanted you to see But, even so, he found it hard to believe
"You sure it was an Ice Tunnel hatch, Sep?" he asked "They&039;re not usually that big"
"I know that, Beetle," Septimus snapped "And I also know an Ice Tunnel hatch when I see one"
"But an Ice Tunnel out hereit&039;s an awful long way from the Castle," said Jenna "It would have to coht of that," said Septi this up, you know"
"No, of course you&039;re not," said Beetle hastily "But things aren&039;t alhat they seem"
"Especially on an island," added Jenna
Septih He stood up, brushed the sand off his tunic and said, "I&039; back to see Spit Fyre He&039;s been on his own all afternoon"
Jenna and Beetle got up "We&039;ll corinned at each other, much to Septimus&039;s irritation
A ht their attention They ducked into the dunes once more and peered out The Marauder was on the o, but the boat did not, as they hoped, head safely out to sea Instead it turned to the right and took a course along the island, heading around the rocks that ran fro boat, despite those who sailed her, and shesky lit with the first few stars
"This island is such a beautiful place," said Beetle with a sigh as he watched the Marauder finally disappear behind the rocks "It&039;s so difficult to believe that anything bad could happen here"
"There&039;s a Young Arer More Easily into Danger&039;"
Night had fallen and the Light shone like a tiny, brilliantplace and began their walk along the beach, they did not see a new arrival at the base of the Pinnacle A long red capsule rose froled figures The se bat and settled itself beside the Sphere of Light If anyone had turned back and looked, he or she ainst the glohite ball, but no one did The Light was so at It was achingly bright
It was tough going on the beach Septimus insisted that they walk in the soft sand under the cover of the sand dunes, and he also insisted that Jenna and Beetle go first
"Can&039;t alk on the sand farther down?" asked Jenna "It would be so much easier"
"Too exposed," said Septi dark now No one can see us"
"They could on the beach Figures stand out on a beach It&039;s an e Ar for that too"
"&039;A Lone Tree Is Easy to See&039;"
"There were so Army"
"There&039;s no need to be so critical, Jen"
Jenna and Beetle stumbled on, followed by Septilanced back, seeht?" asked Beetle
"Fine," Septimus replied
They drew near to the rocks that bordered what they thought of as their bay Jenna was about to jump onto them when Septimus stopped her
"No," he said "The Syren - she&039;ll see us"