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Arthur nodded warily If there was a trick, it didn’t look like Suzy was anywhere near figuring it out He went back to reading the Will’s letter

By means of the Improbable Stair, come to Monday’s Antechamber I have done a small sketch so that you may visualise your destination Remember that the Stair is contrary and will stop in many places Do not let it leave you before Monday’s Antechamber!

Arthur looked at the sketch It was about the size of his thumbnail, but was incredibly fine and detailed, like a -really old engraving It showed the inside of a room, or rather, a tent, because the walls were obviously cloth and there was a pole in the middle Other than that, there were piles of cushions and a slasses on it

Strange-looking antechaed and went back to the letter

If all goes as I expect, I will await you there, hatever allies I can e of ain

Until then, I remain your obedient and respectful servant May the Will be done

Arthur folded the letter and put it in his trouser pocket Suzy was still grappling with the wings

‘What did the Will tell you to do?’ Arthur asked ‘Now that I’ve got theher wings off, let her hands fall, and thrust her fingers under the armholes of her waistcoat instead ‘It didn’t say I suppose I’ll go along with you’

‘I don’t know if you can corily ‘Oh, fine! I fly all the way down here and then you can’t be bothered takingfor whatever happens next!’

‘I’ll take you if I can,’ said Arthur patiently ‘I have to go on so called the Io along it, that’s all I’m surprised the Will didn’t tell you’

‘That Will only thinks of itself,’ muttered Suzy darkly ‘Do this, do that, we must carry out the intentions of the Architectdrove et on with it then, before Noon’s goons catch up with et on it Where does it start?’

‘No, what’s this about Noon’s goons?’

‘Oh, well, it was easy enough to give the slip to the first lot Noon set to follow us from the Efficiencer General’s office But when I came down to the Upper Cellar, there was a whole bunch of Coot past ’es by now So we’d better get ato you, but they can sure hurt me’

As she spoke, Arthur looked up At first he couldn’t see anything, until he ht wasn’t in his eyes Sure enough, there were faint lights up above that had not been there before Lights that grew brighter and larger as he watched

‘Watch lanterns,’ said Suzy ‘Couess Half a dozen of thery roar echoed out behind them, a roar so loud that Suzy instinctively clutched her hat, even though it edged on her head so securely no wind could blow it off The Old One had also noticed the Commissionaires

‘Take my hand,’ Arthur instructed Suzy He held his left hand out, the Key still in his right Suzy took it reluctantly, holding it as she ers

‘No, hold on hard!’ said Arthur ‘Otherwise you’ll get left behind for sure’

Suzy’s grip tightened Arthur hoped that he was telling her the truth He had no idea whether he could take her along or not He didn’t even know if he could find the stair, let alone use it hiine a stair where there isn’t one Focus on so that resembles steps and believe the Stair will be there

There in the darkness above that slightly sluht That’s where the Stair will be It will just continue on from the natural steps of coal that have forht A broad stair, leading straight up Steps of whitein the darkness He could see it clearly in his head, but was it there in that dark space?

‘Halt! Stop where you are!’ came a shout from above, but it was faint and still so that flashed up fro as if it had hit a glass ceiling only a hundred yards above the Old One’s unusual prison

Arthur ignored both the shout and the lightning He could see the Stair now, thethere, above the pyramid All he had to do was jump to that first step –

‘Ow!’ Suzy exclais flapped with the effort to keep up as the boy jumped into the air near the pyra that Suzy couldn’t see, and he jus beat hard to stay with Arthur, and she shut her eyes She felt hiain and shut her eyes even harder, in anticipation of being dragged painfully back to earth, wings or not

But they weren’t Suzy’s feet touched so, but not with the impact of a heavy fall

Suzy opened her eyes and looked down White leaht, and up Apart froht, blazing white light, everywhere else around

‘Look down, at the steps,’ shouted Arthur ‘And come on! We mustn’t stop!’

Nineteen

SO HOW DOES this work, then?’ puffed Suzy after she had dutifully kept up with Arthur for at least two hundred steps, still holding on to his hand ‘We keep on cli steps till we fall over and roll all the way back down?’

‘I don’t know,’ replied Arthur He was tired, but also felt weirdly exhilarated There was no way he could have climbed so many steps so quickly in the normal world, at least not without the Key He relished the way the air flowed easily in and out of his lungs, even if hisat the continual effort ‘But we have to keep on going There are Landings every now and then, but I’et to one, we have to quickly find the Stair again, or we’ll be stuck on the Landing Forever, I suppose’

‘Nothing but trouble,’ grumbled Suzy ‘I should have stuck to ,Arthur back

‘What is it?’ he asked sharply, tugging at Suzy’s hand to keep her going