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‘So I can go back,’ repeated Arthur ‘I ao back’

He looked down at the Will It was sulking near his feet

‘I want you to help et back hoo back,’ said the Will It puffed itself up to twice its usual size in an effort to iravity of its words ‘You wield the First Key You are Master of the Lower House There are still six imprisoned sections of the Will that must be freed, and six Keys that must be claio horow up normally Grow up to be a man, not a Lord of the Universe or whatever I don’t want to change into an immortal, like the Old One said I would if I keep the Key Can’t I – I don’t know, h?’

The Willinaudible

‘Can’t I make soh?’ Arthur repeated firhts to request a delay in your full assurumpily ‘I suppose we can allow you five or six years in your own backwater After ten h, and there is a certain amount of preliminary work that will not require your presence But who knohat the Morrow Days will do if you hand over your powers and return to the Secondary Realms, even temporarily? I do not know the exact terer from Grim Tuesday at least, since his powers and authority border your own’

‘I don’t care!’ exclaimed Arthur ‘I have to risk it Maybe the Morrow Days will leave me alone once they know I’ve passed on et another mortal heir if you need one’

‘Who shall be your Steward?’ asked the Will ‘You do realise this is how the present trouble arose with the Trustees? It is very hard to find a trustworthy bearer of power’

‘You will be, of course,’ said Arthur ‘But you’ll have to choose a ’

‘But I’m a facilitator, not an executive,’ protested the Will ‘Ato be my Noon, weren’t you?’

‘Yes,’ replied the Will It hopped about in agitation ‘This is not at all as I planned!’

‘Well, tough luck,’ said Arthur ‘Are you going to be the Steward or not?’

The Will did not answer Everyone stared as it hopped madly backwards and forwards across the lawn for at least a minute Finally it stopped and knelt near Arthur’s feet ‘I will be your Steward of the Lower House,’ croaked the Will

A single sharp black letter oozed out of the frog’s skin, followed by another, and another, until a whole sentence spilled out across the grass More words followed, and an to spin and tumble and rise up in the air More andbackwards and forwards with the sound of a harp stru Soft trumpets joined in as the letters moved into set positions and spread out to join in new and constantly changing combinations

Then the letters all stopped inthe shape of a tall ht flashed, blinding everyone for a second

Arthur blinked twice With the flash of light, the words of the Will had becoed wonificance under her arched and shining silver wings She was not young, nor old, and was i rather than beautiful, with serious dark eyebrows and a rather large nose under her tightly pulled-back platinum hair Her forehead rinkled in either exasperation or thought She bent down, picked up the jade frog, and put it in the small lace-trimmed reticule she carried in her left hand

‘I’ll make that into a brooch It has served me well’

The Will’s voice was clear and ly lapsed into the deep rasp itshehad used as a frog

The Will curtsied to Arthur He bowed back, suddenly much more nervous It had been easier to deal with the Will as a frog

‘I will be your Steward,’ repeated the Will ‘But who shall be yourourDawn, Noon, and Dusk?’

‘Dusk,’ said Arthur slowly ‘Do you want to keep your job?’

‘No, my lord,’ said Dusk He smiled and bowed ‘I would step out of the shadows and stand in the sun to serve you and your Steward, ht Visitors would also like a change of eroeary of wearing black’

‘You shall be Noon, then,’ said Arthur He looked at the Will and added nervously, ‘And if it’s all right with you, Will, then the old Noon shall be the new Dusk’

‘Hureen, Arthur noticed The pale green of fine jade ‘On probation! I shall be keeping a careful eye on everyone! What about Dawn?’

‘I guess she can keep her job too, for now,’ said Arthur slowly Dawn sratefully at him and swept a very low curtsy that sent s across the lawn

‘But there is one other appointment I’d like to make Can Noon have an assistant?’

‘Of course,’ replied the Old Dusk, now the New Noon

Arthur turned to Suzy

‘I know you can’t go back,’ he said haltingly ‘I’e that But you don’t need to be an Ink-Filler anymore Would you like to be Noon’s Assistant? Then you can help the other children the Piper brought here and keep an eye on things for round and shuffled one foot back and forth

‘That’dstupid, wouldn’t it?’ she said gruffly ‘I s’pose I could give it a go’

‘The post is Tierce, the hour halfway between Dawn and Noon,’ intoned the Will ‘Monday’s Morning Tea indeed!’

‘Monday’s Tierce,’ repeated Suzy softly She sniffed and wiped her sleeve across her nose and face before looking up at Arthur

‘I hope your familyI hope they allyou knowthey’re all right’