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‘But the greatest destruction to actual Denizens was not wrought by the Deluge, but by Lady Wednesday herself In the shape of a Leviathan she was hungrier than ever, and in her early years, she ate not only the usual plankton, krill, and other small creatures by the ton, but alsoher Noon and Dusk No one has dared approach her forDaho it is believed she co the pupils of her et too close
‘That is why it is strange that you should be invited to lunch with her How can you have lunch with a Leviathan? Particularly one that eats everything that comes anywhere near her?’
‘Why is she called Drowned Wednesday?’ asked Arthur ‘I mean, she’s obviously not drowned’
‘I believe that when she first began to transfor herself into the Border Sea and was presumed drowned,’ said Scamandros ‘A nasty fate for a Denizen, since some consciousness would remain until the fishes completely nibbled you away I also suspect that the term ‘Whale Wednesday’ is shied away from by her still-loyal Denizens’
Arthur nodded and hopped forward to co the beach now, the lights of the calanced at Doctor Scamandros’s face Most of it lay in shadow, only the lower part of his visage illu, but it was too dark for Arthur to , save for one of a ship that was cruising across the Denizen’s cheek with all sails set
‘Perhaps we should turn around,’ said Arthur nervously Scah to try a little sorcery thatup the beach to set his candle down Arthur followed, the blue sand sticking to his wet feet
‘What was it you wanted first?’ asked Doctor Scae to Dame Primus or news of your friend?’
‘I want to see what’s happened to Leaf,’ said Arthur Even though she hadn’t listened when he’d told her to get out of the hospital roouilty He hoped she was all right
‘Your friend was picked up by another ship?’
‘Yes,’ said Arthur ‘A bit like the Moth, but thinner and longer, with three reen I think it was meant to pick me up, like it said in the invitation ‘Transport has been arranged’ Only they got Leaf instead’
‘The ship sounds like the Flying Mantis One of the ships of Wednesday’s original merchantthat belongs to your friend? A lock of hair, perhaps?’
‘No!’ said Arthur ‘I mean, she’s just a friend Like a fairly new friend too’
‘M the ship will narrow things down,’ mused Sca she may have touched, like a cup or bottle?’
Arthur shook his head He tried to think back to the hospital room Leaf had sat on the bed
‘She did read Wednesday’s invitation Will that do?’
‘That will do,’ said Doctor Scamandros with satisfaction ‘May I have the invitation, please?’
Arthur handed it over Scamandros took out a tortoiseshell-inlaid penknife and cut a s sliver off the surface of the card, which he deposited in a tiny tin pillbox Reaching once reatcoat, he re divided into coloured squares like a chessboard -- which he unfolded On this board he laid doith so mirror and a conch shell the size of Arthur’s fist He then placed the tin pillbox down as well, arranging it so ainst the red-and-black-chequered background
‘A trigon onout a quill pen and a small bronze bottle labelled ACTIVATED INK BEWARE! ‘Arthur, please place your hand flat above the trigon, not quite touching’
He indicated the three objects Arthur co his hand level just above the mirror, conch and pillbox
‘Now I shall have to write on your hand It ,’ said Doctor Sca is going to hurt He set the bronze bottle down, carefully unscrewed the lid, and dipped his feathery pen
‘This is going to help me find out what happened to Leaf?’ asked Arthur He had a strong urge to pull back his hand and run down the beach, back to the caht Arthur So Scamandros must be mostly trustworthy …
‘Yes, yes,’ said Scamandros ‘Hold still’
Arthur held still Scamandros poised the pen above the back of the boy’s hand A tiny drop of ink fell from the pen and splashed on Arthur’s skin like -laced sh him
Eleven
DOCTOR SCAMANDROS didn’t pause With incredible speed, he wrote a word on Arthur’s hand even as the boy snatched it away, the ink leaving a trail of fire across his skin
‘It will only hurt for a moment,’ Scamandros promised, as Arthur rushed to the sea and thrust his hand in ‘If I’d warned you, you wouldn’t have kept still’
Arthur couldn’t speak The pain occupied his entire mind -- but only for a few , the pain ebbed and was gone, as if it had been washed out with the last wave
Arthur walked the few yards back up the beach Scamandros had already packed away the board and the pillbox, leaving only the shell and the mirror He held these out to Arthur, who didn’t notice, as he was holding the back of his hand to the candlelight As far as the boy could tell, there weren’t any scars or ink stains He couldn’t see any writing either
‘What did you write?’ asked Arthur
‘My signature,’ said Doctor Scamandros ‘Most House Sorcery is done with prepared apparatus that will only work for the authorised sorcerer’
‘Was there Nothing in that ink?’
‘Yes A very small, refined amount Not made byThough it is true inally created froht,’ said Arthur He took the mirror and the shell suspiciously ‘What do these do, then?’