Frozen

The trapdoor slowly rose a few inches, and Boy 412 peered out. A chill ran though him. The door to the potion cupboard had been thrown wide open, and he was looking straight at the heels of the Hunter's muddy brown boots.

Standing with his back to the potion cupboard, only a few feet away, was the figure of the Hunter, his green cloak thrown over his shoulder and his silver pistol held at the ready. He was facing the kitchen door, poised as if about to rush forward.

Boy 412 waited to see what the Hunter was about to do, but the man did nothing at all. He was, thought Boy 412, waiting. Probably for Aunt Zelda to walk out of the kitchen.

Willing Aunt Zelda to stay away, Boy 412 reached down and held his hand out for Jenna's Shield Bug.

Jenna stood anxiously on the ladder below him. She could tell that all was not well from how tense and still Boy 412 had become. When his hand reached down she took the rolled-up Shield Bug from her pocket and passed it up to Boy 412, as they had planned, sending it a silent good luck wish as she did so. Jenna had begun to like the bug and was sorry to see it go.

Carefully, Boy 412 took the bug and slowly pushed it through the open trapdoor. He set the tiny armored green ball down on the floor, making sure he kept hold of it, and pointed it in the right direction.

Straight at the Hunter.

Then he let go. At once the bug uncurled itself, locked its piercing green eyes on to the Hunter and unsheathed its sword with a small swishing noise. Boy 412 held his breath at the noise and hoped the Hunter had not heard, but the stocky man in green made no move. Boy 412 slowly breathed out and, with a flick of his finger, he sent the bug into the air, toward its target, with a shrill shriek.

The Hunter did nothing.

He didn't turn or even flinch as the bug landed on his shoulder and raised its sword to strike. Boy 412 was impressed. He knew the Hunter was tough, but surely this was taking things too far.

And then Aunt Zelda appeared.

"Look out!" yelled Boy 412. "The Hunter!"

Aunt Zelda jumped. Not because of the Hunter but because she had never heard Boy 412 speak before and so she had no idea who had spoken. Or where the unknown voice was coming from.

Then, to Boy 412's amazement, Aunt Zelda snatched the Shield Bug off the Hunter and tapped it to make it roll back into a ball.

And still the Hunter did nothing.

Briskly, Aunt Zelda put the bug into one of her many patchwork pockets and looked around her, wondering where the unfamiliar voice had come from. And then she caught sight of Boy 412 peering out from the slightly raised trapdoor. "Is that you?" she gasped. "Thank goodness you're all right. Where's Jenna?"

"Here," said Boy 412, half afraid to speak in case the Hunter heard. But the Hunter gave no sign of having heard anything at all, and Aunt Zelda treated him as nothing more than an awkward piece of furniture as she walked around his immobile figure, lifted up the trapdoor and helped Boy 412 and Jenna out.

"What a wonderful sight, both of you safe," she said happily. "I was so worried."

"But - what about him." Boy 412 pointed to the Hunter.

"Frozen," said Aunt Zelda with an air of satisfaction. "Frozen solid and staying that way. Until I decide what to do with him."

"Where's Nicko? Is he all right?" asked Jenna as she clambered out.

"He's fine. He's gone after the Apprentice," said Aunt Zelda.

As Aunt Zelda finished speaking, the front door crashed open and the dripping-wet Apprentice was propelled inside, followed by an equally dripping-wet Nicko. "Pig," spat Nicko, slamming the door. He let go of the boy and went over to the blazing fire to get dry.

The Apprentice dripped unhappily on the floor and looked over to the Hunter for help. He dripped even more unhappily when he saw what had happened. The Hunter stood Frozen in mid-lunge with his pistol, staring into space with empty eyes. The Apprentice gulped - a big woman in a patchwork tent was advancing purposefully toward him, and he knew only too well who it was from the Illustrated Enemy Cards he had had to study before he came on the Hunt.

It was the Mad White Witch, Zelda Zanuba Heap.

Not to mention the Wizard boy, Nickolas Benjamin Heap, and 412,, the lowlife runaway deserter. They were all here, just as he had been told they would be. But where was the one they had really come for? Where was the Queenling?

The Apprentice looked around and caught sight of Jenna in the shadows behind Boy 412. He took in Jenna's gold circlet shining against her long dark hair and her violet eyes, just like the picture on the Enemy Card (drawn very skillfully by Linda Lane, the spy). The Queenling was a little taller than he had expected, but it was definitely her.

A sly smile played on the Apprentice's lips as he wondered if he could grab Jenna all by himself. How pleased his Master would be with him. Surely then his Master would forget all his past failures and would stop threatening to send him into the Young Army as an Expendable. Especially if he had succeeded where even the Hunter had failed.

He was going to do it.

Taking everyone by surprise, the Apprentice, although hampered by his sodden robes, flung himself forward and seized hold of Jenna. He was unexpectedly strong for his size, and he wrapped a wiry arm around her throat, almost choking her. Then he started to drag her toward the door.

Aunt Zelda made a move toward the Apprentice, and he flicked open his pocketknife, pressing it hard against Jenna's throat. "Anyone tries to stop me, and she gets it," he snarled, propelling Jenna out the open door and down the path to the canoe and the waiting Magog. The Magog paid the scene no attention at all. It was immersed in liquifying its fifteenth drowned Shield Bug, and its duties did not commence until the prisoner was in the canoe.

She nearly was.

But Nicko was not going to let his sister go without a fight. He hurtled after the Apprentice and threw himself onto him. The Apprentice landed on top of Jenna, and there was a scream. A trickle of blood ran from underneath her.

Nicko yanked the Apprentice out of the way.

"Jen, Jen!" he gasped. "Are you hurt?"

Jenna had jumped up and was staring at the blood on the path. "I - I don't think so," she stammered. "I think it's him. I think he's hurt."

"Serve him right," said Nicko, kicking the knife out of the Apprentice's reach.

Nicko and Jenna hauled the Apprentice to his feet. He had a small cut on his arm but apart from that seemed unharmed. But he was deathly white. The Apprentice was frightened by the sight of blood, particularly his own, but he was even more frightened at the thought of what the Wizards might do to him. As they dragged him back into the cottage the Apprentice made one last attempt to escape. He twisted out of Jenna's grasp and aimed a hefty kick at Nicko's shins.

A fight broke out. The Apprentice landed a nasty punch to Nicko's stomach and was just about to kick him again when Nicko twisted his arm painfully behind his back. "Get out of that one," Nicko told him. "Don't think you can try and kidnap my sister and get away with it. Pig."

"He'd never have got away with it," mocked Jenna. "He's too stupid."

The Apprentice hated being called stupid. That was all his Master ever called him. Stupid boy. Stupid birdbrain. Stupid beetlehead. He hated it. "I'm not stupid." He gasped as Nicko tightened his grip on his arm. "I can do anything I want to. I could have shot her if I'd wanted to. I already have shot something tonight. So there." As soon as he said it, the Apprentice wished he hadn't. Four pairs of accusing eyes stared at him.

"What exactly do you mean?" Aunt Zelda asked him quietly. "You shot something?"

The Apprentice decided to brazen it out. "None of your business. I can shoot what I like. And if I want to shoot some fat ball of fur that gets in my way when I am on official business, then I will."

There was a shocked silence. Nicko broke it. "Boggart. He shot the Boggart. Pig."

"Ouch!" yelled the Apprentice.

"No violence, please, Nicko," said Aunt Zelda. "Whatever he's done, he's just a boy."

"I'm not just a boy," said the Apprentice haughtily. "I am Apprentice to DomDaniel, the Supreme Wizard and Necromancer. I am the seventh son of a seventh son."

"What?" asked Aunt Zelda. "What did you say?"

"I am Apprentice to DomDaniel, the Supreme - "

"Not that. We know that. I can see the black stars on your belt only too well, thank you."

"I said," the Apprentice spoke proudly, pleased that at last someone was taking him seriously, "that I am the seventh son of a seventh son. I am Magykal." Even though, thought the Apprentice, it hasn't quite shown itself yet. But it will.

"I don't believe you," Aunt Zelda said flatly. "I've never seen anyone less like a seventh son of a seventh son in my life."

"Well, I am," the Apprentice insisted sulkily. "I am Septimus Heap."

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