Ruler of the realm by Herbie Brennan

Author:Herbie Brennan [Brennan, Herbie]
Format: epub
Tags: Supernatural, General, Juvenile Fiction, Fairies, Science Fiction; Fantasy; Magic, Historical, Young Adult Fiction, YA), Fantasy & magical realism (Children's, Military & Wars, War
ISBN: 9780747582991
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's
Published: 2006-11-01T04:00:00+00:00

'Visiting Mistress Gela Ogyris,' Pyrgus said.

'Passing on,' murmured the first statue. It closed its eyes to process the information.

'Would you like to step over beside me, Mr Kitterick?' asked the second statue in a friendly tone. 'Might as well get you stamped while we're waiting.'

When Kitterick moved beside it, the statue produced a large rubber stamp from the folds of its tunic and imprinted a luminous OG on his forehead.

'Just show that if you're stopped. It's valid for twenty-four hours. Don't wash until you want rid of it - rain won't affect it, but it comes off with soap. Some of the younger generation keep them on for weeks - it's a fashion accessory, apparently.'

'Cleared,' said the first statue.

There was an ominous click and the massive gates swung open.

223

Fifty-two

Henry's eyes opened and flashed red. 'Won't do you any good,' he said.

Blue swung round, her heart pounding. He was still slumped squatting against the wall. There was no way he could get to his feet, cross the room and reach her before she dived through the open door. All the same she hesitated.

Henry said, 'It leads back here.' He closed his eyes again. There was something in his careless confidence that was absolutely terrifying.

Blue twisted round again and plunged through the open door. There was a soft snick as it closed behind her.

She was in another featureless white cube.

This room looked exactly like the one she'd left. White walls, white floor, white ceiling, the same concealed lighting, the same curious softness underfoot.

And Henry, slumped against one wall.

224

Fifty-three

At almost four miles long, the winding driveway of the Ogyris Estate was clearly not meant for foot traffic. By the time Pyrgus and Kitterick arrived at the house, it was growing dark.

'You OK, Kitterick?' Pyrgus asked. His feet were sore and there was a knot in the muscle of one calf.

'Never better, sir,' said Kitterick annoyingly.

The Ogyris mansion was a relatively new building of curious construction. It combined the slim spires of a traditional Haleklind castle with a blocky underpinning - so fashionable across the Cretch these days -that seemed to have been inspired by a troll's dungeon. The result was something that looked vaguely like a giant porcupine crouched to spring. In an ostentatious display of wealth, Zosine Ogyris had commissioned lavish spell coatings that transmuted the base material of the building into copper, into silver, into gold, into platinum, into orichalcum and back to copper again, endlessly, at seven-minute intervals. It was burnished copper at the moment and the reflected rays of the dying sun made it look as if it was on fire.

'Well, here we go,' said Pyrgus and stepped up to the massive door.

The woman who answered his knock - Pyrgus

225

assumed she was a maid - was short and plump with something about her eyes that reminded him of Gela. She had the greenish skin tone and nose wrinkles of a Halek peasant, which may have been exactly what she was, since Ogyris could have brought her with him from his native land.

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