Chapter Two
In the meantime, Jenna, Nicko, and Beetle were trying to find something to do. It was one of those long summer days that is hot and humid and slow and everyone just relaxes on. First they tried to find a rumored secret passageway from the Palace to the Wizard Tower, which failed. Then, Beetle suggested going for a ride in the ice tunnels on his old inspection clerk sled (which wouldn't work for Merrin Meredith, much to Beetle's delight). However Nicko, who had heard all about Beetle's sled driving from Septimus, politely declined. Then Jenna proceeded to argue with him for 23 minutes straight about Beetle's sled driving capabilities. Not surprisingly, Nicko had to go meet Snorri at the market.
"Come on Beetle. Now that chicken's gone, can we go on that sled ride?"
Beetle turned red and said, "Yeah. Sure."
"Not if you don't want to."
"No, no, of course I want to."
Beetle was nonplussed. Was he supposed to do double reverse skid turns with Jenna on the sled? Or was he supposed to make the sled go slow, as Septimus liked to? He decided to start out slow and gradually get faster.
"Race you to Marcellus'!" yelled Jenna over her shoulder as she suddenly sprinted off down Wizard Way.
"Hey, not fair!" protested Beetle, panting to keep up.
"Is too!" laughed Jenna.
"Not."
"Too."
"Not."
"Too."
"Oh, whatever!"
"Ha!"
They reached Snake Slipway and rang Marcellus' bell.
"Apprentice, tis you?" came a faint reply.
"No Marcellus, it's Beetle and Jenna. Sep couldn't come, he's in an exam," called Jenna.
"Ahh," said Marcellus, opening the door a crack and peering out. "Very well Esmer-Jenna. Come in. And you, speedy scribe." Beetle grinned. Marcellus was the only person who still called him a scribe. Marcellus opened the door all the way and ushered them in with a bow, causing nearby people in the street to look at him weirdly.
"Hey Marcellus, can we use your entrance to the ice tunnels?" asked Jenna.
"Oh, yes," replied Marcellus. "This way." He led the way down the dimly lit hallway, despite the fact that ever since Beetle had gotten fired from the Manuscriptorium they had been using his entrance and new the way quite well. Jillie Dinn had neglected to confiscate Beetle's old seal, and he had not deemed it necessary to remind her.
Down in the ice tunnels, Beetle untied the Inspection Clerk sled from where he had left it, still undisturbed because Merrin had given up trying to actually inspect the seals. He got on followed by Jenna.
Beetle started the sled off at a slow crawl, going even slower than Septimus. Apparently that was not how he was supposed to go with Jenna on the sled.
"Go faster you lazy lump!" she shouted over the wind whistling through the cold, icy tunnel. Beetle went faster. Jenna was not an easy person to refuse. Beetle soon got over his awkwardness and even showed off a little. He decided that Jenna was just as nice a person to have on a sled as Septimus, especially when she put her arms around his waist to avoid falling off.
All too soon, they were back at Marcellus' entrance, luckily without any encounters with an ice wraith. They had arranged the day before to meet Septimus on the Palace lawn and go to Ma Custards together, so they said good bye to Marcellus and headed towards the Palace lawn, Jenna questioning Beetle on the specifics of how to do a double reverse skid turn and a sled jump, which Beetle quite enjoyed. By the time they reached the Palace lawn, they were both feeling a little closer than just friends, and Beetle was very glad that no one had any reason to kidnap Jenna now.
A/N: I was just at camp so I didn't really pay attention to updating stuff, even if it wasn't that long.