Chapter Twenty-One

Cliff was sitting at the top of the Wizard Tower fighting back tears. He couldn't believe Misty was dead. He was tired of pretending like he didn't care about her. He had planned to try and make up with her and encourage her to join his cause, but now, it was too late. He was never going to see Misty as a living being again. It was all because of that stupid Septimus Heap! Cliff was even more determined to kill Septimus.

While Cliff was reliving happier times with Misty, Marcia and Septimus were making their way into the Wizard Tower. Septimus was still shaken by his last encounter with Jenna. He had realized in those moments that he still loved her in every way. He had been trying to convince himself otherwise, but it was useless. He would probably always be in love with Jenna. It was like a disease he couldn't get over.

Marcia was thinking of Marcellus and how she might get to spend the rest of her life with him. She still couldn't believe he had asked her to marry him. Not too many men were actually brave enough to marry Marcia Overstrand. An affair with her was one thing, but marrying her would be an entirely different matter. Despite what he had stated to the contrary, Silas Heap had not been dying to marry Marcia. He didn't really want to be a henpecked husband. Plus, Silas had enjoyed having his children resemble him and with Marcia's dominate genes, there was a high chance that his children would have come out with dark hair and features. Silas had liked the feeling of being in charge out the household and he knew that, if he had married Marcia, she would have been the uncontested leader of their home.

"Marcia," Septimus said, breaking the long silence between the two of them. "I'm just so thankful you're here. I want to pinch you to make sure you're real. I was so depressed, Marcia, I was a horrible ExtraOrdinary."

"I doubt that very much." Marcia replied, "You're like me, Septimus, you make the best of your situations. Jenna's like that too…" Her voice trailed off when she mentioned Jenna's name, as if she was just remembering Septimus and Jenna's affair. "Septimus," she began, her voice stern and severe. Septimus held his breath, he was dreading what Marcia was going to say.

"Septimus, I want to know, were you and Jenna involved with each other or not? I don't want to believe that both of you were lying to me. There's nothing I would hate more than that. I can't understand why you wouldn't tell me something like that. It is always better to be honest, Septimus, the truth always comes out sooner or later anyway." Septimus knew he was caught. Marcia wouldn't believe any of the lies he could tell her now. It was time for him to come clean.

"Marcia, I didn't want to tell you because I knew you'd get mad, just like you just did. I didn't want to cause any problems, honestly I didn't. I never wanted to get Jenna pregnant, I just wanted to love her, surely you can understand that. Haven't you ever made a really bad mistake?"

Marcia was silent for a moment. "Yes." She said finally, "Of course, I have, I'm not perfect either, Septimus. But you should have been more careful with Jenna. If you wanted to..become involved with her sexually, you should have gotten married first."

Septimus became angry. "It's not as if you waited, Marcia! I think you and my Dad were messing around from the time you were teens too."

Marcia was shocked. "Septimus! You don't know anything about my personal life! That is so disrespectful that you would assume something like that! I never thought-"

Septimus cut Marcia off. "Marcia, I'm sorry, that was out of line. But my point is, I don't fault you for doing that if you did, and I don't understand why you're faulting me. I fell in love, it's not a crime. You thought you would hate Marcellus, but look, you fell in love with him. You can't help who you fall in love with. I know it looks bad, Jenna is my adopted sister and all that, but in honesty, I don't see her as a sister. She's always been the love of my life from the moment I first laid my eyes upon her, it just took a while for me to know that. Please, Marcia, try to understand that. I can't stop loving her anymore than I can stop loving you."

Marcia paused, taking in everything Septimus had said. "But Septimus, surely you realize that Jenna is engaged to Beetle. The entire Castle knows that. If she were to break her engagement with him, the public would view her as an unfaithful, poor leader. She can't afford that. In a difficult time like this, she needs to appear to be a good Queen. Aside from that, the whole city thinks that you two view each other as siblings. They would consider it incest."

This was what Septimus had been dreading. He knew Marcia was right. "I know," he agreed solemnly. "I will have to have to spend my whole life not having her."

Marcia didn't answer. There wasn't really anything she could add to that. What Septimus had said was probably true.

When Septimus and Marcia entered the Wizard Tower, there were no lights or happy pictures to greet them. Instead, the entire place was covered in darkness. Septimus shivered, though he wasn't cold. The sooner they got rid of Cliff, the better.

When they reached the top floor, both Marcia and Septimus were exhausted. They had had to climb twenty flights of stairs because there wasn't enough magyk to keep the stairs working. However, when they reached the top floor, the door recognized both Marcia and Septimus and allowed them to pass. When they arrived in the rooms of the ExtraOrdinary Wizard, they were shocked to find them empty. "Where is that blasted fool?" Marcia muttered, scanning the room for any signs of movement.

"Maybe he's in there." Septimus whispered, gesturing to the little closet room.

Marcia sighed heavily. "I don't think so Septimus. There are a lot of old things in that closet, nothing that would interest Cliff, I'm sure."

Septimus could tell Marcia didn't want him to see the closet. "Marcia, I've seen what's in that room before. You don't need to be ashamed. I love it that you kept my stuff. I don't know if you know it, but it means a lot that you cared enough to keep my things."

Marcia was relieved. "So you don't find it at all..disturbing?"

"Not a bit. But I do have to tell you something. The last time I was in there, I ran into the spirit of Aurelia Kenston, you know that creepy first woman ExtraOrdinary? I'd never seen her ghost before. She showed up in the glass in that closet."

"Aurelia Kenston? In my glass? Why did I never see her? What did she want?"

"Me." Septimus said simply, "She wants to kill me so that I'll help her with some plan of hers. It's crazy. We've got to get rid of her. Marcia, do you think we could get rid of her the same we got rid of Etheldredda?"

"You mean the bonefyre? That would work, but do you think Spit Fyre had enough energy to handle it now. He is rather old." Septimus's dragon now lived with Billy Pot. Septimus hadn't had much time to see him lately because of all the craziness that had taken over his life.

"We could burn the mirror." Septimus suggested, "Wouldn't that be the same as burning Etheldredda's portrait?"

Marcia was considering. "It could be. But if it isn't, I'll feel awful. That mirror was my mother's. I don't want to end up destroying it for no reason at all."

"We're going to have to run that risk. Listen, let's get out of her and go and get Spit Fyre. Then, I'll come back up here and get the mirror while you set up a bonefyre. It should work."

"No, Septimus, that's dangerous. I don't want you to be in the Tower alone."

"I let you go alone, didn't I? Now, it's time for you to trust me. I'll be all right, Marcia, I promise. Besides, this is the only way we can finish off Aurelia."

Marcia nodded. She wanted to tell Septimus just how proud she was of him at that moment, but she lost her nerve. She didn't want to seem mushy. "All right Septimus, let's go and see if we can get that wretched dragon."

Septimus smiled. He knew Marcia was afraid for him, but she was still willing to support his plan. Marcia was tough, he had to hand it to her.

Marcellus had just finished climbing the stairs to the top of the Wizard Tower and he was looking at the purple door on the top floor. He figured Marcia would be in there, he pushed the door open. Just as he suspected, he heard Marcia's voice. It seemed to be calling his name. When he approached the sound, it got softer and sounded farther away. Marcellus kept going in the direction of the voice until he entered the closet room. As soon as he got into the room, he heard the door slam and lock behind him. His heart sank. Doubtlessly, this was a darke trap.

"Did you really think it was Marcia?" the voice laughed, "Honestly, I thought the last alchemist would have more common sense. Or maybe it's true, love really does make people stupider. I don't doubt it. Romance never did much for me. It's a shame someone as attractive as you had to fall for someone as loopy as Marcia Overstrand. That means I'm going to have to kill you, Marcellus. But don't worry, soon Marcia will be dead too and you can finally be together." He voice sounded hysterical with excitement now. Marcellus was afraid.

"Who are you? I won't let you lay a finger on Marcia! Show yourself."

"Done." The woman's voice said. Almost immediately, Aurelia's attractive face came into view. Marcellus gasped. He remembered Aurelia from two hundred years earlier. She had been a horrible ExtraOrdinary. She was a darke woman with a love for torturing others.

"Aurelia Kenston!" Marcellus exclaimed. "How did you- What are you doing here?"

"Why shouldn't I be here? Shouldn't a ghost be aloud to visit the places she desires? Marcellus, you've lived over five hundred years, hopefully you know at least something about ghosts by now. Or at least I hope you do, soon you will become one."

Marcellus's blood ran cold. He thought of how heartbroken Marcia would be if something happened to him. This was all so unfair. He had been so close to getting to have Marcia the rest of his life. Why had he been stupid enough to go after her tonight? Suddenly, Marcellus thought of something he could do. It was a long shot, but it was worth a chance.

Marcellus rushed over to the mirror bravely and knocked it to the ground, causing it to shatter. He was hoping that it this action would destroy the soul within in the mirror. To his dismay, however, he heard Aurelia's horrible laugh once more and he knew she was far from gone.

"Poor little Marcellus." She taunted, "I'm not going anywhere! Your final plan has failed! You're finished."

Marcellus's chest felt heavy. He was afraid that Aurelia's words were very true.

Meanwhile, Marcia and Septimus had just managed to get the stubborn Spit Fyre out of his house. Septimus was getting ready to go back to the top of the Tower and get the mirror.

"Septimus, I don't see why you won't let me do a fetch spell. It's worth a shot. I still detest the idea of you going up there by yourself."

"Marcia, you know fetches don't always work with mirrors. In fact, they usually don't. I have to do this."

Septimus was starting to leave when Marcia said, "Septimus, wait!"

"What is it, Marcia? I'll be okay."

"T..Take care of yourself." Was all Marcia could say. She didn't want to show Septimus how worried she was, though he probably knew. Anyway, why should she worry. Worrying was for people who had no confidence.

"I will." Septimus assured her. With that, he was off to the top of the Tower.

When Septimus arrived upstairs, he heard the sounds of voices coming from the closet rooms. He recognized both of the voices straight off the bat. The first was Aurelia's and the second doubtlessly belonged Marcellus Pye. What was Marcellus doing here? Was he crazy? Why had he provoked Aurelia? Septimus moaned. This was going to be harder than he had originally expected.

He tried to push the door to the closet, but it wouldn't budge. Luckily, Septimus knew how to do a magyk unlock that would undo almost any lock in the Wizard Tower. This lock was no different. Much to Septimus's relief, he muttered the spell and the door flung open.

Back in the Wizard Tower Courtyard, Marcia had just managed to get Spit Fyre to ignite. It had taken forever and Marcia had become quiet tired of the dragon's stubborn attitude. Marcia had also managed to tread on some on some of the dragon's poo, much to her disgust. Needless to say, Marcia was having a pretty miserable time. To top it all off, she was still extremely worried about Septimus. She had decided to try a fetch, even though, as Septimus had so rightly said, they hardly ever worked with mirrors. Marcia knew that if Septimus was having trouble with Aurelia, it was nothing a successful fetch couldn't fix. If she could manage to get the mirror into the bonefyre, Aurelia would vanish from the known world. Marcia took a deep breath and prepared the fetch.

Septimus had just entered the closet room. Marcellus couldn't have been happier to see him. "Septimus!" he said, "Thank God."

"Oh Septimus," Aurelia sneered, "So kind of you to drop by. While you're here, I may as well provide a little..entertainment for you." With these words, Aurelia snapped her fingers at Marcellus. Aurelia caused Marcellus to float up into the air for a moment and then, he crashed full force against the wall. There was a loud, cracking sound and Septimus thought he would be sick. He scanned the room for any sign of the mirror, and then he realized there was no mirror. It was broken into pieces.

Aurelia followed Septimus's gaze. "Your friend, Marcellus over there broke this. He though it would rid him of me! Oh, how very wrong the poor bastard was!" Septimus was dismayed. He knew that, in order for the bonefyre to work, he would have to gather all the pieces of the broken mirror, even the tiny microscopic ones. It was an impossible task. The only thing that could work would be a fetch, but the chances of that working were slim. Septimus rushed over to Marcellus, praying he wasn't dead.

Septimus was in luck. Marcellus had simply broken his leg, but it was a bad break and he was bleeding horribly. It wasn't a pretty sight. "Oh Marcellus," Septimus said quietly, "Why did you do this? You only made things worse."

"I promise you, Septimus, I would never try to make anything worse for you or for Marcia. Especially Marcia." Marcellus grimaced in pain, and then continued. "You've got to get out of her before Aurelia hurts you too. You've still got a chance."

"So do you!" insisted Septimus. "I won't ever leave you."

It was then that Septimus noticed Aurelia. She was about to deliver a final blow to Marcellus and after that, she would surely kill Septimus too. Without thinking about what he was doing, Septimus threw himself in front of Marcellus to protect him.

"Out of my way, you stupid boy! There's no way I'm killing you before I finish him. I have a job to complete."

"I won't stand aside. If you kill him, you're killing me first." Septimus cried defiantly.

Just before Aurelia could respond, something very odd began to occur. The pieces of the mirror all began to come together and form a circle around Aurelia. Then, to the shock and amusement of both Septimus and Marcellus, the pieces shot out of the room and down the hall of the Wizard Tower. Aurelia shot off after them, chasing them down the Wizard Tower staircase. But still she was too late. Septimus knew what was happening.

"Marcellus, it's Marcia's fetch! It must be! I don't know how she did it, but she did! We're saved. She's amazing."

Marcellus was still in an enormous amount of pain, but he smiled and said, "You could say that again."

Marcia, meanwhile, was overjoyed. The fetch had worked! Aurelia was gone, just like Etheldredda. Marcia felt proud over herself. She had done it again. After letting herself calm down a moment, Marcia entered the Wizard Tower and made her way to the top floor. When she arrived, Septimus was there to greet her at the door.

"Marcia!" he exclaimed, embracing her. "You did it! I really didn't know if that was possible! I'm thrilled."

"Septimus, you're safe. Oh thank goodness, I don't know what- Oh my God! Marcellus!" Marcia shrieked. She had just caught sight of Marcellus lying on the sofa, his bloody leg looking quite horrible.

"Oh Marcellus, my darling!" she said again, rushing to his side. "Your leg is in atrocious shape." Marcia tutted, "What did you come here for? You're so stupid! I love you, but you're stupid! I can't believe you were willing to put yourself in this kind of danger. You could have been killed."

Marcellus grasped Marcia's hand in his. "I promised you I'd always be with you, didn't I? You can't get rid of me."

Marcia leaned down and kissed Marcellus on his forehead. "I can't decide if you are the most fearless man I've ever known or the craziest."

"Probably both." Marcellus said reaching up to touch Marcia's shoulder.

Septimus watched the pair together. It made him mostly happy, but a tad bit upset as well. He would never have this with Jenna and he knew it.

Marcia broke into Septimus's thoughts. "Septimus, I want you to go and get the physic chest now. We need it here."

"No problem." Septimus replied. Just as he was heading for the door, it swung open and Cliff walked in, closely followed by three thugs.

"Sorry to tell you guys," Cliff said in a gruff voice, "But the party's over. By this time in an hour, you'll all be dead."

Septimus groaned to himself. This night had seemed like the longest most nerve wracking night of his life and sadly, it was just about to get longer.