NATHANIEL

2

He strode through the corridors calling for him.

"Bartimaeus!" He shouted "Bartimaeus!" He slipped the mysterious package into his pocket as Jane Farrar came round the corner with Rupert Deveraux.

"John!" she laughed "how rather unprofessional." And she swept away leaving Nathaniel seething with rage. Behind him a man wearing a butler's uniform tiptoed up behind him.

"Guess who?" he said.

"Bartimaeus" Nathaniel roared, spittle flying from his mouth. Bartimaeus raised an eyebrow

"Yes?" Bartimaeus said questioningly.

"You...you..." words failed him. "You betrayed me." his head dropped.

"What?" Bartimaeus said. "Look here kiddo we both know that would be tantamount to a death sentence for me." Nathaniel's voice took on an icy tone.

"I'm glad to hear you agree with me Bartimaeus," he said. Bartimaeus opened his mouth then shut it again. He now seemed to realise what trouble he was in. "The thing is Bartimaeus that someone has revealed my birth name" Bartimaeus made to answer but Nathaniel silenced him "I know only four people who know my birth name; Mrs Luytens, my old art teacher, The Underwoods," he tutted "unlikely to say the least, and you Bartimaeus."

"I didn't do it" Bartimaeus protested "You've got it all wrong!"

"Do not deny it demon!" Nathaniel roared. "You..."he paused "there is one way" he murmured.

"I vote that way," Bartimaeus said raising his hand. Nathaniel looked at him.

"We're not a democracy Bartimaeus." He raised an arm.

"I think that Fays Inquisition would be acceptable in this situation." Bartimaeus blanched,

"No!" He cried. "Don't, you seem to be forgetting the power I have at my disposal." Nathaniel gave a harsh bark'

"Don't make me laugh," he said, "your powers aren't up to resisting this."

"I am not referring to these powers but of my rather compromising secret." Nathaniel bit his lip remembering that any thing he threw at Bartimaeus could be thrown right back at him. And he did not fancy suffering one of the most advanced and intricate torture methods ever to be used on a djinn, casting it would be hard enough. Bartimaeus interrupted his thoughts,

"I know you don't trust me, and yes that emotion is well founded, but why would I give away your birth name? I have no reason!"

"You need no reason, you're a demon." Bartimaeus turned away feigning a sulk. At this moment Nathaniel whispered a command under his breath and a ball of blue fire ripped itself from his hand and drove itself into Bartimaeus's back. Bartimaeus writhed as blue fire wrapped strand upon strand around him, covering him from head to toe. He struggled for a moment and then stopped. For one tense second all was quiet in the room. Suddenly a claw scythed its way out, ripping the blue fire into shreds. It drifted for a moment then reformed and flew at Bartimaeus. This time he was ready, he roared a command followed by Nathaniel's name. The blue fire reared up and turned, its purpose now lay with its ex-master. Nathaniel whitened when he saw it heading for him and he gabbled out the counter spell with great haste, he did not want to be the victim of that particular spell. Nathaniel and Bartimaeus stood facing each other across the room. They were both panting and Bartimaeus's clothes were ripped and torn.

"Truce?" Nathaniel suggested.

"Yeah, why not." Bartimaeus said his hands behind his back, a long razor sharp claw slowly growing from his wrist. "Lets not shake on it though." Nathaniel gave a weary chuckle.

"Yes, lets not, after all I imagine that three foot spike slowly emerging from your wrist might propose a problem." Bartimaeus raised a charred eyebrow, "I didn't know magicians studied clairvoyancy these days?"

"They don't," Nathaniel said dryly "you're standing in front of a mirror."

"Oh" Bartimaeus moved out of the way, feeling silly.

"Anyway," Nathaniel said, a small smile creeping across his lips, "I'm not to sure about this truce either." It was at this moment that the tendril of blue fire that had been slithering up Bartimaeus's neck gave a short squeak and plunged into his left ear.

For a moment Bartimaeus remained frozen his eyes a pool of horror. Then he fell to the floor. He remained there, thrashing, blue steam pouring off his very skin. Nathaniel took a step backwards. His eyes troubled he looked on at the rigorous examination that Bartimaeus was being forced to undergo. The light in the hall turned a deep red and from the swirling column of essence floating in the centre came a primordial howl. Half animal half ethereal the roar continued spiralling up and up till it stopped very suddenly. Lying in the centre of the hallway a small hunched figure lay curled up. Nathaniel made a cautious move forwards. A small sliver of blue fire tugged itself out of one of the many wounds over Bartimaeus's body and fluttered over to perch on Nathaniels arm. It spoke two words heavy with meaning

"Ma' Tus." The Yucatec language filtered slowly into Bartimaeus's brain.

"It said no lie," he spat "I told nobody anything." Nathaniel frowned his brow crinkling.

"If you didn't," he said pensively "Who did?" Bartimaeus stopped a half thought out rant and backtracked. This was a worrying thought. Who did know of Nathaniel's birth name? And how did they know it? Bartimaeus had not told anyone, as had been proved by his rather painful experience just now. He had had worse though and his wounds were already healing. He became his usual self. Leaping to the ground he took a battle position.

"I can't believe you did that!" he screamed.

"What, did what?"

"You, You…" Bartimaeus trailed off. Nathaniel obviously had bigger problems on his mind than a very angry five thousand year old djinni. He sighed, "We should get back to the house." Bartimaeus offered Nathaniel his arm. He took rejection gracefully.

As they approached the house Nathaniel seemed to suddenly see his singed manservant.

"You can't come in!" he said, "They'll all laugh at me!" Bartimaeus paused.

"Oh?" he said archly. "Will them indeed. I suppose you expect me to leave." And at that, he walked off.

Bartimaeus walked through twisting and turning corridors. He passed a room full of what seemed to be glass-fronted cabinets. He paused then walked on.

Bartimaeus was about to return to the hall and tell his master to get stuffed when he heard voices coming from a nearby room. What was odd about these voices was that they were in a whisper, not a common thing at a party as raucous as a parliamentary one. His natural curiosity took over and he looked round the door.

It was a study; cracked leather books lined the walls. It had no windows and only now Bartimaeus saw the door he was peeking round was in fact an ajar bookcase. Two people stood in the room, a man and a woman. They were talking in hushed voices.

"It is elementary; no disturbances are to be allowed." The man said, his voice deep and entrancing.

"I will. Don't worry." The woman's voice was opposite, shrill and nervous. Bartimaeus opened the bookcase another inch, straining to get a look at the mans face. The woman was blond and wispy with a nervous expression on her face. Suddenly she whipped round.

"What was that" she said nervously. Bartimaeus dropped back cursing inwardly.

Through the door he heard footsteps getting louder and louder. The man suddenly snapped a word and Bartimaeus felt his essence freeze. He strained to get free. On the other side of the door he suddenly felt a throb of power. An aura so strong it made him gag. It got larger and larger as the footsteps got closer and closer, till, with great relief, he passed out.