At the end of a Septimus Heap book, there is always a little section to tie the story off neatly, and answer any questions. This is a similar sort of thing, to answer the question "What actually happened?". I've done it like this, instead of making the last chapter longer, not only because the idea occurred to me right at the start, also because I've tried very hard to stick to the writing style of Angie Sage.

Speaking of which...

DISCLAIMER: It all still belongs to the afore-mentioned genius.

So yeah, here's a little ending section because I love you so much.

And I also want to apologise for a few mistakes in the last chapter- I wasn't used to the strange keyboard and kept pressing the wrong keys.

Let's press on with the story now.

It was dark outside, and the sky was sprinkled with stars. The moon was waxing, a think crescent of silver nestled amongst the expanses of inky blue.

Alther Mella was seated beside the fire in the room at the top of the Tower, gazing unseeingly into the dancing flames. Marcia was alive, so were Septimus and Jenna. He would Know if there had been any deaths.

Surely?

The door opened, and a pair of Ordinary Wizards entered, carrying Jenna and Septimus, who appeared to be unconscious. They set them carefully down by the fire- just as Marcia herself entered the room.

Alther could not suppress a huge relieved smile. The Ordinaries backed out and closed the door. Marcia threw herself down in her favourite chair and smiled wearily at Alther.

"I sent a message to the Palace," said Alther in a low voice. "Told them not to expect Jenna home or to worry. You'll have to make up a reasonable excuse tomorrow, or Sarah will go mental."

Marcia nodded. "Think of it as my payment for the blindfold. That was you, wasn't it?"

"Indeed it was." smiled Alther. "And now you must tell me your story."

And so, whilst the fire burned steadily and the night-creatures sang softly outside, Marcia talked late into the night, about their Adventure. She told of the Mystery, a great scaly beast, how it forced her to take the decision to remove her blindfold, how it had found a way around the Gold Veil, the Last Defence; of her frantic whispers with her Apprentice and the Princess, as they tried to think of something, anything; the triumphant realisation of what might but might not happen, how she had listened to Septimus and Jenna's accounts and deduced the creature's Final Destination; thus, the Mystery had been Solved. She spoke of the terror as it writhed and shrieked, appearing to dissolve in front of their eyes; how Jenna and Septimus had both collapsed with the dreadful shock of it all; how she had barked at the Ordinaries to make themselves useful for once, and the Sealing of both doors, Bronze and Black.

"Well Marcia," said Alther when she had finished. "You've certainly had an interesting day, even without the spiders and earwigs. But I'm glad its over."

Marcia glanced at the sleeping forms of Septimus and Jenna beside the fire; in spite of everything that had happened, everything they had been through, peaceful once more.

"Yes." she replied. "So am I."

THE END

I knew right from the start how this would end. Jenna and Septimus asleep by the fire whilst Marcia looks on deep in thought. I had no idea how the story would end up at this point but, and I quote Marcia at the end of Magyk, "Things do have a habit of working out. Eventually."

xxx