Silver was walking along a mountain road in the cool blue light of dawn. Far below, swathed in mist, was the shadow of a small town. Was the man he sought down there, the man he needed so badly he could think of little else, the man who held the answer, the answer to his problem "Oi, wake up". Silver opened his eyes. He was lying again on the camp bed in Razor's dingy attic room. The sun had not yet risen and the room was still shadowy. Crusher was asleep with his head under his tiny wing. Silver's head was aching. Razor looked concerned "You were muttering in your sleep" "Was I?" "Yeah. You kept saying Madden". Silver rubbed his forehead "Who's Madden?" "I dunno, do I? You were the one saying it". Silver had a vague idea he had heard the name before, but he could not think where "I think Finitevus' looking for him" "Poor bloke" said Razor fervently. Silver tried to remember exactly what he had seen in the dream, but all that came back was a mountainous horizon and the outline of the little village cradled in a deep valley "I think he's abroad" "Who, Madden?" "Finitevus. I think he's somewhere abroad, looking for Madden. It didn't look like anywhere in Mercia". Razor looked more worried now "You reckon you were seeing into his mind again?" "Do me a favour and don't tell Coral". Silver kept repeating "Madden" in his head. For some reason it reminded him of Sky Chase "I wonder who he is". Razor shrugged "You'll figure it out. Happy Birthday, by the way". Silver's eyes widened, he completely forgot. He was seventeen. Silver seized his gloves and aimed at his shoes across the room "Accio!". Although they were only around a foot away, there was something immensely satisfying about seeing them zoom toward him, at least until they hit him in the head. "Slick" snorted Razor. When they arrived in the kitchen they found a pile of presents waiting on the table. Ash and Arthur were finishing their breakfasts, while Mari-An stood chatting to them over the frying pan "Rob told me to wish you a happy seventeenth, Silver. He had to leave early for work, but he'll be back for dinner. That's our present on top".
Silver sat down, took the square parcel she had indicated, and unwrapped it. It was a large black poncho with cyan patterns around it. Mari-An looked anxious "It's traditional to give a wizard something for travelling when they come of age for if they decide to do their tour of the world. I'm afraid that one isn't new like Razor's, it was actually my brother Zax's and he wasn't terribly careful with his possession but his Talisman colours were Cyan as well so I thought they might-". The rest of her speech was lost; Silver had got up and hugged her. He tried to put a lot of unsaid things into the hug and perhaps she understood them, because she patted his cheek clumsily when he released her, then waved her staff in a slightly random way, causing half a pack of bacon to flop out of the frying pan onto the floor. "Happy birthday, Silver!" Coral said, hurrying into the kitchen and adding her own present to the top of the pile "It's not much, but I hope you like it. What did you get him?" she added to Razor, who got up and put his own box down as well. Razor had gotten him a new Chaos Ring which looked in much better quality to the one he got before. Coral got him a box full of revealing tools to find hidden messages. The other packages contained an enchanted razor from Ash and Mina "Zis will give you ze smoothest shave you will ever 'ave" Mina assured him. Chocolates from the Arthur and Isabella who like Mina seemed to think very highly of Silver after the Second Task in the Emerald Championship. Mighty and Ray got him a box full of their shop products. Silver, Razor, and Coral did not linger at the table, as the arrival of more guests made the kitchen quite crowded. "I'll pack these for you" Coral said brightly, taking Silver's presents out of his arms as the three of them headed back upstairs. Once they made it to the first floor however, they were stopped by a door opening "Silver, will you come in here a moment?". It was Blaze. Razor came to an abrupt halt, but Coral took him by the elbow and tugged him on up the stairs.
Feeling nervous, Silver followed Blaze into her room. He had never been inside it before. It was small, but bright. There was a large poster of the Wizard bands on the wall and a picture of the Sky Chase Captain Gwenog Jones. A desk stood facing the open window, which looked out over the orchard where he and Blaze had once played two-a-side Sky Chase with Razor and Coral, and which now housed a large, pearly white marquee. The golden flag on top was level with Blaze's window. Blaze looked up into Silver's face, took a deep breath, and said "Happy seventeenth" "Yeah…thanks". She was looking at him steadily; he, however, found it difficult to look back at her; it was like gazing into a brilliant light "Nice view" he said feebly. She ignored this which Silver was thankful for "I couldn't think what to get you" "You didn't have to get me anything". She disregarded this too "I didn't know what would be useful. Nothing too big, because you wouldn't be able to take it with you". He chanced a glance at her. She was not tearful; that was one of the many wonderful things about Blaze, she was rarely weepy. He had sometimes thought that having six brothers must have toughened her up. She took a step closer to him "So then I thought, I'd like you to have something to remember me by, you know, if you meet some Illumina when you're off doing whatever you're doing" "I think dating opportunities are going to be pretty thin on the ground, to be honest" "There's the silver lining I've been looking for" she whispered, and then she was kissing him as she had never kissed him before, and Silver was kissing her back, and it was blissful oblivion. She was the only real thing in the world. He had one hand at her back and one in her sweet-smelling hair. The door banged open behind them and they jumped apart. It was Razor who innocently shrugged "Oh, Sorry" "Razor!" Coral was just behind him, slightly out of breath. There was a strained silence, then Blaze said in a flat little voice "Well, happy birthday anyway, Silver".
Silver wanted to slam the door in his friends faces, but it felt as though a cold draft had entered the room when the door opened, and his shining moment had popped like a soap bubble. All the reasons for ending his relationship with Blaze, for staying well away from her, seemed to have slunk inside the room with Razor, and all happy forgetfulness was gone. He looked at Blaze, wanting to say something, though he hardly knew what, but she had turned her back on him. He thought that she might have succumbed, for once, to tears. He could not do anything to comfort her in front of Razor "I'll see you later" he said, and followed the other two out of the bedroom. Razor marched downstairs, through the still-crowded kitchen and into the yard, and Silver kept pace with him all the way, Coral trotting along behind them looking scared. Once he reached the seclusion of the freshly mown lawn, Razor rounded on Silver "You ditched her. What are you doing now, messing her around?" "I'm not messing her around" Silver said, as Coral caught up with them "Razor!". Razor put up a hand to stop her talking "She was really cut up when you ended it" "So was I. You know why I stopped it, and it wasn't because I wanted to" "Yeah, but you go snogging her now and she's just going to get her hopes up again". Silver rolled his eyes "She's not an idiot, she knows it can't happen, she's not expecting us to-to end up married, or…". As he said it, a vivid picture formed in Silver's mind of Blaze in a white dress, marrying a tall, faceless, and unpleasant stranger. In one spiralling moment it seemed to hit him. Her future was free and unencumbered, whereas his…He could see nothing but Finitevus ahead. Razor kept going "If you keep groping her every chance you get-" "It won't happen again. Okay". Silver feeling rather depressed now pushed past Razor and went back into the house.
Blaze did not seek another one-to-one meeting with Silver for the rest of the day, nor by any look or gesture did she show that they had shared more than polite conversation in her room. Nevertheless, Rotor's arrival came as a relief to Silver. It provided a distraction, watching Mari-An force Rotor into a chair, raise her staff threateningly, and announce that he was about to get his fur trimmed. As Silver's birthday dinner would have stretched the houses kitchen to breaking point even before the arrival of Rotor, Knuckles, Julie-Su, and Big, several tables were placed end to end in the garden. Mighty and Ray bewitched a number of purple lanterns, all emblazoned with a large number 17, to hang in midair over the guests. Thanks to a quick visit to Eldorado Ray's wound was neat and clean, but Silver was not yet used to the dark hole in the side of his head, despite the twins' many jokes about it. Coral made purple and gold streamers erupt from her flute and drape themselves artistically over the trees and bushes. "Nice. You've really got an eye for that sort of thing" Razor said admiring the decorations. Coral looked both pleased and a little confused "Thank you, Razor!". "Out of the way, out of the way!" sang Mari-An, coming through the gate with what appeared to be a giant, beach-ball-sized Ga floating in front of her. Seconds later Silver realized that it was his birthday cake, which Mari-An was suspending with her staff, rather than risk carrying it over the uneven ground. When the cake had finally landed in the middle of the table, Silver said "That looks amazing, Mrs O'Hedge" "Oh, it's nothing, dear" she said fondly.
By seven o'clock all the guests had arrived, led into the house by Mighty and Ray, who had waited for them at the end of the lane. Big had honoured the occasion by wearing his best, and horrible, hairy brown suit. Although Knuckles smiled as he shook Silver's hand, Silver thought he looked rather unhappy. It was all very odd; Julie-Su, beside him, looked simply radiant. She hugged Silver very tightly "Happy birthday, Silver". It was nothing compared to Big's though "Seventeen, eh! Six years ter the day since we met, Silver, d'yeh remember it?". Silver grinned once he was finally released "Vaguely. Didn't you smash down the front door, turn Menniker blue, and tell me I was a wizard?" "I forge' the details. All righ', Razor, Coral?" "We're fine. How are you?" "Ar, not bad. Bin busy, we got some newborn Sprites, I'll show yeh when yeh get back". Silver avoided Razor's and Coral's gazes as Big rummaged in his pocket "Here, Silver, couldn' think what ter get yeh, but then I remembered this". He pulled out a small, slightly furry drawstring pouch with a long string, evidently intended to be worn around the neck "Hide anythin' in there an' no one but the owner can get it out. They're rare, them" "Big, thanks!" "'S'nothin'. An' there's Rotor! Always liked him. Hey! Rotor!". Rotor approached, running his hand slightly ruefully over his new, brutally short beard "Hi, Big, how's it going?" "Bin meanin' ter write fer ages. How's Dulcy doin'?" "Good. She's very vicious which is a good sign". He looked over his shoulder and dropped his voice "Wish Dad would hurry up and get here. Mum's getting edgy". They all looked over at Mari-An. She was trying to talk to Isabella while glancing repeatedly at the gate "I think we'd better start without Arthur.
He must have been held up at-Oh!". They all saw it at the same time, a streak of light that came flying across the yard and onto the table, where it resolved itself into a bright silver Mobani Fox, which stood on its hind legs and spoke with Rob's voice "Minister of Magic coming with me". The Patronus dissolved into thin air, leaving Mina's family peering in astonishment at the place where it had vanished. Knuckles suddenly looked fearful "We shouldn't be here. Silver, I'm sorry, I'll explain another time". He seized Julie-Su's wrist and pulled her away; they reached the fence, climbed over it, and vanished from sight. Mari-An looked bewildered "The Minister, but why?". But there was no time to discuss the matter; a second later, Rob had appeared out of thin air at the gate, accompanied by Saline. The two newcomers marched across the yard toward the garden and the lantern-lit table, where everybody sat in silence, watching them draw closer. As Saline came within range of the lantern light, Silver saw that he looked much older than the last time they had met, scraggy and grim "Sorry to intrude. Especially as I can see that I am gate-crashing a party". His eyes lingered for a moment on the giant Ga cake "Many happy returns" "Thanks" Silver said. Saline took a letter out of his robe "I require a private word with you. Also with Mr Razor the Shark and Miss Coral the Betta". They both looked surprised "Us?" "Why us?" "I shall tell you that when we are somewhere more private. Is there such a place?" he asked Rob. He looked nervous "Yes, of course. The, uh, sitting room, why don't you use that?" "Thank you. They'll be no need to accompany us, Rob". Silver saw Rob exchange a worried look with Mari-An as he, Razor, and Coral stood up. As they led the way back to the house in silence, Silver knew that the other two were thinking the same as he was.
Saline must, somehow, have learned that the three of them were planning to drop out of Soleanna. Saline did not speak as they all passed through the messy kitchen and into the sitting room. Although the garden had been full of soft golden evening light, it was already dark in here. Silver waved his hand at the oil lamps as he entered and they illuminated the shabby but cozy room. Saline sat himself in the sagging armchair that Rob normally occupied, leaving Silver, Razor, and Coral to squeeze side by side onto the sofa. Once they had done so, Saline spoke "I have some questions for the three of you, and I think it will be best if we do it individually. If you two…". He pointed at Silver and Coral "…Can wait upstairs, I will start with Mr Razor". Silver wasn't having this "We're not going anywhere. You can speak to us together, or not at all". Coral nodded in agreement. Saline gave Silver a cold, appraising look. Silver had the impression that the Minister was wondering whether it was worthwhile opening hostilities this early "Very well then, together". He cleared his throat "I am here, as I'm sure you know, because of Locke the Echidna's will". Silver, Razor, and Coral looked at one another. Saline raised an eyebrow "A surprise, apparently! You were not aware then that Locke had left you anything?" "A-All of us? Me and Coral too?" Razor said. Silver was still staring at Saline "Locke died over a month ago. Why has it taken this long to give us what he left us?" "Isn't it obvious?" Coral said, before Saline could answer. She glared at him now "They wanted to examine whatever he's left us. But it's been a month without any evidence so they've had to give them up. But you had no right to take them in the first place!" she said, and her voice trembled slightly.
Saline didn't look at her "I had every right. The Decree for Justifiable Confiscation gives the Ministry the power to confiscate the contents of a will" "That law was created to stop wizards passing on Dark artifacts and the Ministry is supposed to have powerful evidence that the deceased's possessions are illegal before seizing them! Are you telling me that you thought Locke was trying to pass us something cursed?" Coral said. Saline finally looked at her looking very irritated "Are you planning to follow a career in Magical Law, Miss Coral?" "No, I'm not. I'm hoping to do some good in the world!". Saline let that slide and moved to Razor "Would you say you were close to Locke". Razor looked startled "Me? Not-Not really. It was always Silver who…". Razor looked around at Silver and Coral, to see Coral giving him a stop-talking-now! sort of look, but the damage was done. Saline looked as though he had heard exactly what he had expected, and wanted, to hear. He swooped like a bird of prey upon Razor's answer "If you were not very close to Locke, how do you account for the fact that he remembered you in his will? He made exceptionally few personal bequests. The vast majority of his possessions, his private library, his magical instruments, and other personal effects were left to Soleanna. Why do you think you were singled out?" "I…Dunno. Maybe it was thanks for what I've done for the school…I helped stop it getting closed a few years ago. Maybe it was a thank you". However, Saline did not seem to be listening. He put his hand inside his cloak and drew out a drawstring pouch much larger than the one Big had given Silver. From it, he removed a scroll of parchment which he unrolled and read aloud "'The Last Will and Testament of Locke the Echidna. To Razor the Shark, I leave my Onyx, in the hope that he will remember me when he uses it'".
Saline took from the bag an object that Silver had seen before. It looked something like a black emerald, but it had, he knew, the power to suck all light from a place, and restore it, with a simple gesture. Saline leaned forward and passed the Onyx to Razor, who took it and turned it over in his fingers, looking stunned which Saline noticed "That is a valuable object. It may even be unique. Certainly, it is of Locke's own design. Why would he have left you an item so rare?". Razor shook his head, looking bewildered "Well…I think Locke liked me" "Oh, Razor, you're being modest. Locke was very fond of you" Coral said. Saline wasn't convinced "Locke must have taught thousands of students. Yet the only ones he remembered in his will are you three. Why is that? To what use did he think you would put his Onyx?" "Put out lights, I s'pose. What else could I do with it?". Evidently Saline had no suggestions. After squinting at Razor for a moment or two, he turned back to Locke's will "'To Miss Coral the Betta, I leave my copy of The Book of Myths, in the hope that she will find it entertaining and instructive'". Saline now pulled out of the bag a small book that looked as ancient as the copy of Secrets of the Darkest Art upstairs. Its binding was stained and peeling in places. Coral took it from Saline without a word. She held the book in her lap and gazed at it. Silver saw that the title was in runes; he had never learned to read them. As he looked, a tear splashed onto the embossed symbols "Why do you think Locke left you that book, Miss Coral?" asked Saline. Coral gulped "He…He knew I liked books" "But why that particular book?". Coral wiped her eyes "I don't know. He must have thought I'd enjoy it" "Did you ever discuss codes, or any means of passing secret messages, with Locke?" "No, I didn't. And if the Ministry hasn't found any hidden codes in this book in thirty-one days, I doubt that I will". She suppressed a sob. They were wedged together so tightly that Razor had difficulty extracting his arm to put it around Coral's shoulders. Saline turned back to the will "'To Silver the Hedgehog' 'I leave the Ga he caught in his first Sky Chase match at Soleanna, as a reminder of the rewards of perseverance and skill'". As Saline pulled out the tiny, walnut-sized metal moth. Its wings fluttered rather feebly, and Silver could not help feeling a definite sense of anticlimax "Why did Locke leave you this Ga?" asked Saline. Silver glared at him "No idea. For the reasons you just read out, I suppose" "You think this a mere symbolic keepsake, then?" "I suppose so. What else could it be?" "I'm asking the questions" said Saline.
He shifted his chair closer "I notice that your birthday cake is in the shape of a Ga. Why is that?". Coral laughed derisively "Oh, it can't be a reference to the fact Silver's a great Seeker, that's way too obvious. There must be a secret message from Locke hidden in the icing!" "I don't think there's anything hidden in the icing, but a Ga would be a very good hiding place for a small object. You know why, I'm sure?". Silver shrugged. Coral, however, answered, Silver thought that answering questions correctly was such a deeply ingrained habit she could not suppress the urge "Because Ga have flesh memories" "What?" Silver said and Razor together; both considered Coral's Sky Chase knowledge negligible. Saline nodded "Correct. A Ga is not touched by bare skin before it is released, not even by the maker, who wears gloves. Seeker uniforms have enchantments on the gloves to allow the Ga alone to pass through the fabric and touch the bare skin". Silver wasn't aware his Sky Chase uniform did such a thing. Although looking back other stuff always seemed to distract him at the end of games, breaking his arm, winning the Cup, Rutan pretending to be Prelate, the Razor is Our King song. Silver held in a smile remembering much more innocent times. Saline continued "The Ga can then identify the first person to touch it in case of a disputed capture. This Ga will remember your touch, Mr Silver. It occurs to me that Locke, who had prodigious magical skill, whatever his other faults, might have enchanted this Ga so that it will open only for you". Silver's heart was beating rather fast wonder what could possibly be inside. He was sure that Saline was right but there was something he knew that Saline didn't. Silver calmly removed his gloves and reached across to take the Ga. When he grabbed it nothing happened "That was dramatic" Silver said coolly. Both Razor and Coral laughed "That's all, then, is it?" asked Coral, making to prise herself off the sofa. Saline looked bad-tempered now "Not quite. Locke left you a second bequest, Mr Silver" "What is it?". Saline did not bother to read from the will this time "Excalibur" he said. Coral and Razor both stiffened. Silver looked around for a sign of the golden sword, but Saline did not pull the sword from the leather pouch, which in any case looked much too small to contain it.
Silver was suspicious "So where is it?" "Unfortunately, that sword was not Locke's to give away. Excalibur is an important historical artifact, and as such, belongs-" "It belongs to Silver! It chose him, he was the one who found it" Coral said. Saline shook his head "Excalibur may present itself to any worthy Shinobi. That does not make it the exclusive property of Mr Silver, whatever Locke may have decided. Why do you think Locke wanted to give you that sword, Mr Silver" "Maybe he thought it would look nice on my wall". Both Silver and Saline were struggling to hold their temper "This is not a joke, Mr Silver! Was it because Locke believed that only Excalibur could defeat the Heir of Raiju?" "Interesting theory. Has anyone ever tried sticking a sword in Finitevus? Maybe the Ministry should put some people onto that, instead of wasting their time stripping down children's books or covering up breakouts from Prison Island. So is this what you've been doing, Minister, shut up in your office, trying to break open a Ga? People are dying, I was nearly one of them. Finitevus chased me across three counties, he killed Striker, but there's been no word about any of that from the Ministry, has there? And you still expect us to cooperate with you!". Saline was suddenly on his feet "You go too far!". Silver fearlessly did the same. Saline limped toward Silver and jabbed him hard in the chest with his finger. His crown glowed and it singed some of Silver's fure like a lit cigarette. "Oi!" said Razor, jumping up and raising his dagger, but Silver said "No! D'you want to give him an excuse to arrest us?". Saline spoke through clenched teeth "Remembered you're not at school, have you? Remembered that I am not Locke, who forgave your insolence and insubordination? You may call yourself the Chosen One, but it is not up to a seventeen-year-old boy to tell me how to do my job! It's time you learned some respect!" "It's time you earned it" Silver said. The floor trembled; there was a sound of running footsteps, then the door to the sitting room burst open and Rob and Mari-An ran in "We thought we heard…" began Rob, looking thoroughly alarmed at the sight of Silver and the Minister virtually nose to nose "Raised voices" panted Mari-An. Saline took a couple of steps back from Silver, glancing at the hole he had made in Silver's fur.
He seemed to regret his loss of temper "My apologies. I…Regret your attitude. You seem to think that the Ministry does not desire what you and Locke desired. We ought to be working together" "I don't like your methods, Minister. Remember?". For the second time, he raised his right fist and displayed to Saline the scars that still showed white on the back of it, spelling "I must not tell lies". Saline's expression hardened. He turned away without another word and limped from the room. Mari-An hurried after him; Silver heard her stop at the back door. After a minute or so she called "He's gone!" "What did he want?" Rob asked, looking around at Silver, Razor, and Coral as Mari-An came hurrying back to them. Silver put his gloves back on "To give us what Locke left us. They've only just released the contents of his will". Outside in the garden, over the dinner tables, the three objects Saline had given them were passed from hand to hand. Everyone exclaimed over the Onyx and The Book of Myths and lamented the fact that Saline had refused to pass on Excalibur, but none of them could offer any suggestion as to why Locke would have left Silver an old Ga. As Rob examined the Onyx for the third or fourth time, Mari-An said tentatively "Silver, dear, everyone's awfully hungry, we didn't like to start without you. Shall I serve dinner now?". They all ate rather hurriedly and then, after a hasty chorus of Happy Birthday and much gulping of cake, the party broke up. Big, who was invited to the wedding the following day, but was far too bulky to sleep in the overstretched house, left to set up a tent for himself in a neighbouring field.
After the party was over and everyone went to bed Silver met Coral and Razor in the latter's room. Razor examined his Onyx, and Silver filled Big's purse, not with gold, but with those items he most prized, apparently worthless though some of them were. The Chaotix's Map, the card Elias gave him, and M.T.T's locket. He pulled the strings tight and slipped the purse around his neck, then sat holding the old Ga and watching its wings flutter feebly. Coral played her flute "Muffliato" "Thought you didn't approve of that spell?" said Razor. Coral shrugged "Times change. Now, show us that Onyx". Razor obliged at once. Holding it up in front of him in an open palm. The solitary lamp they had lit went out at once "The thing is, we could have achieved that with an Instant Darkness Capsule". The Onyx seemed to read his mind and the ball of light from the lamp flew back to the ceiling and illuminated them all once more. Razor looked offended "Still, it's cool. And from what they said, Locke invented it himself!" "I know, but surely he wouldn't have singled you out in his will just to help us turn out the lights!" "D'you think he knew the Ministry would confiscate his will and examine everything he'd left us?" asked Silver. Coral nodded "Definitely. He couldn't tell us in the will why he was leaving us these things, but that still doesn't explain why he didn't tell us anything when he was alive. Did he think it was obvious" "I always said he was mental. Brilliant and everything, but cracked. Leaving Silver an old Ga, what the hell was that about?". Silver smirked "You guys don't remember, do you?" "What?" they both said. He held up the Ga "The Ga from my first match. I didn't catch it with my hands". After a few seconds of comprehension they gasped "That was the one you nearly swallowed!" Razor yelled.
Silver grinned "That's right". His heart beat fast as he pressed the Ga to his lips. At first nothing happened which disappointed Silver but then he noticed writing forming on the underbelly "I open at the close". He had barely read them when the words vanished again "'I open at the close'. What's that supposed to mean?". Coral and Razor shook their heads, looking blank. No matter how often they repeated the words, with many different inflections, they were unable to wring any more meaning from them. Eventually they moved onto to theorising about the other gifts "Why did he want Silver to have that?" "And why couldn't he just have told me? It was there, it was right there on the wall of his office during all our talks last year! If he wanted me to have it, why didn't he just give it to me then?". He felt as though he were sitting in an examination with a question he ought to have been able to answer in front of him, his brain slow and unresponsive. Was there something he had missed in the long talks with Locke last year? Ought he to know what it all meant? Had Locke expected him to understand? Coral flicked through her new book for the hundredth "And as for this book, it's full of children's stories. I've never even heard of them!" "I have" Razor said. Silver stared at him, the idea of Razor reading a book that Coral hadn't was unprecedented. Razor looked bemused "Probably a bit to simple for your preferences, Coral. They're just old tales to teach kids life lessons" "Like what?" "I don't know. There's one where a Muggle man falls in love with a Witch and pretends to use Magic to impress her". Razor then put on a mockingly sappy tone "But in the end it turns out she loved the real him all along. Teach young Witches and Wizards to not be prejudice, doesn't it" "But I wonder why Locke thought I should read them?" Coral said. Something creaked downstairs "Probably just Rotor, now Mum's asleep, sneaking off to regrow his beard" said Razor nervously. Coral closed the book "We should go to bed to. It wouldn't do if we overslept tomorrow" "I agree. A brutal triple murder by the groom's mother might put a bit of a damper on the wedding".