ed sat between George and Lucy, across the table from his parents. They had made it quite clear that they wanted to have “words” with him, and Ned in kind had made it quite clear that he did not. Whatever they thought of his disappearing act would have to wait. It was time to move on to the subject of Tiamat’s Heart Stone, and the small issue of how to get their hands on it.
A defiant-looking Benissimo sat by the Tinker and Mr Fox. He had survived the Armstrongs’ assault with his usual bravado and looked at Ned as the room droned on with something approaching a grin, before giving him a wink. The unfortunate Ringmaster had already been wrongly accused of Madame Oublier’s murder, forced to live in confined secrecy for months and, as Ned now understood, he also carried the full weight of the world on his shoulders. But Benissimo wasn’t beaten, and Ned suspected that if the day ever came that he was, the Ringmaster would just wink at it and crack on regardless.
“How do you know the dragon can be trusted?” asked Ned’s mum.
Benissimo paused. “We don’t, but our informant was very clear in stating that Tiamat knew something that we could use against the Darkening King, which seems to tie in with the dragon’s story.”
“The informant who’s a Demon and who you have never met.”
Benissimo was doing his best to remain calm, though Ned sensed from the way his whip was currently curling on the table that it would not last.
“Yes, Livvy, that Demon.”
“And it does also tie in with what the Demon in Mavis’s tea room said, to find the ‘old one’,” said Ned, coming to Benissimo’s aid.
“So if both dragon and Demons are telling the truth, and if we do manage to prise this thing away from the Fey, my son is supposed to use it how exactly?”
“I don’t know,” said Benissimo, who was now grinding his teeth so hard that Ned could hear them.
“And if we do figure out what he’s supposed to do, how does Ned get near enough to actually do it? With his powers as they are, teleporting in there is absolutely out of the question.”
Ned’s eyes rolled. His current state really didn’t need any more highlighting and it sounded like she was purposefully trying to shoot down Benissimo’s plans before they’d even been made.
“We have a growing army in St Albertsburg led by the Viceroy, and those willing to fight alongside us are flocking there as we speak. The Viceroy’s word still holds weight amongst fair-folk the world over and his fleet is being rebuilt in earnest. Besides the men Mr Fox here has promised us, there are pockets all over the Hidden that will answer our call.”
“Ahem,” started the Tinker quietly, “I have something that might help. It strikes me that one of our biggest hurdles is the swarm of ticker sentries now inhabiting the taiga, along with the army of Guardian-class machines Barbarossa has placed in the fortress.”
“Not counting the vast gathering of Demons and Darklings that appears to be growing by the day,” said Ned’s dad.
“Yes, Terry, not counting them. I have a great-uncle, ancient by anyone’s standards, who I haven’t seen in decades. We kept in touch loosely over the years, but when Barba stole the Twelve’s tickers … well, he started to make contact more regularly.”
Benissimo’s shoulders finally dropped, if only a little, and he sat forward in his chair. “Go on, Tinks.”
“He’s been working on something, something of a breakthrough, and wants to meet.”
“What kind of a breakthrough?”
“All I know is that it has something to do with Tickers – all Tickers.”
Benissimo pushed his chair back. “Fox, we’re going to need transport.”
“I shall make arrangements. How many men do you need?”
“None.”
“None?”
“If Barba didn’t know about us working together, he certainly does now. The smaller we keep this, the better our chances of going in unseen. Olivia, Terry and I will pay a visit to the Fey. Ned will join George and Lucy as they chaperone the Tinker on his family reunion. By blood and thunder, we may well have a way out of this mess before the week is out!”
Benissimo’s chest was now puffed up with swagger and his whip wriggled like an excited eel.
Ned’s mum, however, was not satisfied. “Now you look here, Bene, I haven’t agreed to any of—”
“Mum!”
Olivia Armstrong turned to Ned. “It’s not up to Benissimo, or you. None of this is up to any of us.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Yes, son, what are you saying?” added Ned’s dad.
“We’ve spent months in hiding, like everyone else in this room, and for what? To find a way of undoing the Darkening King. Well, Bene’s got one – better than anything we came up with – and if we don’t all pull together then we may as well walk into the taiga and tell Barba he’s won.”
Ned’s dad’s eyes shimmered with what looked like a glint of pride, but Olivia Armstrong still needed convincing.
“Ned, you’re just a boy and—”
“Mum, I’m going, and that’s final.”
George chuckled nervously and Mr Fox stared at his notebook and hummed. Things were about to go one way or the other.
“Ned, I …” began Olivia, but as she looked at the faces round the table something shifted and she sighed. “Fine.”
Lucy didn’t say anything but put her hand on Ned’s with a gentle squeeze that said: “well done”.