There was a lake and, about half a mile beyond, one of those strange, truncated oceans dumping its waves on to a two-hundred-yard-long stretch of cut-off beach. He let his eyes go out of focus, half-lidding them against the rushing wind, and the gardens below blurred into a patchwork of many shades of green and brown and blue. Arthur watched them flicker by as he desperately tried to think of some stratagem to gain his release. There was also something on the crest of the hill, a low building or construction of some kind, but it was too far for him to easily identify.ĭirectly below him, the variety of gardens continued, still divided and penned in by the tall green hedges. It looked a lot like Doorstop Hill in the Lower House, though it was significantly higher and the bottom slopes were terraced and dotted with trees. They were heading towards a new landmark, a tall green hill that was still several miles away. I am weaker without my Keys, thought Arthur. But he was not angry now and he felt no great store of rage waiting to explode within him. Since he’d taken the Fifth Key at least, any pain he felt had come with a burning desire to retaliate, to strike against whoever or whatever had caused him hurt. With the pain came an unexpected realisation. He sighed again, the sigh turning into a grimace of pain as the dragonfly changed direction again, swinging Arthur out wide, scraping the manacles across the raw wounds on his wrists, no matter how tightly he held the chain above the manacles. Besides, who knows what Sunday is really up to? I have to escape! But how?

Who am I kidding? Dame Primus would never agree. Maybe I could confirm that he would stay in charge of the Incomparable Gardens and he’d be left alone, that seems to be what he wants…Īrthur sighed as his thoughts continued into less optimistic regions. We both have to stop the tide of Nothing, to save the House and the rest of the Universe. As Arthur was effectively an agent of the Will, and the supposed Rightful Heir of the Architect, Lord Sunday was automatically his enemy.īut maybe we can work something out, he thought. After all, it was Saturday who had set the fall of the House in motion, and Saturday who had invaded the Incomparable Gardens, because the Gardens were the only part of the House likely to survive the onrush of Nothing that had already taken the Far Reaches, the Lower House and who knew what else by now.Īll Arthur knew was that Lord Sunday was one of the original faithless Trustees who had not obeyed the Architect, and had broken and hidden the seven Parts of the Will instead of following the Will’s instructions. Arthur had no idea what Sunday really wanted.

It was possible that Lord Sunday might not even want the other Keys.

Lord Sunday by Garth Nix