Heart of Gold

He shook his head. No, that wasn't right. The tower was rising.

'Well done.'

Caroline was on hands and knees. He waved, weakly. 'I'm glad it worked.'

She cocked an eyebrow at him. 'Did you think it mightn't?'

'I had a few qualms.'

'But you went ahead.'

He spread his hands. 'I tend to.'

'I've noticed.'

'Can we get off the floor now?' George asked. Without waiting for an answer, he rose slowly to his feet, arms spread for balance. 'There. Much better.'

Aubrey stood and held out a hand to Caroline. She took it, but held it so lightly that it was clear she didn't need his assistance. But she took it anyway, Aubrey thought with some satisfaction.

'I say, old man,' George said while he brushed himself off, 'what was that ghastly noise before we started rising? Sounded as if the whole place was coming apart.'

With care, Aubrey walked to the window. They'd just cleared the rooftops of the surrounding buildings and a crowd had gathered below. Some were pointing, but others were scurrying around in between plumes of white vapour and jets of water. Maurice's unmistakeable figure was on the edge of a large, tower-shaped hole. He was grappling with a stop cock. 'The cellars,' Aubrey said. 'I forgot about them.'

George and Caroline joined him at the window. George grinned. 'And about the water and gas pipes.'

'I had a lot on my mind.'

'Maurice won't be happy. Quite a mess we've left.'

At that moment, the old caretaker looked up. Aubrey winced, anticipating angry fist-shaking. Instead, Maurice's face split with a wide grin. He hopped from foot to foot and waved. Aubrey responded and hoped the caretaker could see him. 'He seems content enough.'

Aubrey's satisfaction drained away as he caught sight of a familiar, but mysterious, figure. Standing to one side of the demolition area was the thin, grey-suited stranger he'd seen several times over the past few days. He was looking up with some exasperation. Holmland agent? Marchmainer? Aubrey had no idea, but he didn't believe the man's appearances were coincidence. Something would have to be done about him, but Aubrey knew he'd have to wait in line behind more pressing matters – and he hoped he wouldn't regret that decision.

The rooftops of the city beyond the university began to unroll beneath them. With a stateliness and ponderous grace, the tower rose over the river, the bridges, the Exposition Tower.

Feeling rather pleased with himself, Aubrey monitored the building for its orientation, ensuring that it was stable in all planes. He didn't want it tipping end over end or spinning on its axis. The ancient building was already under enough strain; he didn't want it under any more.

Caroline and George were standing at the window on the left-hand side of the door. Aubrey joined them. 'How high are we going?' George asked. He was enjoying himself, peering out of the window and pointing out landmarks.

'Not too high. Just enough to clear the rooftops.' Aubrey pointed. 'We're moving.'

'In the direction of the Heart of Gold?' Caroline asked.

'I hope so.'

The tower drifted steadily over Lutetia. As it went, however, it developed a tiny, almost imperceptible tilt, listing in the direction of its yearning. Aubrey was aware of it and he started to grow nervous, but it was so slight neither Caroline nor George had to shift their footing to accommodate it. 'Let's go to the turret,' he suggested. 'We'll get a better view from up there.'

From the windows of the turret, they had a complete panorama of the city, unmatched by anything apart from the view from the Exposition Tower. They were drifting fifty feet or so above the tallest buildings, but Aubrey could see astonished faces on the rooftops. People were gesticulating, and small crowds gathered on corners to watch the tower's dignified progress.

From here, he was also able to see what had happened to the city. Whole blocks had burned, with a number still smoking. In other places, gaps showed where the earth had opened up and swallowed entire buildings. Water fountained from broken pipes. Roads were cut by crevasses that seemed bottomless.

The elegant city had been broken. Not quite ruined, but Aubrey wondered how much more it could deteriorate before it was unrecognisable.

The tower drifted at a pace just faster than a rapid walk, in a north-easterly direction. Some children kept apace on bicycles, but lost interest when the tower didn't do anything more spectacular than a balloon. Ahead was the Montheath district and the vast New Cemetery, then the parklike grounds of the Modern Asylum.

Aubrey realised they were heading in the direction of the Laval Woods. In normal circumstances it would be well populated, but the unwholesomeness of the river had repelled those who usually enjoyed its surroundings.

Aubrey found himself busy, monitoring the various aspects of the tower's flight. He became aware of the fact that he was in charge of tons of ancient masonry that could crash down on the city at any minute. His brow began to sweat.

They drifted directly along the Boulevard of Rectitude, the broad road that was the main north route from the city. Aubrey leaned against an upright but could only make out a lonely rag-and-bone cart clip-clopping down the usually busy road.

The tower shivered beneath his fingertips and Aubrey snatched them back as if he'd been burnt. He extended his magical awareness, skating over the properties of the spell. Was the tower spinning slightly? Or was it the roof catching the breeze awkwardly?

'Are we moving more quickly?' Caroline asked.

'I think so.' He relaxed and told his heart to stop being so dramatic, then he checked the general integrity of the spell. It was holding well. The reversal was fully in place and balanced, with the tower just buoyant enough to float along easily. 'We could be getting closer to our goal.'

The Laval Woods rolled beneath them. The mature trees were a thick canopy with gaps showing where paths turned the wilderness into something more manageable.

George pointed. 'I say, what's going on there?'

At the eastern entrance of the park, in front of the iron fence and gates, was a spread of lawn. It was criss-crossed with diagonal brick paths, with benches evenly spaced where a walker might linger on a sunny day. The man and woman George was pointing at, however, had no intention of lingering. They were running toward the gates, pursued by a barrel-like, heavily tusked creature.

'It's a wild boar,' Caroline said. 'It's attacking them!'

Below, the couple had given up their flight for the gates. They'd stopped behind one of the benches, keeping it between them and the boar. The boar was swinging its massive head, brandishing tusks that curved like scimitars. It pawed at the ground, sending clods flying. The woman thrust an umbrella at it with good fencing style, but Aubrey couldn't tell if it was keeping the brute away, or merely annoying it.

The boar wasn't giving up, however. The man and woman were trapped.

Aubrey was both alarmed and relieved. Finding an extinct animal was like finding a signpost to the Heart of Gold. There were no wild boar anywhere near Lutetia, he was sure of that, which meant that the Heart of Gold must be nearby – or have been in this vicinity recently.