The Bartimaeus Trilogy- Ptolemy's Gate Epilogue

Chapter 1

Holding her breath, Kitty slowly squeezed through the narrow gap in the doors of the summoning chamber. The ivory moon hung still like a pale lantern in the midnight sky, spilling its silver light all over the chamber and bathing the marble pillars in a shower of white. As she shuffled across the dim room and stepped into a summoning pentacle, the memorized incantation repeated itself in her head, but suddenly she felt a surge of doubt; what if it didn't work? What if she was wrong, after all? What would she do then? But… No, Kitty thought. No matter what, she would still try. Kitty felt as though she was about to journey to the Other Place again, but at least this time, the djinni was coming to her. It was time to get started. Bending down, Kitty arranged the different herbs needed around the pentacle, then took a deep breath and recited the incantation. When she was finished, she stepped back and waited. Kitty knew that it would take a few moments for the summons to reach Other Place, the home of the demons, but she couldn't help fidgeting nervously. After a few minutes, Kitty sensed that something was wrong. She looked around… it seemed so dark…Wait- the candles! Of course! Kitty couldn't help but smile. How could I forget? She thought. Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a few white, wax candles, lit them with a lighter, and arranged them around the pentacle. There. Now she was ready to begin. After reciting the incantation once more, Kitty waited the long, agonizing wait, her palms damp with sweat, until, finally- a bright flash of light, and there he was, just as she remembered.

Chapter 2

And I would have thought they reckoned I was dead. Well, apparently not. When I felt the just wonderful sensation of being stabbed in a thousand places by countless sliver spears, I was so shocked that I resisted the summons, until the pain grew more intense- and I gave in to the cursed magician who wouldn't give me a break.

What I didn't expect, though, was her- but there she was, standing in front of me in the opposite pentacle, grinning at me. I was wearing our old 'friend', Nathaniel's guise, which made Kitty's smile fade almost immediately, to be replaced by a sad expression. As for me, instead of bellowing my usual, " I am Sakhr al-Jinni, No'groso the mighty, the Serpent of the silver plumes", etc., etc. ( I could go on forever about all my wonderful and mighty accomplishments, but I've decided to save you some time) I simply said, "Hi.. .Kitty"

Chapter 3

The moment she saw his face, Kitty froze- her features, for a moment, so still it seemed as though they were set in stone. Then she relaxed, and in a quiet voice, she hesitantly responded, "Bartimaeus…you're alive…" For the first time since Nathaniel's death, tears for him lingered in Kitty's eyes, threatening to spill down her face, but she blinked them back- Kitty wanted to act strong in Bartimaeus' presence, even if she felt like crying. Bartimaeus smiled "And why should I not be? Did you really think you could get rid of me that easily?" With that, the djinn stepped from his pentacle and into her own. Kitty gasped and took an involuntary step backwards, but Bartimaeus only laughed. "Do you think that I would kill you now, when I had so many chances before?" he said. Kitty managed a weak smile and looked up at him. "Come with me, Bartimaeus".

Chapter 4

A soft, warm, breeze swirled through the branches of the silent trees standing like a row of soldiers along the sidewalk, their leaves outlined silver in the moon's light. Two figures, silhouetted against the dim, yellow, lamplight, slowly wandered down the sidewalk and disappeared around a bend. Kitty glanced at Bartimaeus behind her-if she forgot about the memories for just a moment, then she could almost believe that it was really him, really Nathaniel, and that nothing had changed- almost. As Kitty settled down on the bench, the only thing unaffected in the property by the blaze that had killed Nathaniel's first master, Bartimaeus said in barely a whisper, "This was the last place that he was truly happy, you know. I know that from the time we shared one body". Kitty nodded. "What was he like before I met him?" She asked. The djinn started telling Kitty about his adventures with Nathaniel as a twelve-year-old, and Kitty explained how she thought that Nathaniel might do the same as Ptolemy did-dismissing Bartimaeus at the last minute to save him. While they were talking, however, Kitty realized that something was bothering the djinn. When she asked about it, the djinn looked around, then cast his eyes down, took a deep breath and muttered, "Kitty… I'm not sure if I should give you the choice, or if you'll think it over, but…. Will you abandon this life and become a djinn?"

Chapter 5

Kitty was speechless. She opened and closed her mouth like a fish, but no words came out. Yet, her heart told her that she had indeed heard right- she was being given the choice to become a spirit, like Bartimaeus. "It's a secret that we spirits have kept for a long time", Bartimaeus mumbled when Kitty still could not find the words to speak. "I can make you a djinn of the same level as me- our lives aren't that bad, except when rotten magicians start enslaving you, that is." He smiled. "What do you choose, Kitty?" Kitty opened her mouth to speak, but all that came out was, "I…uh, well..." She took a deep breath. "How can I? I never really felt like I belonged, but, I mean, this is my home, where I lived all this time. And my memories…" "Don't worry about that- you'll get to keep your memories." Bartimaeus explained. "As for your home, well, I know that you aren't that fond of the 'chaotic' Other Place, but it isn't that bad once you're a djinn." The spirit cast his eyes nervously around. "Choose quickly, Kitty- it's almost dawn." Kitty closed her eyes and stood up, and the first warm, golden rays of the gently kissed her skin. Inside, she felt as if she were being torn apart- one half of her wanted to run away from all the madness, but another part hesitantly accepted and gave in to Bartimaeus' request. And although her mind screamed at her to stop, Kitty's mouth opened and, as if on their own accord, her lips formed the words, "Bartimaeus… I choose to come with you." With that, Kitty tilted her head back to catch a last glimpse of the pale blue sky streaked with pink clouds, said a silent farewell to her home for nineteen long years… Then she took Bartimaeus' hand, and together they stepped forward, rid of the bonds of the Earth… whisked away forever to another world.