Nathaniel was an okay master, all-in-all. He didn't torture me as much as he could have, at least. Maybe this was why I didn't really mind that I would be dying with him? I don't know. I can't understand why I feel this way. He still sent me out to do his dirty work! He still enslaved me! He's still a magician! He's still John Mandrake.

He isn't like Ptolemy.

If I felt this way for my dear Ptolemy, then I would have understood where I was coming from. Ptolemy was kind, and gentle, and caring. Nathaniel didn't care at all. He would have happily sent me to my death while he sat back and ate cucumber sandwiches, sipping his tea, making polite conversation with the higher-ups of the government.

But then what about the "frog incident," as I like to call it? He could have tortured the information out of me, ignoring the fact that I'd die. But he didn't. Actually, I think he should have killed me. Then he would have been a real magician. But instead, saving my life like that was his first step to the reemergence of Nathaniel from behind the mask of John Mandrake.

You see, Nathaniel has two personalities. John Mandrake, the evil, cold-hearted magician that would sell his own mother for a pair of shoes. Then, there's Nathaniel, the innocent little kid, deprived of a normal life, and struggling to find his place in this world. This is the part of him that I'm having these feelings for.

Dagnammit! I don't know what to do! Oh well, I guess it doesn't matter anyways. We're both about to die. And then it'll be over. The Great Bartimaeus, Sakhr al-Jinni, N'gorso the Mighty, and the Serpent of the Silver Plumes, will be over. To say the least, I wasn't too thrilled.

Bartimaeus… I hear faintly, as Nouda stalks closer to us.

Yes?

You've been a good servant…

What was I supposed to say? Sure, I was flattered that he was actually complimenting me for once, but that's like telling someone their hair doesn't look nearly as hideous as it did yesterday.

Well, um, you've been just dandy too. This was my pathetic reply. I could practically hear the soft, sappy romance music playing in the background.

I didn't say you were perfect.

The music came to a halt with a screech.

What?

Far from it. You've generally managed to cock things up.

WHAT? I decided that some insults were needed right now. To think, I was actually starting to like him! The little jerk… Well, since we're doing some straight talking, let me tell you, buddy—

Which is why I'm dismissing you right now.

Eh? I hadn't misheard. I knew I hadn't. I could read his mind. So… he was going to dismiss me? He was going to pull a Ptolemy and save my life? How dare he?! And to think, I thought this couldn't get any worse. I had given myself a pep talk, and I was totally willing to die with this ungrateful little sod, and now he's dismissing me?

Don't take it the wrong way… He was already mumbling the correct spell. It's just that… we've got to break the staff at the right moment here. You're holding it in check. But I can't rely on you for something as important as this. You're bound to mess it up somehow. Best thing is… best thing is to dismiss you now. That'll trigger the staff automatically. Then I know it'll be done properly. So it came down to trust again? Bloody paranoid magicians.

Nathaniel—

Say hello to Kitty for me. He was nearly done with the incantation. I panicked.

NO! I slammed his mouth shut with all my strength, probably cracking a few of his teeth. He was rather weak, seeing as half his body was numb, so I easily overpowered him. That didn't keep him from trying to rip his mouth open, though. I could feel him going through the possibilities of why I was doing this. Probably thinks I want Nouda to rule the world, the bloody git. Then again, I can't blame him. Even I don't know why I'm doing this.

Nouda loomed over us, and he reached down with a massive hand. I needed to think of a way to get me and Nathaniel out of here, and quick.

The boots… he thought faintly. He seemed to have accepted his fate.

I grinned. Genius, that boy was! I had forgotten we were still wearing the seven-league boots. Without further ado, I tossed the staff up at Nouda's face, bolted for the exit, and released my hold over the spirits inside. The resulting explosion was horrific, surely disintegrating anything within fifty feet of the Glass Palace.

But we hardly felt the aftershock. Because we collapsed a few miles away, barely able to see the flare of white along the horizon. We fell onto our knees, doubling over. Nathaniel was still weak. Darkness crept at the edge of our vision, but I forced us awake.

I'm taking you to a hospital. Hold on for just a bit longer. I met no resistance as I stood shakily, turning in the direction of the nearest medical clinic that wasn't burnt to the ground. Everything in sight was either aflame, or had huge, gaping holes in it. Except the whole buildings that seemed to have been ripped up by the roots and carried off.

I took a step, then two. There was a swirl of color around us, and wind on our face. It all stopped, and we found ourselves a meter from glass double doors. Inside I could see an almost obsessively white waiting room, with white tiles on the floor. Even the lights on the white ceiling seemed to be extra pale. The only thing that wasn't a completely blinding white were the chairs, which were black and iron (I avoided those), and the desk that was made of wood. Though, even the wood looked paler than normal. I stumbled inside, struggling to keep Nathaniel vertical. He seemed to be in shock that we weren't dead yet.

I staggered up to the previously mentioned pale front desk, where a young, blonde nurse was reading a magazine and chewing bubblegum loudly, looking altogether disinterested. I opened my mouth to speak, but all that came out was a hoarse croak that seemed to spend all of our remaining energy, and we crumpled to the floor, darkness quickly overtaking our vision.