In the dark of the night I was tossing and turning.
And the nightmare I had was as bad as can be.
It scared me out of my wits, a corpse falling to bits!
Then I opened my eyes and the
nightmare was me!
In the Dark of the Night-Anastasia
Basta leads them to an old church once they're in the village, the main room painted red and black to mirror the Adderhead's. It's crudely done, lacking all the magnificence of the throne room in Inkheart. It serves a point, she guesses. Julianne winces as Basta throws her to the ground, keeping her eyes downcast as Capricorn walks over to her and Mo. His shoes come into her line of sight first, black and shined so well that she can see how scared she looks in them.
"Silvertongue," Capricorn greets, quiet," Julianne. I trust you were treated as I instructed." She says nothing, knowing that Basta's punishment for being truthful will be far worse than anything Capricorn will do if he finds out the truth. "Basta, the book." The slim man behind her passes Capricorn the package, giving Julianne a chance to glance up.
Capricorn is a tall man dressed in an immaculate suit of red and black; his eyes are the color of silver and his short hair the color of milk. Lucius Malfoy could be his long-lost cousin. The book he pulls out is bound in pale purple linen instead of green, gold letters stamped on the side proclaiming it to be The Journey to the Center of the Earth. Capricorn isn't going to be pleased about this. He throws the book at Basta's head, missing only because the other man ducks out of the way just in time.
"Is it not what you wanted," Basta asks, clueless.
"Where is the book, Silvertongue," Capricorn demands. Mo looks at a loss for words even as Capricorn nods at his right-hand man. Basta yanks Julianne's head back by her hair, the tip of his knife resting against the hollow of her throat. "Tell me where it is, or you'll have one less daughter." Mo's eyes widen in disbelief and barely contained anger, hands trembling at his sides.
It dawns on Julianne then, what must have happened to the book. Elinor must have known where Mo hid it and she was curious about how good the book must be if Mo brings it with him everywhere. She had taken it from its safe place and replaced it with another book. This could get them all killed because Elinor got nosey!
"I don't know," Mo shouts, voice breaking. "I swear, I don't!" Capricorn takes in Mo's expression with no emotion, moving over to Julianne and yanking her out of Basta's hold only to throw her onto the ground in front of Mo. He hurriedly pulls her into a tight embrace, continuing with his silence as Capricorn sits back down on his throne.
"The old woman must have the book," a new voice states, far too familiar. Julianne looks at Dustfinger over her shoulder, blue eyes narrowed into a glare. He appears unfazed as he walks to stand a few feet away from the hostages, hands stuffed in his pockets with Gwin perched on his shoulder.
Dustfinger had led Capricorn straight to us, blackmailing Mo into taking him in and kissing me to trick me into letting my guard down around him.
"She has quite a nose for books," he continues. "No doubt she stole Inkheart without Silvertongue's knowledge." Capricorn nods, examining his nails in disinterest.
"Go back to the house for the book," Capricorn instructs. "Bring the little one as well." Dustfinger pauses in the doorway at Capricorn's next words. "Don't fail me, Dustfinger. You won't like the consequences if you do." Dustfinger nods without looking back, walking out of the church and leaving Mo and Julianne to their fates.
"Coward," she screams at him, knowing he can hear her. "Traitorous bastard! You deserve what you got and more!" Basta chuckles, putting the switchblade back in his belt. "Worthless piece of trash!"
"She's developed a temper," Basta smiles. The other men in the room laugh, eying her with ill-concealed hatred. Mo holds her tighter to him, both of them shaking in fear of what might happen. The only thing that stopped Basta from torturing her four years ago was the frying pan Mo knocked him out with. Nothing will be able to stop them now; Capricorn won't, Mo would be taken away or held down. Julianne is on her own in that regard. "We'll have to break her of that little habit."
"Not tonight, Basta." At his master's words, Basta develops a look like a puppy might have after it's been kicked. "You haven't deserved your prize. Take Julianne to my quarters and lock her inside. Flatnose, lock Silvertongue in a cell." The man with the smashed nose steps forward, tearing Julianne out of Mo's arms and pushing her towards Basta. He throws her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, carrying her out of the church and down the winding alleys of the abandoned village. When they get to the door to Capricorn's house, he kicks the door open and drops her in an arm chair.
"You were saved tonight, Julianne, but I doubt you're that lucky tomorrow." With that he slams the door shut and leaves her alone in the room.
Julianne cries that night, and she swears to whatever deity is listening that she won't die here.