Now you've gone away
Don't worry it's ok
That you're gone away
Further than yesterday
But you'll never leave these scenes
My mind replays
I'll Keep Your Memory Vague—Finger Eleven
A few hours later, as dusk is beginning to fall, Dustfinger and Julianne make their way up onto the roof with Tinker Bell following them. She's making a constant noise to keep their attention; she's an attention-hungry little thing, and vainer than anyone Julianne's ever seen.
They can see everything from their vantage point and, with the help of some binoculars Dustfinger had found, they watch as everyone gathers in the arena. A fire springs to life in Capricorn's house as the Shadow roars into existence, they can see it turn on its master with a few words from Meggie. Several of the crows disappear after Capricorn dies, but Julianne can see a familiar shape spring into action and latch onto Resa for a few moments before it tosses her aside and runs.
Basta's still alive. The thought isn't a comforting one, but it's also not a new one.
"I need to get down there," Julianne says, handing the binoculars back to Dustfinger. "I need to see my family and make sure they're okay."
"Of course, Juli." He nods understandingly, eyes trained on the burning remains of Capricorn's house. Farid must have caused that. Who else would be brave enough? "You need to get back to your school, as well. I'll come and see you when I can." That's the agreement they reached, neither great at traditional relationships so they'll go back to their normal lives and he'll stop by every couple of weeks to talk and spend time together. It'll probably change after the baby's here, but it's good enough for now. "Give my apologies to your father?"
"No worries." She presses a chaste kiss to his cheek before carefully climbing down off the roof and to the ground, running the second her feet hit the dirt. She finds her family in the parking lot, an empty one with no cars in sight and a rather angry Elinor.
"Does this mean we have to go the whole way on foot again," she's asking, looking frazzled and exhausted.
"At least this time we won't be fearing for our lives." All eyes turn to Julianne when she speaks, Mo breaking away from Resa's side to scoop her up in a hug that lifts her off her feet. She hugs him back just as tightly, afraid to let go because it might mean that all of this has just been a dream and she really is still trapped in that horrid crypt. "I missed you too, Mo."
"Well, I'm glad you look nice and refreshed." Julianne laughs when Mo sets her down again, winking at her aunt. Meggie rushes in for her own hug, nearly knocking Julianne to the ground. Julianne wraps her arms around her sister, nuzzling against the top of her head.
"Dustfinger wanted me to give you all his apologies for helping to make this happen. He looked sincere."
"Where is the matchstick-eater? Skulking in the shadows and watching us or has he disappeared too?"
"He's safe." No one seems satisfied with that answer, but they don't press her on it. That's about the time she notices creatures wandering through the village, creatures that belong in Inkheartand not the real world; fairies and brownies and trolls, all confused yet happy nonetheless. "Am I hallucinating?"
"I'm magic," Meggie says succinctly. "I believe we went over that when I was three."
"To be fair, you were also a fairy vampire princess when you were three." Meggie shrugs with an impish smile, moving back over to wrap her skinny arms around Resa's waist. "I'm gonna go sit under that tree while Elinor hunts down a car."
"Stay close," Mo says. Julianne nods, wandering over to a tree and relaxing in its shade. There's a faint breeze that feels nice and she actually manages to relax for a few minutes before she remembers the unfinished term paper waiting on her thumb drive. Well, shit. The thought of all the schoolwork waiting for her has her stomach in knots. Or maybe that's the morning sickness that never actually happens in the morning? It's anyone's guess.
They end up spending the rest of the night in the village before leaving the next morning. Mo rarely leaves Resa's side, afraid she'll be sucked back into the book if he does. She isn't of course, and they all make the familiar walk to the nearest village.
Life takes over again when they get home; Julianne returns to college and gets a high B on her term paper, caught up on all the drama she'd missed with her roommate's boyfriend. She had her first ultrasound and Dustfinger passed smooth out, so Farid was forced to drag him out to Julianne's little car.
It takes a while before she tells her friends what had happened to her and her family, about monsters made of shadows and magical twelve year olds and a murder of crows. You can imagine her surprise when Tyler pulls out a copy of Inkheart with a mischievous wink in her direction.
"How did Capricorn not steal that from you," Julianne asks.
"How could he know about it," Tyler shrugs, flipping through the pages. "I stole it from some big-time collector in Siena." The book makes her nervous, but Tyler and his boyfriend seem completely at ease. It had never brought anything terrible down on their families, so why should they fear something made of ink and paper?
All the same, when Tyler begins to read one of the pages near the middle of the book, Julianne flinches and stands to go to the door. "…. The woods were a scary place for any who did not know them, but Jaime knew them like the back of his hand. He had grown up in them and so was unafraid of getting lost or killed."
She takes a step closer to the door at the same moment the world around her begins to shift, the dorm room replaced by tall trees and blue skies. Her bare foot lands on a dirt path instead of carpet, the air conditioner replaced with a warm breeze. Just a few feet in front of her is a man on horseback, the old horse looking as tired as its rider.
Julianne recognizes him instantly, his black hair cut close to his head and a shade darker than his complexion. He's handsome and tall, though lithe like a baseball player. Or a farmer, she adds. He's one of her favorite characters from that damned book. He's supposed to be Roxane's best friend. Jaime freaking Wildes. He stops the mare beside Julianne on the path, looking down with some concern.
"Are you well, miss," he asks, getting down so they're on the same level. She shakes her head back and forth in disbelief.
"No," she manages, forcing it out like the word is choking her. "No, this isn't right…." The world around her begins to spin and she's suddenly glad Jaime had gotten off the horse because she faints dead away.
She's in the Inkworld….