Meggie walked silently around the edge of the lake watching the moonlight on the ripples of the surface of the water and

thinking about the recent complications in her life; Basta constantly following her, Dustfinger's subtle feelings for her,

and most recently, the death of her beloved Aunt. She started thinking about the past, about Farid and Moe, her Father, about

the events that took place almost three years ago. She missed Moe. She hadn't seen him since she had accidently read

him into that book. She thought about the time she was 14 she tried to read Dustfinger back into Ink heart in exchange for Moe, only to

end up with a 15 year old Dustfinger instead. Her Aunt had said it wasn't her fault she was only 14, she couldn't be expected to do these things. Her and Dustfinger had lived at her aunt's house ever since, with Dustfinger

entertaining them occasionally with his impressive fire eating skills. That monster Basta had trailed them throughout this time

with his eyes set on Meggie's heart, for Meggie had grown into a beautiful girl, even if she did not realise it. Thinking about love

made Meggie remember Farid and she started weeping quietly making her stop and stare across the motionless lake. He had

been the old Dustfinger's apprentice, and Meggie had been deeply in love with him, as he was with her, but when Meggie tried

to exchange Dustfinger for Moe, being tied to Dustfinger, his master, had been sucked into the depths of the book as well and

when the younger Dustfinger emerged from the book, he did not return with him, for he had not met him until many years later.

The tears carried on rolling down Meggie's cheeks leaving trails of salt water down her face. She sat down on the bank and

watched the silent dances of the assortment of magical water creatures that had managed to leak out of the pages of various

books. The sight of their carefree playing calmed her and wiped her mind of her problems for now, as she watched watched their

hypnotic swirling she realised she hadn't thought about any of these things for so long and she had been bottling up her grief for the

lost of Moe, Farid, then most recently, her Aunt. She suddenly broke down into tears and the grief and sorrow that was so many

years old came pouring out. Her sobs wracked her shoulders shaking her whole body, they echoed across the lake and bounced

back to her ears. Eventually her cries subsided and she lifted her tear stained face from her knees to look up at the sky.

"Misery and grief seem to of become my life," she whispered softly. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the two way mirror

that Moe had given her for her birthday so long ago so that she could see him even when they were miles and miles apart. His half had

been left behind when he disappeared into Ink heart so Meggie had given it to Dustfinger. She looked deep into the inky blackness

of the glass, she whispered with her lips almost pressed to the glass

"Wherever he may be,
show my other half to me,
let him see my face,
and feel my heart race,"

slowly the darkness within the glass began to swirl it began to change, swirls of light appeared in the surface and the image of Dustfinger's

concerned face appeared gradually swimming into view.

"What's wrong Meggie? has Basta found you again?" he asked, his face creased in concern,

"No Basta hasn't been here, but I need you now Dustfinger, please, come and get me," whispered Meggie her voice choked.

"Where are you Meggie, I'm coming!" he replied quickly

"I'm next to the lake, where the fairies go, please hurry Dustfinger," she replied. Then she said the words to close the way between the two halves

of the mirror.

"Wherever I may be,
hide my other half from me,
obscure my face,
and slow my race,"