"Why are you back? How are you back?" Would have been the questions Meggie would have asked. But Dustfinger wasn't the one to panic in these situations; he rarely spoke, rather talked with his threatening eyes, or hands. When you spoke, it often gave away in your voice how you felt. Instead Dustfinger waited patiently for Orpheus, for he knew he was a boaster and would waste no time boasting at how he and his men had gotten here.
Dustfinger wasn't disappointed.
"Fenoglio was always a fool. For your case, this time." He laughed. Meggie took hold of Dustfinger's cloak, squeezing her fingers through it, and peeked out from behind him.
"I told you!" she hissed.
"Meggie, please!" Dustfinger whispered back.
"Since you left, I ruled…but it was not enough. No, never enough…I wanted revenge. Revenge on you and your family-which has already happened, so revenge on your heart, revenge on Meggie, revenge on Inkheart…"
Dustfinger's anger grew with each word this barbaric man spoke. He swallowed, keeping his voice blank of emotion.
"And how do you intend to do that?" However, amusement shone through.
Better amusement than fear.
"The girl or her father. I don't care who…" Meggie's heart crashed into her chest, and she bit her lip, watching intently.
"And you think I'd let you do that, why?"
"Yes, I do know how you like to play hero…but we all know how to take down heroes." When he spoke the word hero, he used finger quotation marks, mocking Dustfinger.
Meggie chose to speak.
"I won't do it!" she promised, her voice shining with certainty.
"Meggie, you've grown into such a beautiful young lady." She shrank back from Orpheus, and Dustfinger clenched his fists as he saw the lust in his eyes. If he even thought of Meggie in that way, he would burn his heart out. Dustfinger pushed Meggie to the side, trying to regain the focus. He didn't want Meggie in the spotlight-she was too beautiful and amazing for her own good.
"Protective of her, aren't you?" Dustfinger hated this part-he always had to downplay how much he really loved people, for the people he loved, they were always in danger because of him.
"Of course-she's Mo's daughter." Meggie looked at him, hurt, and he looked back at her, pleading with his eyes. She nodded once.
"I know what you're doing and it won't work." They both glanced at him. Meggie in horror, and Dustfinger in irritation.
"Now here's how it's going to work…Meggie or Mo, I don't bloody care, are going to read us back into Inkheart, and then the same one will read this creature out, and nothing will ever be the same again…" Meggie stared at him, her eyes wide.
"You're insane!" she cried out.
"Who's going to write it for you?" Dustfinger asked, raising his eyebrow. Orpheus laughed, before shoving someone forward. Their legs buckled, and they hit the ground. It was a sad sight. Meggie bent down slowly, her eyes fixed on the person. It couldn't be…He wouldn't…
"Fenoglio?" She asked. Dustfinger glared at the old man. He had betrayed them? Why! Anger whispered into him, and fire started to dance on his fingers. He whispered it out-not yet. He didn't like to wait, but it was all for a good cause. The timing had to be right.
"He threatened my grandchildren…he hurt them…" Fenoglio sobbed. Tears filled Meggie's own eyes, and she stood up, determination and hatred burning through her.
"You evil little boy! Wow, people do not like you! So you want to get revenge on them? That's quite selfish don't you think?" she yelled. Alarm shot through Dustfinger. He would have to teach her when to not use her mouth.
He took her arm, but Orpheus had shot forwards, grabbing her shirt and yanking her to him.
"You have to be careful with that tongue of yours, Silvertongue's daughter." Dustfinger pulled the girl away, giving her a scolding look before grabbing Orpheus's shirt, his hands on fire.
"Is that a threat? Don't touch her. Don't ever touch her. And get that lust out of your eyes unless you want me to burn it out." He hissed. Meggie hugged herself, tears spilling down her face. Orpheus started to shriek, and Dustfinger pulled away, before shoving him.
"What is going on?" Mo shouted, appearing around the corner, his arm around his wife. Resa had one hand on her stomach, and the other wrapped around her husband. Mo took one look at the scene, before getting into action.
"Meggie, Resa you must go back to the house! Dustfinger and I will fight them off!"
"No!" Meggie protested, though Resa grabbed her daughter's hand.
"Mo you go with your family and keep them safe, you need to be with them. I will hold these bastards off." Dustfinger swore, and Mo nodded before wrapping his arms around his girls and leading them back to the house. Dustfinger shouted at the fire burning inside him, and fire jumped off his hands, licking up the ground.
Mo opened the door and gently pushed his wife inside. He grabbed Meggie's arm and shoved her inside, locking the door. Resa screamed, and Meggie ran into her before coming to the same conclusion. There were men in the house. Mo paused in full run, his blue-gray eyes sweeping the room, trying to keep the alarm and horror he felt out of his eyes-he had to be strong for his family, but he was terrified for them. He stood in front of them, shielding them as best as he could, but knowing it was for a lost cause.
"Did you really think Orpheus was that dumb?" one of them asked, chuckling. Mo just glared at him.
Dustfinger had killed as many as he could, but the rest had disappeared. Good riddance. He would find them later and kill them, but for now, he had to go see if his beloved Meggie was alright. He ran to the house, and stopped, looking at it. It seemed eerily silent-like something was off. He walked softly and slowly up to it. The front door stood off its hinges, and he pushed it open, wincing as it creaked loudly. He took a step in, and his eyes soon fell upon the scene in front of him. Pain and anger clenched his heart, his lungs crashed together and he felt he couldn't breathe.
The family were tied together, duct tape over their mouths. Dustfinger's eyes rested on his Meggie. She gazed up at him, tears swimming in her eyes, the fear reflecting in them. Without knowing, the fire had started to play on his fingertips as he stared at her, trying to control his hungry, angry desire to kill who had done this to her, to Mo and to a pregnant Resa. Surely they would know who messed with his loved ones, they would die.
"Put the fire out, Dustfinger. I think it's time we all had a talk."
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I am up to like the second last chapter of this and trust me... it won't bore you. At all.
So get reviewing. lol.