Hi guys. New chapter yey! I apologize for such a late update, but life has been cruel and I haven't been able to type much.
Then I realized I could handwrite it. XD Silly me.
Anyway, I wrote it by hand and then snatched computer time whenever I could. The next two chapters are written, too, and will be up ASAP when I have time to type them.
Now to answer reviews.
BRILL WILL: Yes, but since all the current magicians knew that Bartimaeus was being used by Kitty…I've inferred from the books that it's an unwritten "magician's law" that you're not supposed to summon a spirit in someone else's charge. Of course, Farrar is rather heartless… You've got a point. I'll have to consider that.
MaiWishes: For a long time I had a general plot running in the back of my head. Gradually it took shape and then I discovered FF. My brain went "HOORAYZ" and I started actually writing it out. At first I was writing it as I typed, but then, as I said above, I realized that I could write by hand. I do have a couple scenes planned out. I think the end of the fourth chapter will rather satisfy. I also have a general idea of "where this is going," but I will work out the details as I go. :)
Thanks for all the other positive reviews! I am encouraged.
THREE
Bartimaeus
For once, the glorious Bartimaeus of Uruk, N'gorso the Mighty, wasn't sure what to do.
Delay going to Kitty.
Follow your charge.
Protect her – that's your job.
Not anymore.
I shifted my wings uncomfortably*. This new master was not what I had expected.
|*I was in the form of a hawk, flying south. I had oriented myself using a map I filched from a local store back in England, and then demanding that I know where I was. I got more than a few confused stares.|
I felt the familiar pull of the charge and sighed, steering my way towards Egypt.
Being the great djinni I am, I soon arrived at Kitty's hotel. She was sleeping; I had forgotten her habit of napping in the greatest heat of the day.
Obviously the best way to wake her up was to shake her, but she was rather aggressive when violently disturbed from resting.*
|*Let's just say I found this out the hard way.|
However, she was extremely sensitive to noise while asleep. She had insisted I put a sound barrier around her room to keep out the hubbub of the streets.
Because I am so nice, I screeched softly instead of going for the full-blown shriek. Kitty instantly sat up, rubbing her eyes and blinking at me. "Bartimaeus? Is that you?"
The hawk's head elongated and bent back; the legs stretched upward as I morphed into Ptolemy's form. The boy, dressed in shorts and a T-shirt because Kitty hated the traditional loincloth, folded his arms across his chest. "Who else would it be? Do you know another Bartimaeus who knows you?"
This captured her attention, I could tell. "Is it Nathaniel? Is he alright?"
"He's alive." Drat, she sensed I wasn't telling the whole thing; her eyes narrowed.
"Did he send you?"
Well, Farrar hadn't mentioned telling about my charge…
"You know Jane Farrar?" Kitty nodded. "She summoned me to find you…and basically you're dead. She and Nat are the only two powerful magicians in England left, you know, and you're the most influential…er…magic-user. She wants me to bring you to her so she can execute both of you and take control of England."
"I see." Unlike Nathaniel, Kitty wasn't selfish. While I could mostly predict that he would sit back and say, "I'm not dying, go away,"* her expression was determined. "Let's go, then."
|*Well, it depended on who the other person was. If it were, say, Sholto Pinn (who, by the way, is living in another country now), he would have said so. But if it were Kitty or possibly moi, there was no telling if the sensitivities of his boyhood days would rise to the surface.|
I started to protest this. "I can't carry you all the way back to England, and we don't exactly know for certain there's a flight going there anytime soon…"
"Hush up. Now what town, exactly, are they in?"
"Aleyton. Why?"
"Take my hand. I've been practicing." Her eyes were shut tight.
Oh, the joy of holding hands with a female human…*
|*I'm being sarcastic here, can't you tell?|
Anyway, there was a blinding flash of light* and I saw doors on all the planes fly open. It was rather like being summoned. The next thing I knew, we were right in front of an old, faded sign which read " ELCOM TO AL TON;" I took it to mean "Welcome to Aleyton."
|*For humans. Not for me, of course.|
"I must say, I'm impressed. I haven't met many who have the ability to perform the teleportation spell, Kitty – Kitty?"
She had run ahead. "I can't believe one of England's most powerful magicians lives here!" she exclaimed, gesturing to the vastness, the openness, the…exposure-ness. "Where are Farrar and Nathaniel?"
Kitty had a lot of stamina*. We tramped for a good hour and a half before finally reaching Farrar's house. Kitty squinted at it. "This is…a magician's house?"
|*By human standards.|
It was a shabby, dim, two-story, grey, small house. Not exactly a magician's ideal quarters.
I answered, "I'm pretty sure this is it. Wait, I have to change my form. Can't take any risks in case we run into Farrar or her foliot." Ptolemy vanished and was replaced by a hulking, growling black bear with beady eyes and a large, wet nose.
"You look disgusting."
The bear grinned, flashing its sharp canines. "That's the point." With that, it turned, smashed the door open with a massive paw, and bumped smack into Farrar's dutiful foliot in the shape of a housecat.
"Watch it!" the cat meowed angrily, but its expression changed as its eyes traveled up my giant form.
"COWER IN FEAR IN THE PRESCENCE OF THE GREAT DJINNI!" I thundered. The foliot shrieked and ran up the stairs. I offered Kitty the seat it had left vacant, but she refused it.
Farrar descended down the staircase with a grand and haughty air, even more enhanced by the elegant black pantsuit she wore, the foliot trailing in her wake. It scowled and gave me a raspberry when it saw me.
Farrar said, "Well, well, well, Bartimaeus. How nice of you to bring me a guest, and so soon, too! It's evening, dear" – speaking to Kitty – "and I have room in the house. Won't you stay overnight?"
Kitty gave her that rebellious, impertinence-filled smile only she could do*. "You leave no choice, Ms. Farrar."
|*It was kind of like only Nat could give me that thin-lipped smile, only I liked Kitty's smile better. Directed at others, of course.|
Farrar clapped her hands in mock delight. "Ms. Jones! You remember me! How very nice of you! Well, bring her along, Quiscos. You too, Bartimaeus." She headed up the stairs. I rather gingerly gripped Kitty's arm; she shook it off and climbed the stairs after Farrar.
Kitty and I were swiftly herded into Nathaniel's holding room*. I was under strict orders not to escape, not to help either Kitty or Nat escape, refrain from using magic of any sort, and prevent any attempts at magic either of them did. Magicians. The door slammed and I sensed a faint vibration as a magical lock was set up over the door.
|*Well, I thought of it that way.|
Nathaniel's thin face was barely visible, due to the small amount of moonlight coming through the non-curtained* window. His eyes were large and out-of-place compared to his gaunt, hard features, but his countenance softened at the sight of Kitty. "I'm not…dreaming, am I?"
|*Another sign of how down-in-the-dumps Farrar's current state was.|
"Unless you dream about the three of us locked in the same room on a regular basis," I said, stepping into the light after transforming into Ptolemy once more. Kitty had dug a pocketknife from – where else? – her pocket, and was cutting at Nathaniel's bonds. I waited patiently for five minutes, sitting on the floor and watching him slowly rub circulation back into his arms.
"So," I said, "how's your life? Mine's been rotten since you 'died.'" I made massive air quotes on the last word. "Sure, Egypt was fun – if reliving Ptolemy's life and death every day was fun, and being dragged around to historical sites was fun. No offense, Kitty." She gave a slight nod.
Nathaniel made a face. "You're as annoying as ever, aren't you? I don't even need to explain my past eight months to you, do I?" I chose not to ask how he knew how much time had passed.
Kitty was now staring at Nathaniel. His normally elegant and refined voice was harsh and had an edge to it*.
|*Just listing facts here. No personal input. General opinion.|
"Nathaniel, are you alright?"
His smile was weak and looked forced. "It depends on your definition of 'alright.' If alright means two small, stale loaves and two glasses of water a day, plus endless interrogation, then yes, I'm alright."
"So what do we do now?" Kitty asked, concern in her voice, yet efficiently changing the topic.
"Well, you two are being executed tomorrow, we're not allowed to escape, and I have no clue what Farrar has planned for me after the execution. I say we just sit and enjoy our last night together." What? It was a logical response.
"But right before she executes us you can help us escape," offered Nathaniel.
"Sorry to put down your reasoning, Natty boy, but first of all: Farrar is either going to order me not to do anything, or she'll dismiss me, or I'll have to execute you myself on her charge. Second, why on earth would I want to rescue you? Kitty maybe, but certainly not you."
Nathaniel met my gaze steadily. "You're lying. Face it, Bartimaeus; you actually care about me to some extent. At least enough to want to save my life."
"That's what I hate about you magicians!" I exploded. "You're so self-serving, overly cautious about yourself, and everything you do goes hand-in-hand with me-myself-and-I. To save your life – pah!"
Kitty said warningly, "Bartimaeus…"
Curse Nathaniel and his everlasting calmness. He could be so…cool-minded when he wanted to. "If I die, then nobody can stop Farrar from dominating the country, possibly even the world. Aside from Kitty and Ptolemy, I'm the nicest master you've had in a while – at least better than Farrar."
"You dirty little creep! You read my mind while I was in you."
Nathaniel winced visibly. "Let's not go there, Bartimaeus. I would much rather prefer that episode of our crossed paths of life stay not talked about." I huffed but stayed silent.
"Anyway," he continued, "we should prevent Farrar's possible three charges. If we could get her to dismiss you, Kitty or I could re-summon you sometime before the execution. It's a risky plan, but there's a chance."
"And how, exactly, do we convince Farrar that I am worthy of being dismissed?"
"Simple." I wanted to permanently wipe that smug look off his face. "You become, in essence – pardon the pun – your essence."