Inkheart

Capricorn’s men are very excited about the planned execution. Darius visits Meggie and Fenoglio’s cell on Capricorn’s orders. Darius explains that he was taken from his old life as a teacher and ordered to read people out of Inkheart, including Mortola the Magpie and Resa. He explains that his fear of Basta, Capricorn, and the other men makes him make mistakes with the people he reads out of books, as in the case of Resa’s lost voice.

Darius tells Meggie that Capricorn wants to test her abilities, but that Inkheart is being kept in a safe location until the “festivities”—Dustfinger and Resa’s execution. Instead, Meggie will be reading from Collected Tales of Hans Christian Andersen to Mortola. Meggie hesitates, but Fenoglio urges Meggie to play along. He tells her to ask Mortola if she can keep the tin soldier as a friend and have paper and a pencil with which to draw pictures. Mortola arrives and Meggie reluctantly reads the tin soldier from his story; she asks to keep him but is too afraid to ask for the rest. Mortola takes the tin soldier to show Capricorn, saying Meggie can have him back later. Meggie wonders what her father would say about her newfound gift and thinks about all the “poor” characters who’ve been read from their books, including Resa. She remembers that “Teresa was her mother’s name” (395).

Gwin arrives at the window of Fenoglio and Meggie’s cell. Mo’s note to Meggie is attached to him, and Meggie tells Fenoglio that it’s written in Elvish, from The Lord of the Rings. Meggie reads that Mo, Elinor, and Farid are alright and that they will come to save her. She finds a tiny piece of pencil in her backpack and tears a page from one of the books Darius brought to write back. She tells Mo that she too can read characters and objects from books, and that Capricorn wants her to read the Shadow out of Inkheart to kill Dustfinger. She attaches the note to Gwin, who runs off.

Dustfinger and Resa are moved from their hanging nets to a cell in the crypt. In writing, Resa asks Dustfinger about Meggie. Dustfinger thinks regretfully about the fact that Resa is Mo’s wife and Meggie’s mother: “You know [Mo’s] face better than you know mine, […] but I’m not going to say so” (405). Dustfinger confirms that Meggie is “Silvertongue’s” daughter. Resa asks what “Silvertongue” looks like, and Dustfinger tells her that he is tall, dark-haired, and unscarred before he begs Resa to change the subject. Resa writes a story for Dustfinger to help to pass the time and to cheer them both up.

Farid returns. Mo and Elinor are relieved—they had heard gunshots and feared the worst. Farid gives Mo the note from Meggie. They discuss the impending execution, which is scheduled for the next day. Farid mentions that a maid of Capricorn’s is also sentenced to die. Farid has stolen a black suit for Mo and a dress for Elinor from a clothesline. Farid suggests that they could light a fire as a decoy to help them interfere in the execution.

Fenoglio asks to speak to Basta. Basta comes, bringing the tin soldier back for Meggie. Meggie feels protective over it, given her role in pulling it from its own story. Fenoglio, in a ploy to get paper and a pen, explains to Basta that he can place a curse on Mortola, whom Basta hates. He claims he needs paper and a pen to write out the curse, which Basta will need to hide in various places. Basta brings a pen and a stack of paper. Fenoglio immediately starts writing.

Fenoglio hides the papers whenever any maids visit their cell. Fenoglio, to test his theory, has written a different ending for the tin soldier: He wants Meggie to try and read him back into his story. After Meggie has finished reading, the tin soldier has gone.

Fenoglio explains his plan to Meggie: He will write an alternative version of the Inkheart chapter that Meggie has to read, which will ensure that the Shadow won’t behave as Capricorn expects. Meggie asks what he’ll do, and Fenoglio admits he isn’t sure yet. They hear a commotion, but Fenoglio calms Meggie, telling her Mo wouldn’t recklessly sneak in. As Fenoglio helps her back to bed, Meggie, fearful but determined, suggests that the Shadow should kill Capricorn.

Mo convinces Elinor that she can’t come with them to save Meggie and Dustfinger because a woman would be too conspicuous in the village. Later, Elinor hears shots; she feels panicked. Mo sneaks up on Elinor and covers her mouth to prevent her from screaming; he reassures her that Farid was struck by a bullet ricochet but is fine, and that he himself is also fine.

Once Mo and Farid are asleep, Elinor decides to go to the police for help.

Basta takes Meggie to Mortola. On the way, Meggie asks about the shots she heard during the night. Basta tells her it was her father, letting her panic before revealing that Mo got away—but adding that Mo will likely die soon anyway. Meggie kicks him, and he drags her the rest of the way by her hair. Basta warns Meggie against angering Mortola, who he claims is even crueler than he is.

Mortola produces the copy of Inkheart, which she keeps in a casket with two snakes. She says that Resa searched everywhere for the book on Dustfinger’s behalf, but never found the casket. She comments that Resa is brave and doesn’t fear snakes, unlike Basta, who believes that snakes are bad luck. Meggie reveals that she knows that Mortola is Capricorn’s mother; Mortola is shocked and angry that she knows. She threatens to poison Meggie if she tells anyone.

Mortola instructs Meggie to read the chapter she will be reading aloud that evening, as Mortola doesn’t want her stumbling over any words or making mistakes. Mortola tells her not to read out loud, as she doesn’t want the Shadow to appear. Meggie refuses to read until she gets confirmation that her father is truly safe, and Basta grudgingly confirms it.

Meggie asks to see Dustfinger one last time. She wants to try to explain the plan to him, but she pretends to Mortola that it is because she wants to apologize for letting him down. She threatens that if Mortola doesn’t let her see Dustfinger, she will bite her tongue so hard that it will inhibit her ability to read.

Mortola tells Meggie that it would be very unwise to make an enemy of Capricorn, but that Meggie will be allowed to see Mo again if she reads well. Meggie knows that she is lying.

Basta, angry that he has been assigned this demeaning task, takes Meggie to see Dustfinger. Meggie gazes at her mother, even as she apologizes to Resa. Meggie tries to convey with her eyes to Dustfinger that they have a plan. Dustfinger passes Meggie a note from Resa, which says that she celebrated all of Meggie’s birthdays and that Meggie is “even lovelier than [she’d] imagined” (447). Basta sees the note being passed. Dustfinger lies that it is a request for wine, but Basta is suspicious. Meggie passes the note back through the bars when Basta tries to grab it; Basta angrily strikes Meggie in the face.

Dustfinger goads Basta, calling him a coward for hitting Meggie rather than facing him. Basta briefly threatens Meggie with a knife but goes into the cell at Dustfinger’s goading. Despite Dustfinger’s taunts and the curse he pretends to put on Basta, Meggie realizes that he is afraid. Resa hits Basta on the back of the head with a stone and Dustfinger grabs his knife off him. He considers killing him, but at the last minute, he locks Basta in the cell instead. Dustfinger runs away, taking the keys for Basta’s cell with him, but Resa refuses to accompany him—she wants to stay with Meggie. Dustfinger reluctantly flees.

Flatnose arrives, drawn by Basta’s yelling. Flatnose is amused by the situation and seems convinced Dustfinger will be caught and killed quickly. Flatnose orders Resa to be locked up again and takes Meggie back to her cell.

Elinor explains the planned execution at Capricorn’s village. One officer laughs, but the other patiently listens and agrees to accompany her back. Elinor is thrilled, but slowly becomes suspicious as the police officer drives her confidently to the exact site of Capricorn’s village. In front of Capricorn, the police officer explains what Elinor had accused—Elinor is shocked to find herself “[handed] […] over like lost property being restored to its rightful owner” (460). Capricorn asks her about Mo, and Elinor quickly lies and pretends angrily that Capricorn’s men killed him. Elinor is imprisoned in the crypt; she is shocked to see her niece, Teresa. She feels overjoyed to see her but is also devastated that she is facing execution.