Everything was set. Two pentacles covered almost whole floor of a small room. The rest of supplies for summoning she borrowed that afternoon were just lying around. She asked for them in her last conversation with Ms. Piper, while saying goodbye and leaving the Council. Kitty checked the pentacles one more time and sit on her bed. Pointlessness of it all suddenly fell upon her. Why is she even doing this? She knows very well what will happen. Nothing. In a sudden burst of anger for her own naivity she quickly grabbed an old t-shirt to clean the floor. She stopped just a few centimeters from the line closest to her. No. She can't do this. She needs the certainity so she can move on with her life. She threw t-shirt on bed and stood into one of pentacles. And she started the summoning.

I felt a pull and my connection with the Other Place breaking. There was no going around it. I had to go. I just hoped it would be her. I was still not feeling very well, but i'll manage Ptolemy's form for a while. A dark small room. Just basic stuff, bed and part that was supposed to replace kitchen judging by the hotplate. And a girl with surprised eyes. I smiled at her. „I must say, this is a horrible place, i'm surprised you even managed to fit the pentacles in here, it's so small. You live HERE?" She just stood there with her mouth opened. Suddenly, she jumped from her pentacle and wrapped her arms around me. „Bartimaeus, you're okay."

„Well of course i am, i am well known for my ability to survive even the most hopeless situations. But please Kitty, i can't breathe." She let me go and sit on the bed. Probably a bit of weariness from the summonig, she can't be completely okay yet either. „But seriously, how can you live in this den. Aren't you a national hero or something now? Is this how people treat heroes?" She gave me a tired smile.

„How long has it been for you?"

„Ten days." She became a bit agitated. „I'm leaving London tomorrow to see Jakob in Brugges. You remember Jakob?"

„Yeah, the sock boy." She raised her eyebrows. „Let's leave it at that." A sudden silence. „I didn't believe you to be alive." I was sitting next to her, but she wasn't looking at me.

„Then why did you summon me?"

„I'm leaving London tomorrow afternoon. There's nothing for me in here anymore. And i wanted to be sure that's truth. Before i'll start all over. Again."

Well, bummer. How to tell her now that it might not be yet possible to cut all ties. She looked at me. „But i'm glad i know you're fine." She wanted to say something more, but i cut her short. „Before we'll continue with this really nice chit-chat that i'm honestly enjoying, we have to get one topic of the table. So... about Nathaniel," I produced a nervous cough. She seemed to be avoiding this topic, worried to ask but eager to hear what i can say about this, so the cold truth had to be spoken softly to not disturbe her too much "before he dissmissed me and Staff broke, he wanted me to tell you something for him." This was the hard part. How to tell her this without hurting her? So I clapped my hands in prayer and put on a desperate grimace. „But I can't, i feel embaressed even if i just remember it and he's been really annoying lately so just please summon him from the Other place and free me from him. I can't take it anymore, he will drive me insane." . Kitty was just sitting there in shock with her mouth wide open. But that's to be expected when you hear a bad news.

„You wouldn't believe how hard it is to keep him alive amongst all the spirits, it's worse than when everyone was trying to kill him on Earth, and that's saying something, because as we know he rarely has a non-stupid idea."

„What?" Kitty still didn't move.

„Well, okey, not always, but there were more stupid ideas than I can count over those years I knew him. And with all his human pride it should be expected that he won't fit in the Other Place. You remember when you popped up for visit last time and wanted to bring an order to our organized chaos. Well you was almost one of us compared to him. I'm just worried he will find a broom and start sweeping while I'm here and can't keep an eye on him."

„I don't..."

„Oh come on, Kitty, do you want me to get on my knees? Will that be enough of a compensation to get me rid of him?"

„Nathaniel ..." she finally used her newfound control over her mouth, „... is alive?"