Because By Now Elinor Had Understood This,

Believe Me. Sometimes When Life Looks To Be At Its Grimmest, There's A Light Hidden At The Heart Of Things. Clive Barker, Abarat

If You Take A Book With You On A Journey," Mo Had Said When He Put The First One In Her Box, "an Odd Thing Happens: The Book Begins Collecting Your Memories. And Forever After You Have Only To Open That Book To Be Back Where You First Read It. It Will All Come Into Your Mind With The Very First Words: The Sights You Saw In That Place, What It Smelled Like, The Ice Cream You Ate While You Were Reading It... Yes, Books Are Like Flypaper—memories Cling To The Printed Page Better Than Anything Else.

This World,' She Said. 'do You Really Like It?' What A Question! Farid Never Asked Himself Such Things. He Was Glad To Be With Dustfinger Again And Didn't Mind Where That Was. It's A Cruel World, Don't You Think?' Meggie Went On. 'mo Often Told Me I Forget How Cruel It Is Too Easily.' With His Burned Fingers, Farid Stroke Her Fair Hair. It Shone Even In The Dark. 'they're All Cruel,' He Said. 'the World I Come From, The World You Come From, And This One, Too. Maybe The People Don't See The Cruelty In Your World Right Away, It's Better Hidden, But It's There All The Same.

No Prince Had Lived In Those Wretched Hovels, No Red-robed Bishops, Only Farmers And Laborers Whose Stories No One Had Written Down, And Now They Were Lost, Buried Under Wild Thyme And Fast Growing Spurge.

Go Back And Rid The Word Of That Book. Fill It With Words Before Spring Comes, Or Winter Will Never End For You. And I Will Take Not Only Your Life For The Adderhead's But Your Daughter's, Too, Because She Helped You Bind The Book. Do You Undersand, Bluejay" Why Two?" Asked Mo Hoarsely. "how Can You Ask For Two Lives In Return For One?