Summary

Chapter 17 is titled “The Pendant.” A woman pulls Ned from the horse and removes the sack. He vomited and smells terrible. He continues to hope his mother will rescue him once she returns. Ned cannot read the magic words, but he can feel their meaning as the magic is tired of playing with a child and wants the witch. Ned hisses that he is “N-not s-so little” (111). Ned can feel the pendant's magic and his own magic carrying on an argument about joining together. The Bandit King apparently does not hear it. Ned is surprised when the magic hears his thoughts. Ned's magic decides to stay with Ned, and the pendant turns black and falls silent. The bandit named Bert touches Ned's skin with his pinkie, and the magic turns him to stone. Ned cannot stop it, and the magic refuses to undo...