Page 33 of Charmed

Ten

Stone felt a knot in the pit of his stomach as the guards slammed the iron barred door of the cell, locking both him and Persimmon inside.

“Rot in there, the both of you.” The guard chuckled as he hooked the ring of keys containing the one to the cell door to his belt and turned to walk away.

Stone was about to shout something back at the guard, but stayed silent when Persimmon placed her hand atop his arm. He looked over to her in question.

She smiled at him and nodded at the guard.

When Stone looked back at the guard, he saw the key ring lifting from the man’s belt. It slowly floated right over to the cell door. Stone hurried over and stuck his hand through the bars and grabbed it. When he did, it made a jangling noise. The guard stopped and turned around.

“What was that?” asked the guard, looking around in a suspicious manner. “What was that noise I heard?”

Stone quickly hid the ring with the keys in one hand, shaking the bars of the door with his other, making a loud rattling noise. “Let us out! Let us out, I say.”

“Quiet down,” shouted the guard, turning and leaving the dungeon.

“Your distraction worked.” Persimmon hurried over to the door to join him. “Thank you.”

“Nay, thank you for using your powers to get the key.” With his hand through the gate, he used the key to unlock the cell, and slowly and quietly pushed the door open. “I still have no idea how we’ll manage to walk out of here alive, but at least this is a start.”

“Aye,” agreed Persimmon, following him out of the cell. “If only one of us knew the layout and grounds of the castle, we might be figure out a path to use to escape.”

“That’s what I’m here for.”

Stone looked up to see the pesky elf standing with his back against the stone wall and his arms crossed over his chest.

“Father!” exclaimed Persimmon. “You came to save us. Thank you.”

“I’m only here at the request of Lira.”

“Oh,” said Persimmon, a frown washing over her face.

“How did you get here so fast?” asked Stone. “There is no way the others could have made it back to Kasculbough already, could they?

The elf gave him a strange look and shook his head. “You have no idea of my powers or of how fast I can really move, you big oaf.”

“Oh, that’s right,” said Stone. “I’ve seen you disappear in a blur. But the others can’t move that fast. There was no time for this all to transpire.”

“The raven returned to tell Talia-Glen and Alaina that you two so stupidly managed to get caught. Rhys and Zann wanted to bring their armies to the king’s door, but that would be an even dumber move right now. That’s why I offered to come instead.”

“Never mind all that. Can you get us out of here?” Stone scanned the dimly lit area, watching for the guards to return.

“I can. I used to work for King Sethor and I know every nook and cranny of this castle.”

“You used to work here?” asked Persimmon, sounding just as surprised to hear this.

“Doing what?” asked Stone.

“It doesn’t matter.” The elf glowered at him. “Now stay quiet and keep close to me. We have to move fast. I know of a secret door that we can use.”

“Thank you, Father.” Persimmon liked the fact that instead of abandoning her again, now her father was there when she needed him. She hoped this was the start of a special change that could possibly create a bond between them.

“Don’t thank me yet,” said the little man. “Because, I swear if either of you do something stupid enough to get caught escaping, I will leave you both behind without a second thought.”

“We won’t,” said Stone.

Persimmon knew the speed at which the elf could move. It would be easy for Elric to zip away and leave them both there to die and not have a second thought about it. She needed to be careful.