Page 44 of Charmed

“All right, lower your arms, men. Gregor, get off the horse,” said Rhys. “Follow Stone inside to see your parents one last time, but your weapons stay here.”

“Thank you so much.” Gregor slid off his horse and hurried over to Stone. “I am also sorry for everything King Sethor has done to any of you. I swear, I never wanted to stay there this long to serve him, but was frightened of what he’d do to my parents if I left.”

“We need to hurry if you want to say your final goodbye,” Stone told him.

“Let’s go.” Gregor hurried behind Stone as he led the way to the chamber where the old couple were being kept. Stone opened the door and stopped in his tracks, seeing Persimmon and the other women standing at their bedside. Talia was crying.

“This is Gregor, the old couple’s son,” announced Stone.

“Mother! Father!” Gregor ran to the bedside.

“I’m sorry,” said Alaina. “We tried to help them but their injuries were too severe.”

“That’s right,” said Medea. “We are glad you came, but I’m afraid you are too late, Gregor. Your parents have just passed away.”

“Nay! Please.” The grown man threw himself over the bodies of his departed parents and cried. “I am so sorry I didn’t come sooner. I feared King Sethor would harm you if I did. I should have listened to the two of you. I am so sorry I ever worked for such an evil man. Please forgive me. Please.” He cried and rocked back and forth, staring at the old couple.

“They say goodbye and that they love and forgive you.” Persimmon looked over his head. “They are standing right behind you, Gregor.”

“What?” The man looked up at her in confusion.

“I can see them and hear them,” she continued.

“Stop it!” shouted Gregor. “You are lying. My parents are dead.”

Persimmon looked crushed that the man should say this to her.

“Nay, she’s not.” Stone stepped forward. Persimmon’s eyes locked with his. He could tell she’d been crying. “I can vouch for her and assure you that she is telling the truth.” Stone made his way over to the bedside. “Persimmon can see and speak to ghosts.”

“Then you believe me, Stone?” Persimmon blinked away a tear. “You really believe me?”

“I do,” he said, laying his hand on his shoulder. “And I am sorry to have ever doubted you.”

“Nay,” she said, shaking her head. “I gave you cause to doubt me when I was first mistaken and thought to have scried and never corrected the misunderstanding.”

“That’s all in the past now, sweetheart. We don’t need to dwell on it anymore.”

“Then it’s true. My departed parents really said they forgive me?” Gregor looked up and Persimmon nodded.

“They say they understand what you did and why you did it. They are thankful that you gave up everything to help them. But they also are telling me that they don’t want you to work for King Sethor anymore. They worry about you, Gregor.”

“I won’t,” promised the man, taking one of each of his dead parents’ hands in his. “I promise you, Mother and Father, that I won’t ever help that evil man again.”

Darium, Zann, and Rhys entered the room. Darium carried a cloth bag with him.

“They also want Darium to sin eat for them so they won’t go to The Dark Abyss,” said Persimmon.

“Yes, please, Sin Eater. Please help them so they can get to The Haven where they belong for the rest of eternity,” begged Gregor.

“I am here to do so.” Darium pulled bread and a bottle of wine from the bag.

“Nay, Darium, don’t risk it,” begged his wife.

“Talia, I want to do this,” said Darium. “Not for the dead couple, but for the peace of their son.”

“Thank you.” Gregor let go of their hands and stood next to the bed. Darium place bread atop the dead woman’s chest, as well as the bottle of wine.

“May all her sins be forgiven, and may she find her way to The Haven where she will spend the afterlife in peace and comfort,” said Darium, eating the bread and taking a swig of wine. Then he repeated the same process with the dead man, saying the words again. Stone had never seen anything like this in his life. It was either ingenious, or they were all a little crazy.