“Interesting,” said Persimmon. Her gaze traveled over to Stone who now held two of the gems.
There came a knock at the door and the elf zipped over and held his hand on the door, speaking through it. “Who is it and what do you want?”
“Father, open the door and you’ll find out.” Lira got up and walked over to do it.
“Nay! I don’t open my door unless I know who it is.”
“Too bad you can’t scry or you’d know,” said Stone with a chuckle, picking up the small tea cup, trying to balance it on the saucer in his other hand.
“Father, I’ve never seen you act like this before. You are usually so fearless. Now, stop it.” Lira opened the door.
“I was told Stone was here?” Aithrod stood in the doorway, breathing heavily from having climbed the path of the mountain leading to Elric’s door. Fang was with him. The dog saw Stone and barked happily, knocking down Elric as he bounded into the room to be with his master. Fang jumped on Stone and Stone dropped the tea cup, sending it shattering to the floor.
“Get that monster out of here!” Elric pointed to the door, while he lie prone on the floor.
“Get down, boy.” Stone petted the dog and it calmed right down. “What is it, Aithrod?”
“King Sethor and his army are on the move,” Aithrod reported. “They are already nearing the Quamm Caves.”
“They’re not getting my gemstones,” said Elric, standing up, brushing off the bag attached to his waist.
“Father, we need you,” said Persimmon, hurrying to the door. “Can you tell us when the portal will appear again?”
“I don’t know,” said Elric with a shrug. “Portals are funny things. It’s hard to control them.” He zipped over to the table, clearing the tea cups, and in a blur had the broken cup from the floor cleaned up as well.
Fang’s head shot back and forth and he whimpered, not able to keep an eye on the man’s quick movements.
“Yes, he’s right,” said Lira. “We’ve only seen three portals here on Mura so far, but each of them has caused us many problems and heartaches.”
“Who would know how to open the portal?” Stone asked Elric. “We need to access it before Sethor gets to the caves. We have to warn King Helix that they’re coming before it’s too late.”
“King Kapion isn’t going to like this,” said Aithrod. “It could be the end for him.”
“He’s a thief. He deserves to die.” Elric crossed his arms over his chest yet again.
“Then do you deserve to die, too?” asked Stone. “Because as I see it, you are nothing but a thief as well.”
“I don’t know how to open the portal, but I think I might be able to direct you to someone who can do it,” Elric told them.
“Who?” asked Stone.
“Before I tell you, I want to know something. Are you going to give me those two stones back and also help me get the last stone from that thief, Rancor or not?”
“I have my orders from our king,” said Stone.
“Stone, please.” Persimmon put her hand on his arm. “Now that we know the truth about the stones, you’re not really going to give them back to your king, are you? You heard my father. Only the Chosen One can use them.”
“Those gemstones are worth a lot of money,” said Aithrod. “Stone, what’s going on here?”
“The gemstones, I found out, were stolen by our king from Elric,” Stone explained. “Elric took them from the gods of Mura first. I guess only the Chosen One by the gods can use them.”
“Chosen One? Who is that?” asked Aithrod.
“The Chosen One is the same person who can open that portal,” Elric explained. “It is you, Persimmon.”
Fourteen
Stone, Persimmon, and the others stood just outside the Quamm Caves, thankfully having gotten there before King Sethor and his army of men arrived.
“I will distract the gnomes while the rest of you go with Persimmon to open the portal,” said Elric. “Stone, go through and warn your king, but first give me the two gemstones you hold since we don’t want that evil man to get them.” His hand was out in front of Stone once again.
“I can’t do that,” said Stone.
“Persimmon will need to use one of them to try to open the portal,” Elric continued.
“Will it really work, Father?” asked Lira excitedly. “Will Persimmon be able to use a stone to open a portal?”
“She will,” said Elric. “One of the thirteen gems will open the portal, and also close it.”
“How do you know this? I thought you said you didn’t know what powers the stones held.” Stone exchanged glances with Aithrod as Fang sniffed around the opening of the cave, afraid to go in since the dog remembered about the gnomes only too well.
“I might know a little about this, after all. I’m a sage, remember. I’m the keeper of knowledge.”
“Do you know what each of the thirteen gemstones does?” asked Persimmon.
“Nope. Just the one.” The damn elf was biting at his hangnail again.
