“Nay!” she screamed. Sethor had knocked into her as he passed by her and she’d dropped the gemstone. It rolled along the floor and slipped through the portal as well. “I lost the gemstone. It went through the portal. I need to find it.” Persimmon panicked.
“It’s too late,” Lira told her. “Look. The portal is closing.”
Sure enough, to her horror, the portal became smaller and smaller. In another few seconds it would disappear for good. Without that gemstone, she’d have no chance of ever opening the portal again. And that also meant she would never see Stone again either. The man who said he’d loved her would be gone from her life forever.
“I’m going after it,” she told Lira, diving toward the portal just as it finished closing. She hit the ground hard, feeling the cold, dusty floor of the cave as the colorful swirling lights disappeared into nothingness over her head.
She was too late!
The portal had closed and taken Stone, the others, and the gemstone with it. Now she had lost the key to making it open again.
“He’s gone,” she cried, lifting her head from the ground to see nothing but a dark cave in front of her eyes.
Persimmon had failed, and lost Stone Nightstalker forever.
Fifteen
Aweek had passed and time only made Persimmon angrier at herself for carelessly losing the gemstone that would open up the portal again to hopefully let Stone return. She sat at a table in the courtyard of Evandorm Castle, feeling sad and sorry for herself. She was with Lira. They watched Elric and the Blackseed brothers once again playing cards.
“Your bid, Rhys,” said Zann. “And don’t even think of using my chickens again.”
“I brought my own things to bid this time.” Rhys pulled a long black feather out of his bag and reverently laid it on the center of the table.
“What is that?” asked Persimmon, thinking it an odd thing to use as a bid in a game of cards.
“It’s the feather of a Stricat,” explained Rhys. “It is magical and very rare to have since stricats hardly ever lose their feathers. I was lucky to find it. It’s worth a lot.”
“Hah! Hardly,” said Elric. “I’ve got at least a dozen of them at home.” Elric swished his hand through the air.
“What is a Stricat?” she asked, not being familiar with this type of animal.
“You probably haven’t seen one yet since they keep hidden most of the time,” Lira explained. “It is a large wildcat with sharp claws and a shaggy mane and black stripes. It has wings and can also fly.”
“That does sound unique,” Persimmon answered. “But is it really magical?”
“It can’t open a portal if that’s what you’re asking,” said Elric with a grunt. “By the way, the gods are coming down on me hard. I’m going to have to give them back the gemstones, Persimmon. I’m not sure how much longer I can hold them off.”
“I’m not giving them to you until I succeed in bringing Stone back to Mura.” Her hand went to the pouch that she always carried at her side.
“You’ve tried each of those stones so many times that I’m surprised you haven’t worn them out,” said Lira. “Face it, none of them opens a portal.”
“I keep thinking there must be a way to open that portal again, even without the gem that was lost.” Persimmon yawned, not having had much sleep since she lost Stone. Fang laid at her feet under the table, missing Stone almost as much as she. Persimmon she reached down to pet the dog. They’d been a good comfort to each other, but just seeing the hound made her miss Stone even more.
“We all miss him,” said Lira. “But, sister, what happened wasn’t your fault.”
“At least we got rid of King Sethor and some of his men,” said Zann, placing a basket of Arcine eggs on the table as his bet.
“Not those stinky eggs again,” complained Darium. “Don’t you have anything else to bid?”
“I don’t because my wife keeps me busy watching for a portal to open that’s not going to happen. However, she and her sister won’t stop trying.” Zann yawned too.
“It’s a shame you couldn’t claim Sethor’s kingdom as your own, Darium.” Rhys reached out and stroked the feather. “It would be nice if you were a king of Mura too, like me and Zann.”
“Yes,” agreed Lira. “It would be nice to have all three Blackseed brothers as kings.”
“I don’t need or want to be a king, so let it go,” said Darium. “Besides, you know as well as the rest of us that Sethor’s nephew, Sebastian Ravenwolf stepped in to rule Macada Castle once Sethor disappeared through the portal. Sethor’s men are loyal to him now and nothing is ever going to change.”
“Elric? Your bid?” Zann tapped the table with the edges of his cards to get the elf’s attention.
“Hrmph,” he snorted and threw down his cards. “I’m out.” Even Elric had seemed different lately. He’d been much kinder to Persimmon, and hadn’t been his normal cantankerous self continuously. Stone’s absence seemed to have affected everyone, even Fang.
The dog laid under the table with his nose between his paws, not even excited to chase a skunet or beg for food. One man’s absence seemed to branch out and affect so many.
“I wish I could at least use the gazing orb to scry,” said Persimmon. “If so, then I’d know if Stone is all right. For all I know he might be dead.”
“Don’t worry, sister, I’m sure everything will turn out all right in the end.” Lira rubbed Persimmon’s back with one hand, trying to comfort her.
“I don’t see how that will ever happen. I’m not even seeing ghosts anymore. So if Stone’s been killed I won’t even be able to tell him goodbye that way.”
“You worry too much. Just like your mother,” said Elric.
“Darium, place your bid,” said Zann, holding his cards close to his chest.
“All right.” Darium dug into his pouch and slowly slid a ring onto the table. It was the same ring he tried to use in the game the day Persimmon came to Mura.
“Not that old ring again,” complained Zann.
