A moment later the ring was off Crystal’s finger and floating toward her. It dropped in her lap. Right. She still needed to get her wrist free. Could she use her fireball? Could she make it small enough to free each wrist?
With a thought, a flicker of vibrating energy seemed to stare back at her before she directed it to her wrist. She felt a sting as it burned off the magical chain that held her restrained.
One hand free, she then directed it to the other wrist and a moment later, she held the ring in her hands. She flipped open the lid and there it was, a silvery powder.
“Okay, Crystal, what now?”
Sprinkle it over each of us. Crystal’s voice was in her head, but she couldn’t see any movement under the netting. The Dark King’s consort still looked unconscious.
Frankie did just that, and saw the netting dissolve around the King’s consort. She then ran to Jazz and undid the bondage holding her wrist above her head.
“Jazz?” she said and shook her but got no response. “Right, time for a sprinkle.” She dripped the silvery powder over Jazz’s head, hoping she was doing it right. She looked over at Crystal and frowned. Still no movement. The netting was gone, but she still lay in a fetal position. Why? Oh no, please don’t let her die, Frankie thought fitfully and turned back to shake Jazz. “Jazz…wake up…Jazz!”
Jazz opened her brilliant blue sparkling eyes and groaned, “Frankie.”
Frankie laughed with joy, “Aye then, we have to get out of here. There is no telling what has happened while we’ve been locked up behind this iron.”
Jazz sat more upright on the floor and brought her head down between her knees as she pulled on her healing powers. The poison was still doing its job.
“I’ve got to get ye out, both ye and Crystal and I’ve got to get to Graely. Something is wrong…very wrong with Graely.”
“Yes, Frankie, I think he went to Conglam to confront Pestale,” Jazz said her voice hoarse as she blinked away the grogginess.
Frankie went to Crystal, “Do ye hear me, Crystal? Can ye get through to yer King? Can ye?”
“No fear it is too late for me…” Crystal’s voice was a hoarse whisper.
“No, oh no…” Frankie said. She turned to Jazz, “We can carry her between us and get her out of this cell. It will help to get her away from the iron!”
Jazz immediately tried to get to her feet, but her knees gave way and she collapsed. She was however, determined as Frankie bent to her and she said, “Frankie, just help me get up. I need a moment; just a moment and then we’ll cradle her between us, and get her out.”
“Aye, but the Dark King…he has blotted out the sun and turned off all power all over Ireland.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
NO ELECTRICITY, NO working generators and no lights anywhere, everything had stopped. No sun, no moon, no stars.
People were frozen in place, horrified.
Some in their cars, just simply pulled over their vehicles, others stopped right where they were, and stood bumper to bumper unable to see the road, or the car in front of them.
The Dark King had obliterated all light.
No one knew what to do. No one understood. This was beyond their ability to handle. Some wondered if this was God’s wrath.
The hour quickly came close to its end, and his Crystal had not been returned. With a thought, the Dark King could wipe out half the world. With another, he would take out the rest.
He had given them a chance and told them this. He told them who he was and what he could do and what they must do to stop him.
Confusion reigned, but an official w
ith a blow horn spoke toward the brilliant pulsating mass hovering over Dublin and told him they did not know who Crystal was and did not have her.
Frankie felt the Dark King’s anger as she and Jazz carried Crystal through the tunnels and with their last bit of strength shifted her out of the underground and bent with her in their arms on the debris strewn grass.
Darkness was all around, and Frankie looked up to see the Dark King’s massive energy pulsating brightly in the black sky.
Frankie was still in excruciating pain, and winced as she took the weight off one leg caught under her butt and tried to find a better position. She had never seen the Dark King. In fact, she didn’t know anyone other than Aaibhe and Queen Mab that ever had.