Of Witches and Warlocks: The Complete Series

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Racing back into the keep as fast as we could, we burst in through the massive wooden doors and nearly collided with my dad.

"We're on our way out," Dad said to Vance. "You and Portia stay here. Shelly and Brad come with us."

Vance sighed in frustration, and Brad and Shelly turned to follow Dad and Grandma out the door. Standing at the doorway, I watched while they pulled out of the bailey, speeding off down the road.

I turned to look at Mom. "What happened?" I asked.

"A car with a driver pulled out of the estate turning toward town. We could plainly see Darcy sitting in the back," she replied.

"Why would a driver be taking Darcy somewhere? She's the maid. Doesn't that seem a bit odd?" I asked.

Vance shrugged his shoulders. "I have no idea," he replied, with a briefly thoughtful expression. "So what's the plan?" he asked Mom.

"They're going to follow them and see if they can catch her alone somewhere. When Milly and Sean grab her, they want Brad and Shelly to place the tracking device on the vehicle. They plan on using a serum on Darcy to knock her out so she won't be combative," my mom explained.

"I'm familiar with the stuff," Vance said with a grimace, and he looked at me. "We'd better go light the torches in the dungeon and get things ready before they get back. Stacey, are the construction workers still here?"

"No," she said. "I think they left to go work on another job for the rest of the day."

"Perfect," Vance said, grabbing me by the hand. "Come on, let's go."

He led me to the stairs that entered the dungeon, touching each oil-soaked torch as we passed, making them burst into flame. Soon the place was ablaze, and we were standing in front of the cleverly disguised cell.

Passing through the illusion, we stepped up to the real cell.

"Let's open it," he said, placing his hands against the glass barrier. Putting my hands next to his, together we melted a hole big enough for Darcy to be carried in.

"What now?" I asked.

"Now we wait," he said. Taking me by the hand, he led me back through the tunnels, and up the stairs. "We need to make sure that this door is always secured from here on out, too, so no one accidentally wanders down into the dungeon." He waved his hand over the lock, magically securing it.

"Let's go find your mom," he said, continuing on down the hall, finding her sitting in front of the monitor.

"Did you see something else?" Vance asked.

She shook her head, holding up the portable radio. "I just heard from Sean. They have her pinned down. They're just waiting for an opportunity to drug her where no one will notice," she said. "I'm nervous for them."

"It'll be okay, Stacey," Vance replied, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Sean is an expert in this cloak-and-dagger kind of stuff. He knows what he's doing."

Mom nodded, not answering. I went and sat on the couch, and Vance began his traditional pacing across the floor. I knew things were weighing heavily on his mind.

In the end we didn't have to wait long at all.

"We have her," Shelly's voice crackled over the radio. "We're on our way back now."

"Everything is ready for you," my mom answered.

"This is it," Vance said, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. "Finally we can get some answers."