Spellbound

Chapter 9

  What Comes After

The apple fell from Sherlock's hand and went rolling down the stairs and across the dance floor. It came to a halt against John's foot.

John finished hugging Molly and bent down to pick it up. "What the–?"

"Well, at least we don't have to pick up stuff from each other's flats," Molly joked. She was upset their relationship was over. She didn't like having spent five years dating John only to break up but she didn't regret it. John had been a good boyfriend. And once he explained that he didn't feel a spark she understood. She hadn't felt one either, she had just gone along because John was nice and she wasn't getting any younger. It was rubbish, really.

John looked up to see Sherlock collapsed on the top of the stairs.

Both Molly and John ran to help.

—-

Moriarty shot green lightning out of his fingertips and called the elevator down. He sat back as he rode up. His magically controlled person should have given Sherlock the apple by now. If not, Moriarty was just going to transform and turn into a dragon and eat everyone. On second thought, maybe I'll eat everyone anyway. I'm feeling rather peckish.

—-

Lestrade returned and carried Sherlock over to a couch. He fretted while Molly and John examined Sherlock. "What happened?"

"I don't know," Molly said after checking Sherlock's pulse. "John just picked up an apple and saw Sherlock like this."

"An apple?" Lestrade asked. "Let me see it."

John had carried it up with him and after checking to see that Sherlock was breathing John handed it over.

"A poison apple. A wizard did this! Or a witch! Did either of you see who gave my love this?" Lestrade stood and drew his sword. He was a fighter, not a real match for a spellcaster but he would fight to his last breath.

No one remembered seeing anything.

The elevator doors opened with a ding.

Lestrade turned to look and smiled. "Oh, Father! How great to see you. We need your help. Someone's poisoned my love."

Moriarty sneered down at the little group. He could see that his step-son had an admirer in the mousy woman opposite the downed druid. He had managed to get rid of one vermin but there was another. There'd be no peace for him unless he did away with his step-son once and for all.

"Please, Father. Anything you can think of, anything at all. You're a great wizard and—"

"Wait a minute," John interrupted. He pointed to Moriarty. "He's a wizard?"

"Yes, the greatest in our land," Lestrade said.

"You did this! You poisoned Sherlock!" John accused. It had to be. There weren't wizards in this world. The chances that two wizards had come from Sherlock's world and one of them poisoned him was astronomical.

"Don't be absurd," Moriarty said. "Why would I go to so much trouble?"

"How do we save him?" Lestrade asked calmly.

"It's an apple. I don't know what type of spell was cast on it," Moriarty said.

Lestrade understood and things made sense that previously didn't. Lestrade put his sword to Moriarty's throat. "I know you did this. You don't want me to take the throne. When I return I'll tell everyone of your treachery. I'll let you live if you tell me how to save him."

Sally jumped out of Moriarty's pocket and croaked.

"True love's kiss," John gasped. He'd just read the story of the princess and the frog to Hamish a few nights ago. He remembered that Sherlock had said, "It's the most powerful thing in the world."