A/N: StuckInSouthstairs, I appreciate your review. I kind of wanted to make Iffix a good guy but Morrible had to have a different ending. I mean she's stuck as a rabbit but no way could I let her horrible legacy go at that. As far as Glinda, it's not that I don't like her but somehow somebody had to die to show how far Iffix is willing to go to make his dreams a reality. I'm glad you've stuck by me this far. :)

A/N 2: peacelovegreen, thanks for the review. Here is the update you requested. ;)

A/N 3: Lots of notes today but I promise this is the last one. I'd like to wish all my readers Happy Holidays. This will be the last update of 2009. I look forward to seeing you all in 2010. :)

Chapter 14

"So that's the whole story," Besim looked at Elphaba who still clutched onto Liir as if he would suddenly disappear. Of course he could since they had no idea if Iffix had been listening.

"Yes," was all she said. Once again she was zoning out and everyone in the room was worried for her mental state. She'd been forced to kill her best friend, found out the Wizard was her father and that she had a half-brother, and then on top of that the bastard had tried to hurt her son and Fiyero. The ex-Prince had his left arm around her shoulders as if to hold her together.

"Can you get us out of these?" Boq asked.

"I'm sorry," Elphaba shook her head and quickly chanted a spell to release them.

"I think I can feel my shoulders again," Besim had a small smile on his face as he rotated his arms about.

"Let's get out of here," Boq was in no mood. It was understandable. He'd finally been able to tell the woman he loved everything and not only had she been taken from him and married to another now she was dead. Walking to the door of the study, he touched the doorknobs and received a shock.

"The knobs are wired or something," he said as he could feel a tingling sensation going through his fingertips and up his arms.

"They're magically sealed. We aren't getting out that way," Elphaba told them.

"Can't you use your magic to get through them?" Fiyero asked.

"Iffix will have cursed them. If I try to open them the spell could bounce back and I would end up like…" the sentence died in her throat. They all knew what she meant.

"What about the window?" Besim wondered.

"It's a long fall but you're welcome to try," Elphaba said.

"So there's no way out?" Fiyero couldn't believe it. Iffix was smart but he wasn't smarter than his Elphaba.

"Are you going to do something or are you just going to sit there?!" Boq's anger had returned and he wasn't controlling it well. Fiyero left Elphaba's side and grabbed him by the collar.

"You aren't the only one suffering here. I suggest you figure that out before I'm forced to do something I'll regret little man," the Vinkan was obviously in no mood either.

"Gentlemen. We are friends let us worry about squabbling later. Right now we have to stop Iffix from making that speech. So let us find a way out of here," Besim's reasoning brought the two men out of it and they returned to the group.

"So what do you suggest?" Boq questioned testily.

"The one thing Iffix probably didn't think of or know was there," Elphaba had a smile on her face. She stood and headed for the bookcase. Grabbing the book that İzmir had grabbed a day or so ago, she pulled it out. The wall opened and revealed the space they had all seen before.

"There is a passageway that leads downward. Shall we?" She asked. They all looked at her and then at each other before quickly following her down the dark tunnel.

"But the bookcase is still open. He'll know where we went," Besim said. Elphaba just shook her head and used a spell to close it.

"Ah. Well done." He smiled as they carefully made their way down into the bowels of the castle.

To Be Continued…