Chapter 16




It was morning; the sun had just risen and was throwing its bright light into the hall via the colored glass panes in the door. Birds were singing, stores were opening... The city was waking up.

For some people, this was not a good thing.

"She's been gone all night!" cried Piper, pacing up and down the hall.

"Piper, that doesn't mean anything. I'm sure she's fine," Leo said. It was not the best choice of words.

"What the hell do you mean, 'it doesn't mean anything'? She could be dead for all we know!"

"That's not true. I would know if she were dead. She's not."

"What if they found a way to stop you from knowing?"

"Why would they want to do that?"

"Are you kidding?" Piper finally stood still and looked at her husband. "Element of surprise, keep us guessing, never sure where the next attack will come from, if it'll come at all." She resumed pacing. "It's a pretty good strategy if you ask me."

"Piper..." Leo grabbed her arm to make her stop. She turned to look at him, opened her mouth as if to speak but then closed it again, staring up at him with large, fearful eyes. His own mouth hung open for a few seconds, then he shook his head. "Have some tea," he said finally, gesturing towards the steaming mugs on the table.

She managed a small smile. "Thanks." She sat down and was about to reach for the tea when they heard footsteps at the top of the stairs. They looked up to see Prue and Phyre descending, Prue carrying the Book of Shadows.

"Anything?" Piper asked, though she already knew the answer.

"Sorry." Prue set the Book down on the table. "I scried for over an hour. The crystal didn't so much as twitch."

"And I touched everything trying to get a premonition," Phyre said, sitting down and taking a sip of her mother's tea. "Pyralis is gonna be so mad when she finds out I've been through all her stuff..."

"If we ever find her," Prue said glumly.

"I'm back..." Paige came through the front door carrying a shopping bag and a newspaper. "Any luck?" she asked, going over to the table where the rest of them were gathered. Seeing the looks on their faces she guessed the answer and sat down next to Phyre, putting the shopping on the table next to her.

"Hey..." Prue picked up the newspaper and stared at it. "I know these people."

"What people?" Piper asked.

"Here." Prue pointed at several yearbook-like photos, underneath a headline reading 'Teens Killed In Storm'. "Pyralis hangs out with them sometimes. And that guy there used to be her boyfriend."

Leo raised his eyebrows. "Somehow, this doesn't sound like a coincidence."

"Especially considering this part!" Phyre pointed at a passage in the accompanying text. "they were most likely struck by lightning." she looked up at their uncomprehending faces. "Oh, come on! Don't you remember last week, when I was looking for a demon in the Book of Shadows?"

Understanding started to dawn as Prue opened the book and turning pages. "The flesh-eating one!" She found the page and stabbed her finger at it triumphantly. "There. Elkor."

Paige was still confused. "But if it was him, why didn't he feed on their flesh?"

"Because he was obviously there for a different reason. To kidnap Pyralis." Piper shook her head. "They must've found out about our plans somehow."

"But how much do they know?" Leo wondered.

Piper sighed. "We have to assume they know everything. Phoebe has premonitions, remember, she can see anything. And if it's true that they 'share their powers', that means Cole can too. Oh, why didn't I think of that?!"

"Because it wouldn't have made a difference." Paige shrugged dejectedly. "I doubt we could do anything to make her not be able to see our plans."

"Still, we should've been prepared for it." Piper put her head in her hands. "Then maybe Pyralis would still be here."

"Where's Pyralis gone?" They all looked up to see Phillip emerging from the kitchen, closely followed by Kalinda.

"It's okay sweetie, go back to bed," Piper told her son.

"You've been crying," he observed.

"Yeah, but I'm not anymore. Everything's fine."

The two children looked at them for a moment, then seemed to decide that this was grown-up business and the best thing they could do was be invisible. They turned around and headed back to the stairs to the cellar, Kalinda reaching for Phillip's hand and hanging onto it tightly.

And then she stopped, a look of surprise on her face. "I know where she is," she said.

Paige was on her feet and by her side in an instant. "Where? Where is she, sweetie?"

"I can't tell you. I have to show you."

"But how do you know?"

"I dunno... I wanted to know, then I did."

"Well then let's go!" Piper came to stand next to her.

Kalinda looked up at her mother and took her hand, then everyone joined hands, and they orbed away in a huge display of lights.

The rescue mission had begun.

Author's note: Since that was a (very) short and not that great chapter (and also because I'm really looking forward to writing it), I promise the next chapter will be up in less than a week, 'kay?