ELEVEN
Piper, Paige, and Leo were straightening up the kitchen when they suddenly heard Phoebe call out for them. There was a note of urgency in Phoebe's voice. They all realized the warlock must have returned.
Paige didn't wait. She reached over and grabbed Piper's arm. At the same instant she and Leo orbed upstairs taking Piper with them. Piper was ready to explode the warlock the moment she saw him. As they orbed into the bedroom the sight that greeted them was just a bit confusing.
Instead of finding the warlock threatening the others he was lying on the floor. Robert Shelling was holding one of the warlock's arms and had it twisted around in what had to be a very uncomfortable hold. Robert also had his foot on the warlock's throat.
"You know how easy it is to snap someone's neck?" Robert asked the warlock. "But they tell me you're out to hurt my daughter. I want to know why."
"Well, this is certainly different," said Piper.
"Do something," the warlock cried out in pain, "he's breaking my arm."
"Gotta tell you I'm not disliking this," said Piper. "I suggest you answer the mans' question."
"Why are you after my little girl?" Robert demanded twisting the warlock's arm a little more.
"I need her to get the book," cried out the warlock in pain.
"What book?" Robert demanded.
"You mean the Book of Shadows?" Phoebe asked.
"Yes, yes, the Book of Shadows," said the warlock. "I knew none of you would be easy to get to. You're too powerful and too experienced. But the girl was young and inexperienced. I knew I could use her to get to the book."
"What's the Book of Shadows?" Michelle asked.
"It's a very powerful magic," Leo said. "It's the source of the girl's powers. If he could get hold of it he could become unstoppable."
"That's not possible," said Piper. "Evil can't even touch the book. It protects itself."
"If I can get the girls' essence," said the warlock, "I can fool the book into thinking I'm good. It's been done before."
"He's right there," said Phoebe. "But it still wouldn't do you any good. The book belongs to the line of Melinda Warren. Even if you could get it its magic wouldn't do you a whole lot of good. You couldn't utilize it's full potential."
"Can we talk about this after he lets me up?" asked the warlock. "He's about to break my arm. You have my word I won't try anything."
"Yeah, well you see we're not real big on taking the word of a warlock," said Piper. "Especially one that's already tried to kill us at least once."
"We have to do something," said Leo. "Robert can't hold him like that forever."
"Paige, get the crystals," Piper said.
Paige called for the crystals in the attic and they orbed immediately to her. She placed all but one of the crystals around Robert and the warlock. She held one in her hand ready to complete the magical cage.
"Robert, let him go," said Piper.
"What if he tries something?" Robert asked.
"He won't," said Piper. "Trust me, I'm not going to take any changes with a warlock."
Hesitantly Robert removed his foot from the warlocks' neck. He paused for a moment and then released the warlocks' arm taking a step back. Almost immediately Piper froze the warlock in place.
"Move away from him," said Piper, "but don't touch him. Paige, the crystal."
As Robert moved away from the warlock Paige put down the last crystal and created the magical cage. Piper moved everyone away from the cage so they wouldn't inadvertently knock one of the crystals away and then she unfroze the warlock. He looked around and smiled.
"Ah, you don't trust me," he said, rubbing the arm Robert had twisted.
"Enough chit chat," said Piper. "Now, tell us how you thought Patricia would help you get to the Book of Shadows. Who do you think she is anyway?"
"It's not who she is as much as who she's descended from," said the warlock. "Her mother was Margaret Harper, which probably doesn't mean anything to any of you. But Margaret's mother was Heather Baxter."
"Heather Baxter?" Leo questioned a note of recognition in his voice.
"I see at least one of you is familiar with the name," said the warlock.
"Who's Heather Baxter?" Paige asked.
"Heather Baxter was Penelope Baxter's younger sister," said the warlock. You know Penelope Baxter. You used to call her Grams. Patricia is descended from Melinda Warren."