Chapter 23

"Stop!" Adalet ordered. Elphaba stopped squeezing but did not let her grip loosen. The Queen moved from her spot and walked up to the green woman, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"She is your mother, I do not wish to do it but she has killed your husband. One way or the other she will have to pay for what she has done," Elphaba told her.

"I know," the Queen said shakily, she had no idea how it had all come to this but here they stood. Avantador took the opportunity to turn his attention to the Griffin holding Glinda. The forest was now completely in the dark, the moon was the only way to light their surroundings. Avantador grabbed a good sized tree branch from a nearby tree, broke it off, and drove it into the ground before lighting the top on fire. It illuminated the area for everyone to be able to see.

"Release Lady Glinda. Your master has been defeated," he ordered and held out his large hand for Glinda to be set upon. The Griffin bowed his head and released the blonde into Avantador's custody. The dragon gently set her down next to Fiyero who took her into his arms, examining her wounds.

"Can you use a healing spell Lin?" He asked.

"Griffin wounds cannot be healed by magic, much like the ones of a dragon," the Griffin said as he left the tree and landed nearby.

"He speaks the truth. I'm afraid bandages will be the best we can do until we return to the Palace," Avantador told him. Both Fiyero and Glinda gave him a look as if they couldn't believe what he just said.

"Magical conundrum, I'm afraid," he shrugged before turning his attention back to Elphaba. Fiyero ripped the sleeves of his shirt off and then took a look at Glinda's wounds. He asked her for an illumination spell as the fire had been helpful but it was not bright enough for him to see well enough the damage caused by the mystical creature.

"Now, what have your Majesties decided for our prisoner?" Avantador wanted to know.

"Regrettably, she is not lying. The King's death explains why the location spell didn't work. The Queen needs you to confine our captive so she can ask her some questions," Elphaba explained before letting go of the Witch of the South.

"Gladly," the dragon responded and he nimbly took her in his grasp.

"Answer the Queen truthfully or you will suffer the consequences," he narrowed his eyes at her. The elderly witch gave him a look and he gave her a squeeze, her already broken ribs, crunched under the weight.

"You'll just kill me anyway, what is my incentive?" She asked.

"Don't do as the Queen requires of you and you won't get a last chance to say goodbye to your daughter. I will end you and it will not be pleasant," Avantador snarled. Surprisingly, Burcin caved and quickly the Queen got to speaking with her mother.

"How bad is it?" Glinda asked, worried that her baby could be in danger.

"Well I wouldn't recommend flying in a bubble anytime soon. One good bounce and things could get messy…" Elphaba swallowed hard, realizing that her friend's wounds were worse than she thought. The Griffin's claws had dug in deep due to the fact that human flesh was basically like warm butter underneath them. It was part of the reason that at one time the Griffin had been feared by anyone who crossed one. The deference had dwindled once the rifle had been invented and one no longer had to get close to kill one.

"My baby…" the blonde began to sniffle.

"Hold strong Glinda. I won't let you or your baby go," Elphaba promised, giving her best friend's hand a squeeze.

"Suggestions?" Fiyero asked; the shirt sleeves he had pressed against the wounds were now soaked in blood. He'd seen similar slashes from swords but regrettably most of them were on corpses.

"I can help. If you'll let me," the Griffin said.

"How? You said magic will not fix it and we have no medical equipment here," Elphaba said hotly.

"There is a plant that will slow the bleeding but you must let me fly to it. I can be back very shortly," he said.

"Go. But if you do not come back, know that I will hunt you down and you will not like it when I find you," Elphaba hissed. He nodded and quickly took off in flight. She turned to Fiyero and told him to keep the pressure on the wounds until the Griffin could return.

"Do you smell that?" A second Griffin, suddenly asked, his question directed at Avantador.

"Flying Monkeys. It would seem that Chistery has sent help," the dragon said.

"How far out do you think they are?" Elphaba asked.

"I could not say but it seems like they are far away as their smell is faint," he explained. Elphaba frowned but didn't get a chance to say anything else.

"My mother has given me the location of Haluk's body," Adalet spoke up, she was near tears.

"Good. Avantador, you need to take her to the Palace and I will join you. We can't move Glinda until we get the bleeding stopped and the wound sewn up. Your wings are the fastest way to the Palace and help," Elphaba said before casting spell and knocking the witch out.

"Hop on and hold on tight," Avantador said, getting low for her to climb onto his back.

To Be Continued…