Daughter of Earth – Chapter XXII

The following is an excerpt from book four of the Leather Book Tales fantasy series ©Regine Haensel.

 

Alizarine (Ali) has been captured and put in a dungeon. She knows that friends are coming to rescue her and has also discovered that a piece of obsidian that her friend Samel gave her has magical powers.

The voices fade and I’m left with much to think about. For one thing, I have a great deal of hope. Julina is not all powerful and is fumbling about, trying to get the bracelets. She doesn’t appear to know anything about the piece of obsidian that I have, which holds powers that no one had an inkling of. Wherever this stone came from, it’s certainly absorbed magic and it’s gifting some of that to me. Unfortunately, Julina also said, “We don’t want her to die yet.” My eventual fate doesn’t make me happy. I don’t know how much time I have, but I’ve got to make plans to get out of here.

          Deciding to test what the stone can do, I walk about the room and lean my head against walls here and there. Now and then I catch a voice. Once I hear a guard say loudly, “You stupid fool! You almost dropped that rock on my foot!” Occasionally there are murmurs but I can’t distinguish words.

          Then I recall how the stone enabled me to smooth parts of the walls of my tower room so I could draw on them, and how my hand sank into stone. Could I wear away enough of a wall to make an opening? I didn’t want to try anything like that in the tower because someone was always coming in, but here I’m thinking no one is likely to disturb me for some time.

          I examine the walls, consider the most likely place to break through. The only section where I have some idea of thickness is the wall holding the doors. All the others could be arms-length deep as well as being underground. If I can make even small holes near the hinges or the lock, I may be able to open the door. I choose to try the lock. First, I grasp the black stone in both hands until it’s almost too hot to hold. Then I set it down and place both hands on the wall surrounding the lock. Slowly, slowly my palms sink in. I press as hard as I can but make only a thin indentation. I sigh and lean down to pick up the stone to warm my hands again. The stone has sunk into the floor, twice its own thickness, I can barely distinguish its rainbow shine. Quickly I pry it out so as not to lose it, hold it tightly again until it heats and then press the stone itself against the wall. It sinks through and strikes the metal of the lock. A few more applications and the door creaks open.

 

The Leather Books fantasy series (Queen of Fire, Child of Dragons, Companion of Eagles, Daughter of Earth) is available through the Saskatchewan Library system, for purchase online from SaskBooks, [Bookstore (skbooks.com)]on Amazon, or from booksserimuse@gmail.com. Book five, Time Dancer, is in the process of being written.