Mist and Stone is the 18th book in the Charmed novel series and is written by Diana G. Gallagher.
The novel is set between Season 4 Episode 12 Lost and Bound and Season 4 Episode 15 Marry-Go-Round (Phoebe Halliwell is engaged to Cole Turner), indicating that it actually comes before Something Wiccan This Way Comes even though it was published afterwards.
Summary
Shadows of tomorrow
from the past are sown.
On shifting sands and sorrows,
veiled in mist or set in stone…
Paige Matthews is accustomed to the requirements of her job as a social worker, and she's willing to endure substandard pay, long hours, and emotional drain. After all, she wants to make a difference—sometimes in a non-Charmed capacity. But she is unprepared for the anger and rage she encounters in Todd Corman, a young boy who has been bounced from caregiver to caregiver for so long that he doesn't trust authority. Still, Paige is sympathetic and determined to break through.
But when Phoebe stops by the agency for a quick hello, she is rocked by a vision that involves Todd. Strangely, the vision is shrouded in fog. After some investigation, Leo explains that this particular mist has nothing to do with the weather, but rather suggests that Todd's fate may not be set in stone. Todd has been targeted, and if the Charmed Ones are going to reverse destiny, they're going to have to race against the clock!
Characters
Major
- Piper Halliwell: The eldest sister with the powers of Molecular Immobilization and Molecular Combustion.
- Phoebe Halliwell: The middle sister with the powers of Premonition and Levitation.
- Paige Matthews: The youngest half-sister with the powers of Telekinetic Orbing and Orbing.
- Leo Wyatt: The Charmed Ones' Whitelighter and Piper's husband. He has the powers of Orbing and Healing.
- Cole Turner: Phoebe's fiancé. He was known as Belthazor with the powers of Shimmering and Energy Balls before becoming human.
Support
- Todd Corman: A troubled 12-year-old boy and Future Darklighter. Phoebe receives a mist-and-stone vision upon touching him.
- Scar: A Darklighter intent on raising an army of Darklighters. His powers included Black Orbing, Voice Manipulation, Pyrokinesis, Apportation, Technopathy, and Invisibility.
- Ray Marino: Administrator of Bay Haven and Scar's henchman.
Minor
- Ian Gregory: A troubled kid at Bay Haven.
- Tyrell Weans: A bulky troubled kid at Bay Haven.
- Hadie: Todd's cat.
- Hank Marcos: A troubled kid, younger than Todd.
- Donald Ramsey: The recruiter at Reliable Temps who interviews Phoebe.
- Scott: Social worker.
- Sonny Hendricks: Sole tutor at Bay Haven.
- Leslie Gray: Visiting nurse and psychologist.
- Chuck: Bay Haven cook.
- Herman: Bay Haven handyman and gardener.
- Lila: Paige's co-worker.
Mentioned
- Jake Grisanti: The man who was accused of physically abusing his son.
- Carol Grisanti: Jake's wife, and the culprit of the abuse.
- Grisanti Son: Jake and Carol's son.
- Eames: The warlock who tried to wipe out Whitelighters.
- John and Lucy Grissom: Todd's former foster parents before they sent him back child services.
- Kari Corman: Todd's deceased mother.
- Brian Jamieson: Todd's father. He never knew he had a son until Paige told him.
- Kelly Jamieson: Brian's wife and Todd's stepmother.
- Billy: The male clerk at South Bay Social Services.
Magical Notes
Spells
To Fix a Copier
- Tweak the gizmos, gears, and plates
- so this machine will duplicate.
To Vanquish Scar
- Dark enemy of White Light,
- In a mist, where death is written,
- Not in time or in stone
- But in the fire cast by demon fist;
- Burn Darklight shadow, scar
- And blood and bone.
Potions
- Scar used an ancient potion to immobilize Paige. The potion's effects wore off faster than expected due to her being half-Whitelighter while it was more effective on full-blooded Whitelighters.
Powers
- Invisibility: Leo and Scar both used this ability to spy.
- Molecular Immobilization: Used by Piper.
- Molecular Combustion: Used by Piper.
- Premonition: Used by Phoebe to see Todd's future, including Paige and Leo.
- Levitation: Used by Phoebe to dodge fire.
- Orbing: Leo and Paige both used this ability.
- Telekinetic Orbing: Used by Paige.
- Apportation: Used by Scar.
- Shimmering: Used by Scar.
- Pyrokinesis: Used by Scar.
- Voice Manipulation: Used by Scar.
- Technopathy: Used by Scar.
Artifacts
- Book of Shadows: The Halliwell's tome of magic.
- Darklighter Crossbow: A Darklighter's weapon.
- Darklighter Arrows: A set of poisonous arrows to kill Whitelighters.
Notes and Trivia
- Future Darklighters are introduced in this novel.
- The incidents with Alec, the Spirit Killer, Eames, and Jake Grisanti were mentioned.
- The book's title is a reference to the mist-and-stone effect.
Glitches
- Paige is a social worker instead of an assistant.
- Paige has already learnt to orb elsewhere. This signifies that Cole is already the Source of All Evil.
- The sisters' trip to the 1700's is mentioned, but is falsely written as 1800's.
- Eames was mentioned to have killed his Darklighter with a knife, then took his power to obtain the ability to kill Whitelighters. In the episode, he simply killed the Darklighter with a Fireball and only used Darklighter Arrows to kill Whitelighters.
- Darklighters teleport through the use of Black Orbing, but in this novel, Scar's teleportation is Shimmering.