Chapter 6

Like the sensation that follows a bad dream, the one where you are being chased and can’t run fast enough, Erin slowly shook off the effects of having fainted. She felt a sharp pain in her lower back and a dry taste in her mouth as if something had burned close by. The smell of exhaust and gasoline hung in the air, as did that of burnt ozone.

The pain turned out to be a foot on which she was lying, and finally bringing her eyesight into focus, Erin wished she could have just slept a little longer. The scene that slowly swam into view was from another world. The mossy cave was still there, as were the horses and their knights, although none of them were currently mounted. Two or three of them appeared to have been injured, and the man in the blue cloak was moving among the wounded, offering a gentle touch or word. Focusing more closely, Erin discovered that the foot belonged to Richard, who in turn was lying in Megan’s arms. Tears slowly tracked down Megan’s face, and she didn’t seem to be able to do anything but rock Richard gently in her arms and croon to him. Richard was awake, or at least his eyes were partly open, and pain clearly etched his delicate features. A gentle touch on her arm startled Erin out of her reverie, and she turned to follow the hand to its owner.

“My lady” Emory said in gentle tones, “we really must be going now that you are awake”.

“What happened?” Erin croaked and then, clearing her throat of the bitter taste in the back, added, “What the hell happened?”

“You have had a trying few moments, My Lady, and we should be going.” Emory added with a nervous glance at a point in the distance that Erin could not see.

“I’m not moving one god-damned inch until someone tells me what is going on!” and as if in contradiction, Erin shifted to a sitting position against the car, which was somehow still in the cave scene, in order to remove Richard’s foot from under her back.

Megan looked up at the remark, then back down to Richard’s face, concern clear on her face.

Suppressing a grin at the force of the statement, Emory said, “I’ll make you a deal. We are not in a good position in which to carry out a protracted discussion, and I would prefer to seek shelter and care for your friends.” and he pointed toward Megan and Richard to indicate his concern. “His wounds are not major,” he said when Erin’s eyes opened wider in concern, “but I would as soon not stay here over long. If you agree to move to a safer place, I will attempt to answer your questions to your satisfaction.”