Page 9 of The Last Knight

While Padriag poured himself coffee, adding milk and sugar, Aubrey steeled herself. The conversation would bring back all that they’d recently been through to rescue Padriag from the other realm. It had only been a few months, and Padriag, as well as the other four rescued men, were still adjusting to the modern world.

“Something happened last night,” Aubrey blurted out and before they could respond she added, “Gunther was here.”

Stunned silence followed her announcement. Erin put her cup down and looked to Padriag, who frowned at Aubrey, then looked toward the doorway.

“Where exactly?” he asked.

“My bedroom. He appeared in the middle of the night, like a vampire, all dressed in black,” Aubrey told them. “Scared the crap out of me.”

Erin let out a long breath. “What did he want?” Did he threaten you?”

“What did he say?” Padriag said, his coffee forgotten as he waited for her to reply.

It took a moment for Aubrey’s recollection to unscramble from the dream. “He wants me to help him escape the other realm. He wants to come here to live. He said that if my family had the dagger, we may have something that can help him.”

Padriag’s expression hardened. “If he has Meliot’s evil within him, what he wishes to do is to come here and bring evil with him. Just like Meliot, he wants to expand the Dark Realm. You must never trust anything he says.”

“He left this,” Aubrey went to her work tote and pulled out the rock. Holding it out, she almost wished she hadn’t shown it to them. She really liked the token.

Padriag peered at the stone. “Those are plentiful in the other realm.” He didn’t seem interested in it, so Aubrey put it back in her tote.

“I will speak to the others,” Padriag finally said. “We may need you to come and describe all that happened. Can you come to the Dunimarle later today?”

Her day was filling up fast. “It will have to be later.”

“She can come with me when I pick you up,” Erin said giving Aubrey a worried look. “I pray it doesn’t mean we’ll be plunged into another crazy experience.”

Aubrey let out a humorless chuckle. “I am not sure about that. There is another thing.” She went on to tell them about the nightmares that had plagued her for several weeks.

“And so it begins ag…ain,” Erin said, giving Padriag a worried look.

Padriag nodded. “I am sure he cannot come of his own will, otherwise he wouldn’t be asking for help. That is a good thing.”

Aubrey wasn’t sure that at the moment, anything could be described as ‘good.’