Page 21 of The Last Knight (The Cursed Kingdom #5)

Oscar greeted her with his usual air of supremacy seeming to complain about the visitors he’d not approved of. “You, sir, will have your dinner in here.” She ran her hand over the cat’s back, stopping when Oscar sat and glared up at her. Apparently, her petting skills needed work.

She deposited her tote on a wingback chair and strolled into the kitchen. “Hello all. It smells delicious in here. Who cooked?”

“I did,” Gwen lifted a hand with a fork in it. “We got hungry after…” She hesitated and glanced at Erin, who had the decency to look chagrined.

“After studying the three things we found yesterday.” Aubrey gave Erin what she hoped was an understanding look. Erin visibly relaxed.

Also in the room were Sabrina Campbell, Gwen’s sister, Tristan McRainey, Gwen’s husband and Gavin Campbell, Sabrina’s drop-dead gorgeous partner.

After opening a can of cat food and serving Oscar, she returned to the kitchen, her stomach rumbling in anticipation.

Aubrey plucked a plate from the two that were left on the edge of the kitchen island and began piling food onto it. “The only thing I ate today was a power bar. I am starving.”

She climbed onto the only empty stool and gratefully accepted a glass of wine from Erin. “So, what have you discovered?” Aubrey took a bite of the herbed chicken and almost swooned. Spearing green beans, she waited for someone to say anything.

“We do not think they are anything more than decorations,” Tristan said. “None of us picked up on there being any magic attached.”

“It could be there is nothing in this house. Or at least nothing any of us have found that is attached to the other realm,” Sabrina added.

Gavin lifted and lowered his broad shoulders and Aubrey swallowed to keep from drooling.

The man was inhumanly beautiful. “Perhaps the dagger Erin found was the one and only item. I am sure Gunther is pulling at straws in hopes of you finding something that will give him an opening to bring chaos to this realm,” he said.

“I felt something,” Aubrey blurted and instantly regretted it. Why had she said anything? “At least I thought I did.”

“What did you feel?” Erin asked, her curious gaze meeting Aubrey’s.

“When I held the dagger. It seemed to get heavier. Just a bit.”

Gwen gave a soft smile. “Sometimes when we allow our imagination free rein, it can happen. It was probably nothing more. Like Tristan said. We all touched each item, even spent time alone with them without occurrence.”

Padriag looked at Aubrey, his expression tense. “I tried myself. As you are aware, I still have a few magical powers. Other than sensing the passing of time, I didn’t get more. We were waiting for you to come home and try.”

“Me?” Aubrey wanted to tell them there was no need. A trickle of fear ran down her spine at the idea that if indeed the items were meant for her, she could be in danger.

“Not alone. We will all be with you,” Erin assured her.

“Where is Tammie?” Aubrey asked. “Why aren’t she and Niall here?”

“She’s not feeling well,” Gwen replied. “Poor thing has been sick to her stomach all day. Either a stomach bug or she’s pregnant.”

The men’s eyebrows hitched, whilst Erin and Sabrina grinned.

“I hope it’s the latter,” Aubrey replied.

As she finished her meal, which admittedly was the best food she’d had in a long time, Aubrey took her time drinking a second glass of wine.

“I’m ready,” she announced, letting out a long breath.

Was she really?

The air in the cellar was cool since they’d left the window open. Everyone shuffled in, forming a half circle in the crowded the space. The boxes upon which she’d left the wooden box had been moved to the center of a now cleared space. Aubrey walked to it, feeling a pull, as if the items beckoned.

“What should I do?” Aubrey asked, a slight tremble in her voice.

Gwen moved nearer. “Open the box and then take out each item. “Sabrina and I will speak a spell of beckoning.”

She wasn’t sure what Gwen meant by beckoning, but she didn’t bother asking. It was best to get it over with.

Hands over the box, she waited for the chants to begin and then she opened the lid. Inside the items looked to be innocuous. Nothing special, but like Tristan had stated, antique decorations.

First she lifted the bowl and held it. Nothing occurred, no sensations, no bright lights or shivers. Rather disappointing, while at the same time she was glad. When she lifted the pendant, her hand trembled a bit. Mainly because she hoped the creature wouldn’t suddenly materialize.

Again, there were no signs.

“I think you’re right,” Aubrey said, pulling out the dagger. “There is nothing magical about these items.” She held the dagger in one hand, and then the other.

There was no change to its weight, no lights, and certainly no glitter.

Aubrey placed the dagger and the pendant on the leather strap into the bowl. “I say we leave all of this be. You all have projects to do, and I have a soon-to-be very successful studio to run. Let’s put this all behind us and move on with our lives.”

Aubrey smiled at her cousin. “Let’s pack up all of this and leave it.”

She lifted the bowl and looked at the three items. Something about them gave her pause. Perhaps a part of her had wished for more, to be part of a great adventure like all the others in the room.

“Aubrey,” Erin’s voice held a tone of hesitance. “Put the bowl down.”

“I am putting it into the box. Then I really want to have another glass or two of wine.”

Silence.

“Seriously, I mean it when I say we need to leave this and move on. Nothing will happen. I am sure of it.”

Aubrey’s vision blurred, everything was going sideways.

She’d only had vertigo once, and it had been enough.

She’d not noticed any kind of nasal blockage, or her ears feeling clogged like the last time.

When she’d had it before, it had lasted about two weeks, and it had been miserable.

Nausea and dizzy spells had plagued her making it impossible to do much more than lay in bed and do her best not to throw up.

When the room seemed to right itself, she opened her eyes slowly, bracing for her stomach to protest. Her stomach held steady, and she felt no dizziness, Her vision had cleared everything coming into focus.

“What the…”

She held the bowl with the two items close to her chest and looked around.

The surroundings were completely unfamiliar, and she was alone.

She stood in the middle of a long corridor, stone walls on both sides, the floor seemed to be made of packed dirt.

Evenly spaced along the walls were iron sconces on which candles’ flames provided enough light to see.

The slight sway of the flames made for eerie shadows across the floor and up the opposite wall.

This wasn’t her house, Aubrey was sure of it.

Growing up, she and her father, sometimes with Erin along, had explored every inch of the property.

The attic, cellar, and even the shelter that had been dug out of the ground beneath the barn.

If something as large as her current surroundings existed, they would have found it.

At the sound of heavy footsteps coming closer, Aubrey ducked into a doorway and flattened herself against the door clutching the bowl closer to her chest. Try as she might to control her breathing, it was hard to do so as an ominous feeling filled her.

Something was horribly wrong. She felt it in her bones.

The footfalls continued past her, probably in the corridor that crossed at the end. With a shaky breath, Aubrey peered around the edge of the doorway. At the sight of who walked by, she gasped and ducked back praying with all her might they’d not heard her over the heavy stomps of their feet.

She’d never seen such a being. Muscular, with a thick neck and hairy skin, the creature was huge, well over six feet. They were creatures like those on the pendant she held.

Terror gripped her and a scream threatened. Aubrey pressed her lips together, and covered her mouth with one hand, the entire time gripping the bowl for dear life.

This had to be a nightmare. She’d passed out in the cellar and was now dreaming. That was the only explanation.

If it was a dream, the best thing she could do was to not panic. Yes, she was the heroine of her own action sci-fi movie. First thing heroes did was to find a place to hide that would give them access to communications.

Her legs threatened to fold as she took a few wobbly steps in the direction the creatures had gone. Hopefully, she could slip away in the opposite direction.

Moving slowly, she was glad that she was still in her yoga clothes, which would make it easier to move about. Her joggers were soundless against the flooring as she placed one foot in front of the other.

She’d almost reached the end of the corridor when the sounds of voices came from her right.

Whoever spoke did so in a language she didn’t understand.

Fluent in French, Spanish and Akan, the language of Ghana, which she’d learned from her mother, it was easier to decipher other languages.

This one sounded more guttural, and harsh.

Russian would sound melodic in comparison.

When one of the voices became louder, harsher, it sent Aubrey’s heart into overdrive. The thudding of her heart echoed in her ears, and despite herself, Aubrey was soon sure she’d die there.

Someone grabbed her from behind, one arm around her waist. The opposite hand covered her mouth and dragged her past a doorway and into a room.

“I’m going to let you go, do not make a sound. Do you understand?” a masculine voice with a strong French accent whispered in her ear.

Aubrey couldn’t stop shaking as she slowly nodded.

The man released her, and she turned to see a human male. He was tall and slender and wore a tunic and pants that were tucked at the ankles into leather boots. A bit older, she guessed perhaps mid-to-late forties, with silver-streaked brown hair and beard.

He reminded her of an old history professor she’d grown quite fond of in secondary school. That, in itself, made her feel a bit more at ease.

“What are you doing here? Who are you?” He pinned her with a curious expression.

“I have no idea why I’m here,” Aubrey replied and then looked around. “One moment I was in my house in Scotland and the next I was here.” Tears sprang to her eyes. “Where is this place? What are those creatures?”

The man motioned to a chair. “You are swaying, perhaps it is best if you sit.” When she did, he lowered to a chair opposite hers. Between them was what looked to be a small writing table, atop which were several scrolls of paper, a feather quill and a bottle of ink.

“I am called Phillippe, originally from France. I serve as the ruler’s scribe.” He looked to an arched door. “The throne room is through there, so keep your voice low.”

Aubrey looked past him to the door. Those creatures could be in there and she didn’t want to be anywhere near them. “I am Aubrey.” She swallowed, suspecting the answer, and wishing with all her might that this was a dream. “What is this place?”

For a moment Phillippe studied her. Then he stood and went to a sideboard upon which he moved two glasses closer, lifted a carafe and poured dark liquid into them.

He brought the glasses and placed them on the desk, after sweeping the scrolls aside. “Wine,” he clarified. “You will need it for what I must tell you.”

It could be poison for all she knew, at the moment, she wasn’t sure she cared. When Phillippe lifted his glass, she followed suit drinking at the same time. The wine was delicious, wonderful really. A mixture of dryness with just the right amount of sweetness. It was like no wine she’d ever tasted.

The drink had the desired effect, soothing her nerves just a bit.

“You are in the Dark Realm. It is ruled by Gunther, a human with strong powers.”

The Dark Realm. Aubrey felt her eyes widen.

“I must speak to Gunther. He will take me back home. I am sure of it.” She started to stand but hesitated when Phillippe lifted a hand.

“At the moment, it is not a good idea.” Once again, he glanced at the doorway. “It is not safe. Torants are in there.”

Torants . What in the world was a Torant?

“The creatures I saw?” Realizing she still clutched the bowl to her chest, Aubrey lowered it onto her lap and lifted the pendant. “These?”

Phillippe’s brow creased as he studied the pendant. “Precisely. How did you come about that item?”

“I found it in the cellar of my house.” Aubrey wondered why she was being so open with this man. For all she knew he was evil. After all, he seemed to live here. He’d admitted to being Gunther’s scribe. Why had Gunther never told anyone that there was another human in the Dark Realm?

“With those other items?” Phillippe studied the bowl and sheathed dagger.

“Yes,” Aubrey admitted, after all, she couldn’t very well give another explanation. “Do you know what the pendant is for?”

“I do not,” Phillippe replied. “It is curious that you hold a pendant with the depiction of a Torant.”

She had to agree. Nothing about what happened made any sense. But then again, since her cousin’s involvement with the release of the five knights, nothing had been ordinary. One strange occurrence after the other, so now, this was the latest.

“When can I speak to Gunther?”

Phillippe shook his head. “I do not know. I peered in earlier and, well, there was a disturbance in the air. When darkness falls, it is best to stay away. The appearance of it is deadly to most.”

The darkness. Did that mean, Gunther had released it within himself? If that was so, everything could potentially be lost.

She had to get the hell out of here.