Page 36 of An Unlikely Knight

But the walls of the tunnel moved closer.

“Oh my god, it’s closing,” Aubrey yelled. “Go faster.”

“Don’t have to tell me twice,” Erin pushed her car to the limit and raced forward until coming to a screeching stop when emerging on the other side. Dunimarle stood before them, whole and untouched.

Three couples, Gwen and Tristan, Niall and Tammie and Sabrina and Gavin, were grouped together.

With the car still rocking from the abrupt stop, Erin threw open the door and ran straight for the collapsing tunnel.

“Padriag!”

Strong arms caught her before she could get anywhere near the mists and lights, lifting her off the ground as easily as if she weighed nothing.

“You cannot go any closer. You will be injured. Padriag is unharmed.”

The deep, familiar voice caught her by surprise.

It was Niall MacTavish.

She fought against his grip, twisting violently. “How do you know?”

Niall’s grip tightened. “We have been recipients of Padraig’s power.” His voice was steady “It was quite unpleasant.”

The tunnel convulsed. Its energy spiraled inward, collapsing in on itself until nothing remained but the mist.

A shadow emerged.

Electric tendrils still crackled around him, flickering against the night. Padraig stumbled forward, the last of the lightening that surrounded him fading, his steps unsteady.

Erin sagged with relief.

The tunic, looked to be singed on the hem and edges of the sleeves. His face was covered in soot and hair stood on end. Still, Padriag managed a wide grin and held his arms out as if preparing to take flight. “Am I superhero material or what?”

His knees buckled, body sagged, and then he flopped, face-first, into the grass.

“Or what,” Niall muttered, striding forward as the other two men rushed to Padraig’s side.

Erin took a step forward, but a hand on her arm held her back.

“Come inside, we’ll see to him there,” Gwen said. “Tristan said he could pass out. Apparently, when he expends that much energy, it depletes him, but it doesn’t last long.”

The men hurried past carrying Padriag and they followed.

Just before entering, she looked over her shoulder. The mists were evaporating, slowly fading until all evidence of it was gone.