“Um…sure.” he replied, slowly stretching out his hand for her to examine.
Erin grabbed his hand and turned it over and over, running her fingers across the design of the orb glowing softly in his skin. The feeling of her gentle touch on his hand sent shivers up David’s arm and down his spine. He had never had a girl hold his hand before.
“So…. your name is Erin?” David asked, trying to get his mind off the thought of this beautiful young woman holding his hand.
“Yes…how did…. oh, you must have overheard us talking earlier. Erin Alderan” replied Erin, still fixated on his orb hand. “Does it hurt?” she asked him.
“No…it doesn’t really feel like anything at all. If I couldn’t see it, I wouldn’t even know it was there” he replied honestly.
“So…David Bishop…where are you from? You clearly are not from around here.” she said bluntly, looking over his clothes.
“Umm…well, I’m not sure how I got here, really.” replied David, “But, I’m from an orphanage from…. far away from here” he said quickly, not sure how she would react to his story about the glowing glob transporting him from another world into her own.
“You do not know how you got here?” She asked skeptically, raising her eyebrow and looking at him with an intense gaze.
“Well, not really. You see….” David fumbled his words, grasping for any excuse he could find that would make enough sense to get her to stop looking at him so fiercely.
“I was knocked unconscious in the woods by the orphanage where I grew up, and when I woke up, I was in this great field and was chased by some big wolf-like creatures into the forest. I ran until I came here to this temple. I only came in here to hide, really…but then, I saw this orb. It was like I couldn’t help myself, like I was hypnotized or something.” he said, scratching his head.
His lie seemed to work, at least for now. She stopped looking at him and started pacing around apparently deep in thought.
She stopped suddenly, “Wait…you said you were chased by wolf-like creatures? Are you sure?”
David nodded quickly. He couldn’t get the image of those beasts out of his head if he tried, they terrified him.
“This is not good…not good at all” she said, pacing more frantically now.
“What –" David started to ask but was quickly cut off.
“We have to go see the Elders and tell them what you saw, tell them everything.” she said quickly, grabbing David’s hand and starting towards the exit.
Suddenly footsteps sounded from far down the corridor, capturing both of their attention.
“Hurry, you must hide!” Erin whispered. She grabbed David’s hand and ran to the back of the room, crouching behind one of the great pillars supporting the massive stone ceiling.
“Stay put, don’t come out until I tell you!” she said before quickly walking back to the center of the room and pretending to examine the now empty pedestal.
A group of soldiers clad in sword and armor briskly walked into the room led by a man with handsome, but dark, features. He was middle aged, perhaps in his thirties or forties, and carried himself with a sense of pride and arrogance that only comes with experience and power.
David almost cried out in shock. The man leading the company was the man from his vision!
Who is that guy? David wondered, trying to get a better look.
“Well, Erin” said the man, “have you found anything?”
“No, General, there is nothing to be found. I’ve searched everywhere.” Erin replied.
“Nothing at all, are you sure?” asked the man raising an eyebrow skeptically.
“Nothing. Whoever stole the Orb must have been extremely skilled and powerful.” she said, assuring him of her sincerity.
“Very well, you must return to the capital at once, it is no longer safe here. My men will search the surrounding woods for any signs of the intruder before reporting back to the king” said the man.
“Yes, General. I will go alert the Elders of the missing orb at once. I need a few moments to check one more thing before I go, I won’t be long. You need not worry about me; I know the way.”
“As you wish.” the man replied with a slight bow of his head. He turned and motioned for his men to exit before trailing behind.
Suddenly the man from the vision stopped and turned back towards the room, glaring fiercely. David watched as his eyes scanned the room. When he seemed satisfied they were alone, he looked suspiciously at Erin before turning and heading towards the exit and down the tunnel.
David stayed put for a moment longer, hoping his cover hadn’t been compromised, and giving himself time to steady his breathing.
Confident they were alone again, Erin walked over to where David was hiding.
“That was close. We have to get out of here and go see the Elder Council to let them know what has happened. I don’t think it wise to reveal your secret just yet, not until we speak to the Elders.”
“Erin, I have to tell you someth-” David started.
“We will have time to talk later, for now, we must go! Come, follow me!” She grabbed his hand again and quickly started toward the exit, carefully peeking around the corner to make sure no one was standing by the entrance, before heading down the tunnel.
After they exited the temple and saw they were alone, Erin led them across the clearing towards the opposite side David had come from to a simple path that cut through the woods.
David followed behind Erin as they walked quietly for some time through the dimly lit forest. The sun was gradually getting lower in the afternoon sky and the path would have been impossible to follow if it weren’t for the fact that Erin clearly knew where she was going. David trotted along beside his new
