Ruins of Camelot by G. Norman Lippert

Author:G. Norman Lippert [Lippert, G. Norman]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 1467966193
Amazon: B006GJQWJW
Publisher: Aleron Books
Published: 2011-11-22T05:00:00+00:00

Exhaustion eventually overtook her.

It caught up to her as she crossed a large plate of rock, scoured of grass and cracked like an enormous platter. She stumbled to one knee, panting, and simply could not get up again. She remained there, one hand and one knee pressed to the cold stone. After a minute, she sank fully to the ground, hugged her pack like a pillow, and huddled there against the wind.

She slept. And dreamt.

Warmth covered her slowly. It buzzed in her joints, soothing her soreness. For what seemed like a long time, she simply lay there and soaked in that pleasant, calming warmth. It was a familiar sensation. It was, in fact, sunlight.

Gabriella opened her eyes slowly without getting up. The rocky shelf was awash with golden sunbeams. The rays stroked her cheek. A soft breeze combed the nearby grass and lifted her hair. It smelled like heather. Gabriella pushed herself upright and looked around. The steppe was transformed by the cheery sunlight. What had earlier seemed desolate and barren now seemed merely quiet and strangely expectant.

The change was very welcome, as was the accompanying shift in her attitude. The creeping dread was replaced by a solemn tranquillity. Everything, she felt with calm certainty, was going to be all right. Her mission, whatever it had been, suddenly didn't seem to matter any more. Of course it didn't. The disaster (whatever it was) had been averted. The horrors had been made right. The Little Prince would be fine, as would Sigrid, and Father, and even—

Darrick.

He was still alive. And so was Rhyss. They were coming to meet her.

Elation filled Gabriella, and she leapt to her feet. Her face was flush with overwhelmed delight as she looked all around, shading her eyes with her hand, breathlessly hoping that she might see them already. The sun-washed Barrens shushed all around, empty for miles in every direction. Neither Darrick nor Rhyss were anywhere in sight.

That was all right too. Gabriella dropped her hand and sighed deeply, happily. The suspense of Darrick and Rhyss's coming was a joy in itself. She would savour it and wait for them there on her expanse of cracked, white rock. Funny how she had come to think of it as her rock, and yet it made sense. This was where her greatest loves would find her. They would seek her here, and here only, for it was a magical beacon to them. Until they came, it would be her home. She would wait patiently, expectantly.

Someone else was coming as well, someone whose voice she had almost, but not quite, forgotten, someone whom she had missed far longer than the others. Someone who would hug her, and cradle her, and sing her songs. Her mother. She would be there soon. The mere thought of it brought tears of joy.

There was a noise, a rustling behind Gabriella. Darrick was there! He had arrived! He was coming out of the grass behind her, smiling with love, holding out his arms to embrace her.

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