The Dreaming: Dark Star (Book 5)

Imorah finds Liran

She heard Jennifer leaving the chamber, still talking to herself. "Imorah?" the woman called out.

Imorah breathed a sigh of relief and slipped down into the passage below. She crawled quietly back to the chamber where she knew Liran to be lying, unconscious. Her body moved with fluid grace in the darkness, like a cat.

Jennifer was far away, still calling Imorah's name up above.

"Liran," Imorah whispered, shaking him softly. "Liran."

He groaned and Imorah prayed silently and squeezed his hand. Please Great Guardian, heal Liran with your love. "Liran," she whispered. "Wake up."

Liran groaned again. "What..." he stuttered. "What's happening? Where am I?"

"Shhh..." Imorah whispered. "Jennifer shot you."

"What?" he exclaimed and sat up. "Where am I? Why can't I see anything?"

"Shh!" Imorah said more forcefully. "She's still here and she's looking for me!" Imorah strained to hear something, but there was no sound of Jennifer anymore. Maybe she'd left? "Come, can you get up?"

He was groggy and weak, unable to stand.

"Okay. Just breathe and rest a minute. She probably won't come back down here."

"What happened?" Liran asked.

"Jennifer shot you and stole Phiona."

"What?! She was here?"

"Shhh.... Yes, she still is here. She's looking for me outside. She might come back down here," although Imorah somehow doubted it.

"She took PHiona?"

"Yes," Imorah whispered.

"Damn," Liran cursed. Then, "Maybe it's for the best. That damned robot never brought me anything but trouble."

"Except Phiona knew the way to the City."

"Damn!" Liran repeated. "I forgot about that." And after a minute. "Why is she looking for you?"

"She wants me to lead the rebellion. She wants me to come with her to the City."

"Why didn't you go with her?" Liran asked.

"I don't know. I don't think she's stable. She was... She seemed kind of crazy."

Liran was quiet in the dark for a while, then he said, "I think I can get up now."

"Okay, there's a room close to here."

"Yeah, the lab, I know. You found it?"

"You knew about that? Why didn't you tell me?" She felt Liran shrug in the darkness as she helped him stand up.

"I didn't know what to make of all this and whether I would help you," he answered honestly.

Imorah blushed in the darkness, suddenly aware that she had her arms wrapped around him. They were hobbling over to the passageway. "And now?" she asked.

"And now what?" Liran echoed, confused.

"And now do you know whether you want to help me?"

Liran was silent.

"Here, we're here," Imorah said, changing the subject. "The tunnel is right here in front of us."

"How do you know that?" Liran asked. "I'm blind as a bat. I can't see a thing."

Imorah shrugged, and crouched down, helping Liran orient himself. She took his hand, and put it on the lip of the tunnel. "You go first," she said.