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Chapter Twenty-one
Benjamin lay back on the grass, hands under his head. I studied a patch of rhododendrons that were blossoming out into huge, fuchsia flower heads. Morio stretched out and put his head in my lap, as if we were just spending a quiet afternoon, sitting near my "cousin."
"A year ago," Benjamin softly said, "I was out near Mount Rainier. I was on a day hike by myself. I traveled up past Goat Creek—something was urging me to go that way, so I did. I left the trail and headed in toward Misery Rock when I saw the cave."
My ears pricked up, and I darted a quick glance in his direction, then went back to stroking Morio's forehead and focusing on the flowers. "You said you found this cave out past Goat Creek?" That was near Smoky's place—a few miles into the wilderness beyond the house and barrow.
"Yes," he murmured. "I stumbled onto it. There was nothing marking it on the map. The opening was covered with moss and vines, and I pulled them aside and went in. It felt… something felt weird. Like I'd just stepped into a different dimension or world. I can't explain it, but maybe you can understand."
Oh, I understood all right. A portal—it had to be a portal.
Which meant he'd either traveled into Otherworld, or perhaps a different realm.
"Go on ," I whispered.
"The cave was filled with crystals in all shades of green and purple and blue and red. Some were as big as me, jutting out of the ground and down from the ceiling. I was starting to get afraid. I know we don't have caves like that here in Washington State. I thought about leaving, but… it was too beautiful. I had to continue."
I closed my eyes. Curiosity killed a lot of cats, especially the two-legged kind. "You were lucky, Benjamin. To get out of there alive. What did you find?"
He pulled a long blade of grass and began playing with it, tying it in knots and running the edge along his finger till a drop of blood glistened as it oozed out of his thumb. "There was a sword there—in the center of the cave. And I saw a woman trapped inside a giant stalagmite of quartz. I tapped on the crystal, but she didn't seem to hear me. So I picked up the sword…" Faltering, he tossed away the stem and pulled another. His words were shaky, and he looked like he felt queasy.
"Are you okay?" Morio asked, his eyes still closed.
Ben cleared his throat. "I don't know. Every time I speak—or even think—about the sword, it makes me sweat."
"What did it look like? And was it stuck in a stone?" I prayed we didn't have some weird cross rip in space leading us into Avalon, but then again—what would Avalon be doing here?And Arthur had been a man, not a woman.
"The sword… the sword…" Benjamin sounded like he wanted to cry. His eyes were flashing a dangerous color, and I softly raised my gaze, checking to see if the attendants had noticed us. But we were in luck. They were focused on another group of patients who had gotten into a bit of a scuffle over what looked like a game of bocce. I wanted to hurry him, but I had the feeling that any sort of pushing would backfire and send him spiraling into a fit. Or silence.
After a moment, he let out a small sob. "The sword was resting on a crystal platform—like a small table. It's silver, with an amethyst in the hilt—a big one. I picked it up and felt something trying to pry open my mind—it was like a mass of feelers peeling open my skull—"
The spirit seal. The amethyst had to be the spirit seal.
He jumped up then. "I need to walk. You walk a few steps behind me, and look at the scenery."
We obeyed, trailing hand in hand together behind Benjamin, who nervously fidgeted his way down the path. As we crossed from a stand of oaks to a stand of willows, the attendants shot us a look. I waved my hand, smiling wide. They nodded and went back to untangling the argument between the lawn bowling fanatics.
After a couple of minutes, Ben leaned against one of the trees, and I parked myself at a nearby picnic table. Morio dropped to the grass next to me.
"You'll think I'm crazy," Benjamin said. "Or maybe not. Or maybe I really am nuts and should stay locked up here forever. I picked up the sword, and it felt like… like I could understand everything there was to know, if I tried hard enough. It was as if my mind opened up and started soaking in knowledge and images. But then the floor started to move, and I realized that I was in the middle of a cave during an earthquake. I dropped the sword and ran. It took me a while to find my way out."
He hung his head, scuffing the ground. "By the time I got to my car, I couldn't remember how to drive. I was too confused. Everything seemed so different, and I couldn't figure out if I'd dreamed the whole episode or if it had been real. I tried to call my mother, but my cell phone didn't work."
"Were you okay?" I wondered what would happen if we took our cell phones home to OW. Would they fry going through the portal? Menolly and I'd left ours home when we went back to Aladril.
"Not really. I started walking down the highway, and a state patrol officer picked me up and took me to the hospital. He thought I was stoned. The hospital said I was in shock. I went to sleep after they gave me five different sedatives. That was the first night I dreamed about the demons."
The look that swept over his face transformed him. In a matter of seconds, he went from troubled young man to terrified victim looking for an escape route. What the hell had happened? Had the spirit seal triggered off the dreams? And what about the expansion of consciousness?
As I kept him in my peripheral gaze, I began to notice a faint shimmer in his aura. I usually didn't notice people's auras—not unless I was trying. But there was something more to Benjamin's energy. Something that sparkled and moved in a way that—holy hell.>"I think I prefer Otherworld," I said. "Although Court and Crown life has its own bigotries and social pressures."
Scowling, he shook his head. "White bread—white bread without flavor keeping the status quo. That's pretty much what this place is all about. I've no doubt they have qualified professionals on staff, but I also have the feeling they strive for conformity over happiness."
I looked around. There were several sitting areas, some of which had patients watching television or doing needlework. Some were just staring into space. A curving staircase, when I peeked up at the grand ceiling, led to a second floor, which looked like it held more of the professional offices.
From where we stood, it wasn't clear where the patients were housed, but logic would argue that the residence halls were in the back where the guests wouldn't immediately see them. That way if someone got out of hand, it wouldn't disrupt visitors or the placid, serene facade with which they'd plastered the entire institution.
The checkin area had a blush-colored marble countertop and the sign-in book was manned by a silver pen on a chain. The only disparity that reminded me we weren't registering at the Hilton was the bulletproof glass that encased the front desk. As we approached, the pink-clad receptionist jumped up and met us at the counter with a brilliant smile.
