The voices around her grew angrier, less hungry.

"No right to interfere"

"You do not belong here with us"

"Return to your place"

"Cannot stop us"

Elinor kept her eyes shut, the voices passed by her without real recognition that something had changed. Her emotional state was at the point of blocking out everything.

"She is an innocent, you have no claim on her. I invoke the right of Sang de l'ame"

The voices screamed, so many cries of No! But she felt the hands tugging her from the pit.

Opening her eyes she saw a figure in the darkness at the other side of the room. Softly the darkness began to lessen, and she saw standing in the dirt and gore not another of the nightmare figures but a tall pale woman, clad in a long old fashioned gown. It was she who had spoken, she who had stopped the torment.

At least for the moment....