Come back,
she said in a softer tone.
She’s on her way.
Kreshkali took a deep drink of water. ‘Well on her way…’
Her hand rested gently on Rosette’s sword and she smiled, admiring the exquisite simplicity of the design.
Rosette blasted through the entrance with Jarrod and Drayco beside her, the wind jolting her like an icy slap. She dropped Jarrod’s hand and spun around, calming her mind and beginning a summons. The wind picked up, whisking snow from the overhang, revealing the stones that held the archway in place. She noticed they were carved with runes and figures, just like the ones deep in the bowels of the mountain.
‘Not for long.’
As she wove her spell, the stones and rocks began falling, one by one, gaining momentum as she chanted. Soon she brought the whole rock face down. Ice broke off in sheets and a roaring welled up from the ground. It travelled through her legs and up her spine. She clenched her teeth to stop them from rattling.
Too much!
Nell called from the body of the falcon.
You’re tearing apart the whole mountain.
‘Avalanche!’ Jarrod shouted, his words barely discernible above the cracks and groans.
Rosette froze, watching the wall vibrate.
Nell landed beside her and shifted, screaming, ‘Get out of here!’ She clapped her hands together. ‘Now!’
Rosette started to run down the trail, but Nell grabbed her arm, jerking her back. ‘This way.’ She pulled her in the opposite direction.
Rosette ran hard. She couldn’t hear the snow crunching under her boots or the sound of her breath as she gasped for air. There was only the rip and shatter of rock and falling shale. She charged around the side of the mountain and up towards the summit plateau, Drayco at her side. Climbing the last stretch hand over hand, Rosette pulled herself up to stand at the edge of the clearing. She could feel Jarrod’s chest rise and fall
beside her and Nell’s bare hand holding her own. Drayco leaned into her leg, tail lashing.
Half the western face of Los Loma swept by—snow, rock and rubble. It rushed past, a furious stream of ice, towards the forests below. Fingers of white powder shot up from the depths like massive geysers and the ground trembled underfoot. The sound of snapping trees and branches tore through the air. Rosette backed up, pulling the others with her towards the centre of the plateau. Boulders the size of cabins tumbled past, then smaller ones, diminishing into gravel, shale and the odd sheet of ice. Finally, all went quiet. The trail was gone and so was much of the mountainside.
Ravens cawed from behind them and took flight. The Three Sisters surveyed the damage, scolding as they flew over Los Loma.
‘Fine spell, Rosette,’ Nell said, brushing snow from her arms and shaking it from her hair. ‘Just a tad strong, though, don’t you think?’
‘A tad,’ Rosette agreed. Her jaw clenched. ‘Your timing was good, Nell, or should I call you something else?’ Rosette raised her eyebrows as she crossed her arms.
‘This sounds like it could be a long conversation,’ Jarrod said. ‘Maybe we’d best save it for later. I’m guessing the Lupins have other passages out of the caverns. We won’t be safe for long if they follow.’
‘Kreshkali isn’t very happy with me,’ Rosette said. She was about to say more, but she eyed Jarrod instead, taking him in properly for the first time. ‘You got tall.’
‘I did.’
They stared at each other until Nell cleared her throat. ‘So you met Kreshkali?’
‘Yes, I met her. She’s very…unusual.’
‘I know,’ Nell said, her eyes levelled on her daughter.
Rosette matched her gaze then shook her head. She turned to Jarrod, where she met an equally intense stare. ‘I can’t deal with either of you right now,’ she said, reaching out for Drayco.
‘Understandable,’ Nell said after a pause. ‘I’m going on ahead. I’ve been away from Scylla and she’ll need her dressings changed.’
‘Are they all right?’ Rosette asked.
‘The feline’s lacerated and An’ Lawrence has a ripper of a headache still. They’ll both recover. I’ll meet you at the cave.’
‘We’ll take the long way down,’ Jarrod said. ‘Unless you’re going to fly?’
‘I don’t actually do that yet,’ Rosette said.
‘Really?’ He looked at the mountain peak she’d just turned to dust. ‘I can’t imagine why not.’
She gave him a fleeting smile and headed across the plateau towards the copper-chestnut mare. Nell shape-shifted, disappearing into the clouds, the Three Sisters darting off after her.
R
osette braced her hands on her knees, catching her breath. Drayco leaned against her side. ‘Is this day ever going to be over?’
We don’t have far to go.
That’s good news, Dray.
‘Water, please,’ she asked Jarrod.
He stopped, pulling the water-skin down from the saddle. He was leading the mare, the trail too unpredictable for them to ride. ‘It’s not much further.’
She smiled before she pressed the spout to her lips. ‘So Drayco tells me.’ She drank long and deep. ‘I’m glad you remember the way, Jarrod. It was blowing a blizzard the first time I came through. Couldn’t see a thing.’
‘It wouldn’t have mattered. That spell of yours rearranged the whole mountain. The trail’s virtually gone.’
They circled around a boulder wedged directly in their path.
‘I stopped the Lupins, so don’t complain.’
Jarrod waited for her to catch up as the path broadened. He took her hand and gave it a squeeze. ‘Wouldn’t dream of it.’
The sun dropped low and shadows stretched over the trail. It narrowed again, the rocks and boulders taking on the appearance of stone giants with menacing stares. She hurried, only to slip on the icy path. The descent was getting tougher. Rock and rubble blocked their way, forcing them to detour close to the sheer cliffs. There were sudden drop-offs and rifts, and it was getting colder.
Her heart was pounding when they reached the cave. Once inside she headed straight for the fire, pulling off her gloves and warming her hands close to the flames. Nell was by the stone hearth, stirring a pot that bubbled above the hot rocks. Jarrod settled his mare. When he returned to the fire, he didn’t take his eyes off her.
‘We’ve got a lot of catching up to do,’ Jarrod said as he sat next to Rosette, close but not touching. ‘So much has happened.’
‘It has,’ she answered.
Neither said any more.
‘You must be starving!’ Nell broke the silence. ‘When did you last have a meal, either of you?’
‘Actually, Kreshkali gave me a fabulous dinner last night, or this morning. Whenever it was.’ She sniffed towards the pot. ‘That smells good, though.’
‘You dined with Kreshkali? How gracious of her.’ Nell didn’t make it sound particularly gracious.
‘She left it for me—incredible, really—warm bread and honey, meat in a spicy sauce and this brilliant red fruit.’ She reached into her pocket, feeling for the seeds.
‘Did she talk?’
‘Not then. She didn’t stay. Said she had things to do.’
‘I’ll bet she did.’ Nell kept her eyes on the pot.
‘What happened down there?’ Jarrod asked. ‘What did Kreshkali want?’
‘I’m more curious about how you got away,’ Nell added.
Rosette thought about where to begin, aware of the sleeping figures of An’ Lawrence and Scylla on the other side of the fire. When she’d finished her account, both Nell and Jarrod were staring at her.
‘What did Kreshkali say to you exactly about Passillo? You brushed over that part.’ Nell’s eyes were piercing.
‘Hang on. I have some questions of my own first.’ Rosette turned to Jarrod, noticing his hand in the firelight. It was cut and caked with dried blood. ‘What happened?’
‘I fell on a piece of black rock. It’ll heal in no time.’
Nell shot him a glance. ‘I’ll get the med-kit,’ she offered.
Jarrod rolled up his sleeve and gritted his teeth as Nell cleaned the gash.
‘Let’s have your questions, Rosette,’ she said while dressing the wound. ‘We have to get this over with sooner or later, and the sooner the better.’
‘Do you think so?’ Rosette lifted her eyes. ‘Then I’d like to know how you define “sooner”. It’s been two decades since you had me. “Soon” just doesn’t seem to apply.’
Nell stared at her daughter. ‘Is there a specific question in there?’
Rosette hissed an exhalation.
‘How is he?’ She jerked her head towards An’ Lawrence, her brow knitted tight.
‘I’ve spent many years being angry at him, Rosette,’ Nell replied as she packed the medicines away. ‘Are you picking up where I left off?’
‘Maybe.’
‘Any particular reason?’
‘Oh, let me think. He lied to me, wove a total deception. He tricked me into this adventure with the
Lupins and Kreshkali without having any idea what he was getting us into.’
She stopped short, eyeing Nell. ‘But you had an idea, didn’t you? You knew all along where Passillo was.’ She turned back to the fire, her jaw tight. Silence filled the cave.
‘What are you afraid of, Rosette?’
The question came from the furs on the other side of the fire. An’ Lawrence was struggling to stand, Scylla on wobbly legs beside him.
‘Sword Master?’ Jarrod and Nell went to his side.
‘How’s the head?’ Nell asked.
‘Still seeing double. I’m going to skin those Lupins alive if I ever see them again.’
Nell checked his pupils. ‘You still have a concussion. Lie back.’
‘Gladly, but first we need to go for a little walk.’ He nodded to Scylla.
They helped him steady his familiar and walk her towards the entrance. Before going out, he turned to Rosette. ‘Did you at least manage to keep track of your sword?’
Rosette’s hand went automatically to her side. She pressed her lips together. ‘Actually, I didn’t. I suspect I lost it because someone tried to make a trade that was very poorly thought out.’
‘Poorly thought out? If you had been honest with me about your origins from the start, I wouldn’t have brought you here.’
‘Honest about my origins? Who are you to talk!’
‘I’ve never pretended to be someone I’m not,’ he shouted back at her.
‘Pretended? I thought I knew my blood origins until you and Nell decided to confess! Come to think of it, you know more about my origins than I do. You and
Nellion Paree of the Dumarkian Woods.’ She glared from one parent to the other.
‘Enough.’ Nell held out her hand. ‘There’s some explaining to do, I’ll admit, but it won’t help to bicker. We’ve real enemies, and they take priority over these petty grievances.’
Rosette’s mouth dropped open. ‘Petty grievances?’
‘On a universal scale? Yes. Petty.’
Rosette snapped her jaw shut and turned away. She stared at the fire. Jarrod wrapped his arm around her shoulder and she nestled into his side. ‘How did you find me?’ she whispered to him.
‘That’s a long story,’ he said, pushing back her braids and kissing her cheek.
She smiled for a moment and turned his face so she could kiss him full on the lips. ‘I’m looking forward to hearing the details.’
Are we going to tell stories all night, or are we going to eat something? I wasn’t invited to Kreshkali’s amazing dinner, like some of us, and I am definitely hungry, even if you lot are not.
Jarrod laughed.
‘Dinner’s coming,’ Rosette purred to her familiar before catching Jarrod’s eye. ‘What are you smiling at?’
‘He’s a funny one, Drayco the Black.’
‘He is, but what makes you say so?’ She didn’t wait for a reply. She found a bowl and ladled it full of stew, setting it before her familiar. ‘It’s hot, Dray,’ she said, stroking his back before returning to Jarrod.
I like it hot, Maudi!
‘I know you do.’
Jarrod chuckled and looked from one to the other. ‘He does like it hot.’
‘What? Did you hear him?’
‘I guess I’m tuned in now.’
‘Since when?’
‘Since inside the mountain. It was the only way to communicate in the dark. You know, with the Lupins everywhere, and…’
‘I know. I was there.’
Can you hear this?
She sent the words silently.
He didn’t look up. He just sat, bewitched by the fire.
He needs more practice,
Drayco said.
It’s like he’s speaking underwater sometimes.
‘As if you would know what that was like,’ Jarrod said without turning his head.
‘How were you able to do it?’ she asked Drayco. ‘You’ve never spoken to Nell and she was there from the beginning. You said you could only speak to me.’
Would, not could. There’s a difference.
‘Apparently he recognised me from your dreams,’ Jarrod said with a soft smile.
Rosette blushed. ‘My mind goes where it will at night…’
‘You don’t have to explain. I’ve had dreams too.’
I had to link to him, Maudi. Otherwise we would never have found you. He’s quite blind in the dark, even with a torch. Interesting mind, though. Not what I expected. Did you realise he was…
‘Smart? Oh yes, I know. And thanks,’ Rosette said, reaching over to stroke Drayco’s head.
‘You’re welcome.’
‘Oh, Jarrod. I meant
thanks
to Dray for linking with you to help me.’ She leaned into him. ‘You have my total appreciation as well. I can’t believe the timing. It’s like you waited until I needed you the most.’
She filled another bowl for Jarrod. As she placed it in his hands, she leaned in and kissed his neck, not letting go of the bowl until he turned his face to hers.
Are you going to be kissing each other all the time now?
Drayco asked, licking his chops after finishing his meal.
That could be fun,
Rosette answered.
Jarrod smiled up at her.
You weren’t like this with the bard.
He’s not him, is he, Drayco?
‘Who’s the bard?’ Jarrod asked.
‘Clay. A friend,’ she answered, filling her own bowl and taking a huge bite.
Nell, An’ Lawrence and Scylla joined them by the fire, eating without conversation. Their faces glowed with thoughtful expressions in the orange light. Rosette didn’t know where to begin with her questions. Every time she formulated one it came attached with so much emotion that she couldn’t squeeze it into a coherent sentence.