Arrows of Time - Kim Falconer [128]
‘Thank you,’ Kreshkali said. ‘We’ve been away for some time.’
The guard levelled his sword at her throat. ‘Drop the glamour, witch. You have not deceived me.’
Mistress?
It’s fine, Teg. Keep going.
A flash of silver caught the corner of her eye. ‘Rowan, don’t!’ she screamed.
An’ Lawrence’s reaction was instant. He had his sword drawn and the clash of steel rang over the hills. His unexpected uppercut had disarmed his opponent, but before he could follow through with a downward stroke to the man’s neck, Kali threw her hands into the air and released a blast of her own.
‘Consisto statim!’ she bellowed to the sky. Stop! Immediately! She repeated the words again underneath her breath. ‘Consisto statim. Consisto statim…’
Kali! What’s happened? Teg’s voice rang in her head, but she had no time to respond. She needed to defuse the situation before An’ Lawrence flayed their fastest way into the labyrinths beneath Treeon Temple in two.
A blue haze rose around her, like the curtains of the aurora borealis, the northern lights. It expanded until it was engulfing the guards in a glowing orb. Their motions were stopped, captured like a painting, a scene frozen in time. Only Kreshkali and An’ Lawrence were free to move about them.
Four of the horses were caught rearing like statues, their riders spurring them forward. The brandished swords were dull, slate-blue in the pulsing haze. Kreshkali slowly exhaled, keeping the spell in place as she stepped away from a horse inches from running her down. The animal was immobile, locked in a charge. The rider’s face was contorted, his sword arcing down towards her shoulders. An’ Lawrence stepped to the side as well, ducking under a striking hoof poised to cleave his head in two.
‘What were you thinking?’ she shouted at him, her face hot.
‘What was I thinking? I suppose you wanted me to let him split your head open?’
‘I had it under control.’
‘You had us plummeting towards the underworld, is what you had. He was going to use that blade, Kali. I just saved your life.’
‘And now we’re in a bigger mess,’ she yelled as she retrieved the captain’s weapon from the ground.
‘Bigger than death?’ An’ Lawrence asked. ‘You’re mad!’
Kreshkali looked at the guards; an eerie silence enveloped them along with the haze. A breeze caught the nearest horse’s mane. It floated like strands of seaweed in a tidal pool. Other than that, the scene was dead still.
‘This is not my idea of “roll over and let us be captured”, Rowan. What are we going to do now?’
Do you need me? Shall I come back? Teg’s voice entered her thoughts again. It sounded like he was running.
I’m not sure yet. We’ve had a little situation here. Give me a moment.
An’ Lawrence sheathed his sword. ‘How long will this last?’ he asked, tilting his head towards the motionless scene.
‘About thirty more seconds.’
‘Can you fog their recall?’
‘You don’t ask for much, do you? There’re six of them, and the horses.’
He raised his eyebrows.
‘I can manage it.’
‘Then jump on that palomino. Quickly! I’ll calm the horses as soon as they come to. You take care of the men.’ He vaulted onto a chestnut whose rider was standing up in the stirrups, leaning forward over his mount’s neck. He gently took the sword from the guard’s grip and sheathed it before nodding to Kreshkali.
She returned the captain’s sword to his scabbard and vaulted onto the palomino. The horse had her front hooves off the ground in a low rear, making it hard to stay seated. Sweat dripped from her brow. There were only seconds left.
‘Do it.’ An’ Lawrence waved her on.
With one hand gripping the mare’s mane, she spread her fingers wide, sending out a deep hum from the back of her throat. The sound built up, then, as if struck by lightning, the entire scene reanimated, the guards and horses bursting back to life. She wove her calming spell, mingling it with a mild confusion. The other horses came down from their wild rear and stopped short, jolting the riders before they could sink into their saddles. The palomino did the same,