Arrows of Time - Kim Falconer [174]
‘Rosette!’ Jarrod stumbled the last few steps towards her.
Grayson caught him and propped him up. ‘She’s with us. She’s back.’ His voice was mufled as tears streamed down his face. Jarrod’s eyes welled too. The Lupins began a haunting bay, a deep resonant chorus which Drayco joined.
‘Jarrod?’ Her voice lilted towards him. ‘I found it.’
‘What’s that, love?’
‘The way back in.’
He laughed. ‘So you did.’
Kreshkali caught him as he crumpled to the floor.
‘Are you all right?’ Rosette narrowed her eyes. ‘You look like you’ve been in a demon’s den.’
Jarrod smoothed her hair. ‘You would know more about that than me.’
‘Not really.’ She tried to get up.
‘Stay still,’ Kreshkali said, easing her back with a hand on her chest. ‘You need to wake up slowly. A warm bed, a cup of tea and some herbs to start with.’
‘Slowly?’ she said, though she didn’t resist. ‘I’ve already been asleep for…how long now?’
‘Too long,’ Hotha said.
She turned towards the beautiful voice. ‘Who are you?’
‘Don’t you remember?’
She frowned. ‘Los Loma?’ She looked at his hands. ‘You guided me. You’re Lupin. You’re Hotha!’
‘Memory’s intact,’ he said.
‘You took me prisoner and nearly killed my…’
‘All of them, it seems.’
‘Let’s get her to her room. You too, Jarrod. I want to check your heart.’
He didn’t argue.
‘Grayson, can you bring her? And Teg, come with me to the kitchens.’
Jarrod winked at Rosette. ‘I’ll see you in the morning?’
She smiled back. ‘You will.’
Selene and Shane supported Jarrod, one on either side, as he made his way out of the hall. An apprentice led them to the rooms that had been prepared, turning around frequently to check their progress. At the base of the stairs, Jarrod looked up and sighed. The spiralling steps leading to the second storey appeared to go on forever.
‘We’ve got you,’ Selene whispered in his ear.
Jarrod took a deep breath and stilled his mind, tracing the neuro-pathways that fired through his tulpa. The experience of physical difficulty surprised him; he wasn’t used to it. But he couldn’t quite get his mind past the electrocution. Not yet. Half of his brain cells seemed to be firing out of sync, the other half not firing at all. He needed to meditate, to suspend his tulpa and think himself back into perfect alignment. ‘Thanks,’ he said. ‘I’m fine now.’
‘You’re really amazing, Jarrod. You brought her back.’
‘We all brought her back.’
They started up the steps, taking them one at a time. The apprentice led the way to their apartment. Candles were burning on wrought-iron stands, casting a soft light in the hallway. She lit more in the other rooms.
‘I’ll send up some food and wine,’ she said. ‘And hot water. You’ll want to bathe?’ She looked hopeful.
‘Of course,’ Shane said. ‘That sounds grand.’
The apprentice nodded and disappeared.
‘I might just lie down,’ Jarrod said. He felt neither hungry nor particularly in need of a soak in the tub.
‘This way,’ Selene said.
There were two bedrooms and a lounge area with colourful rugs, overstuffed pillows and a low table. Their packs were lined up against the wall along with their weapons. The bedroom glowed, lit by a row of short candles on the sill. They threw a warm yellow light, filling the room with the scent of honey. The curtains were drawn back and a large quilt covered the bed. On the bookshelf was an oil burner, the sweet scent of lemon balm and ginger rising from the little pot. He closed his eyes, ready to pass out where he stood.
Selene pulled back the quilt as Jarrod sat on the edge of the bed, shrugging out of his clothes.
‘Let me,’ she said.
‘Thanks.’
She knelt in front of him and unlaced his boots, undid his buckle and pulled off his pants. She peeled him out of his shirt and he flopped down with a sigh.
‘I’ll be fine,’ he mumbled.
‘Get some rest,’ Shane said. ‘We’ll see you in the morning.’
Jarrod murmured his gratitude, but kept his eyes shut. Already he was sinking into a deep state of meditation—the electromagnetic amplitude