Arrows of Time - Kim Falconer [74]
‘I wish it were that simple. He’s more than that.’
‘I find it’s never simple with men.’ Nell smiled. ‘Tell me about this “more than a beau” Jarrod.’
Rosette took a deep breath. ‘When I met him, he was the boy next door. After my family was murdered, I found out he was a quantum sentient, created by our ancestor Janis Richter, and linked to the females of our family line through the splices in our DNA.’
Nell made an impatient noise. ‘Have you been nibbling the golden-tops, girl? I understood the first half. Disgusting business with your family. Sorry to hear it. But I lost you after the word quantum. Care to try again?’
Rosette rubbed her temples. She sensed for an instant that she was revealing much more than she’d intended, but the thought vanished as quickly as it had arrived. ‘We come from another world, another time, Drayco and I. Jarrod too. Centuries ago, a woman named Janis Richter developed a quantum computer that attracted consciousness. When his existence was threatened, he projected his awareness into a tulpa body and travelled the corridors to Gaela.’
‘Missing most of it except that he’s here now. Is that right?’
‘I don’t think so. Not this Gaela. A different one.’
‘Past or future?’
‘Neither, both.’ She shook her head. ‘I don’t know. Just different.’
‘And that’s where you met him?’
Rosette nodded, a smile lifting her face. ‘We grew up together in Lividica. Before…’ Her face darkened.
‘Before things changed and I ran away to live with you—the you in my world—only there was no Dumarkian Temple then. It was an ancient ruin, destroyed in the Corsanon wars.’
‘Corsanon?’ Nell chuckled. ‘Corsanon couldn’t sponsor a flea market, let alone a full-scale war. They hardly rate a speck on the map—it’s a dust bowl that grows a few scrawny sheep. Some nice horses, though…’ She searched Rosette’s face. ‘What’s your connection to this Jarrod now?’
‘My DNA. I carry the key-codes to his operating determinants.’
Giving away the farm there, aren’t you, Maudi? What’s going on?
She has a right to know.
You didn’t think that before. Maudi, she’s spelled you! Get out!
Rosette rubbed her neck; pains were shooting through her head.
‘What are you saying, girl?’ Nell was still talking. ‘It makes no sense to me.’
Rosette wanted to run away, but couldn’t make her legs respond.
‘It’s like this,’ she said, unable to stop. ‘I hold his life in my blood. Our whole family line does. Which means you do too. And the portals…’
Nell’s eyes narrowed. ‘Tell me about them!’
Rosette drew in a breath, ready to reply, when a gong reverberated through the temple chambers. The sound waves rattled her eardrums. Just as suddenly as the echo faded, the pain in her head stopped. A spell had been lifted, and she wasn’t pleased. She kept her face a mask.
‘Demons,’ Nell said under her breath. ‘It’ll have to wait.’ Nell cleared her throat. ‘It’s afternoon meditation,’ she said. ‘Come with me.’
‘I’d like to be excused, if I may. I want to find…’
Nell gripped her shoulder and guided her out into the walkway. ‘No one misses afternoon meditation,’ she said, her voice low and even.
Rosette allowed Nell to guide her to the breezeway, feigning cooperation. The path led from the private quarters to a communal hall. The cooler air brushed her face with the scent of mountain streams, horses and fresh-cut herbs. Robed figures were flowing out of rooms and filling the walkways, many flanked by magnificent temple cats, all heading towards the main hall. If she was going to slip away, it would have to be now.
She started to lag behind as more and more apprentices filled the walkway, their shoulders brushing hers as they passed, heads nodding as they made small comments—her sword demonstration was superb, her hair a glorious length, where did she get the temple cat tattoo? Rosette smiled at each remark, answering in soft tones, double-checking that her mind shield was firmly in place. Feeling secure, she wove an imperceptibly subtle spell, diverting attention and thought away from her—a glamour that diluted her appearance. Slowly she became all