Arrows of Time - Kim Falconer [8]
‘You’re not hungry?’
‘Maybe. Just something I need to check.’ Her head came up when he chuckled. ‘What?’
‘You’ve come home, haven’t you?’
She glanced down the hallway and back to him. ‘As close as I’ve ever been.’
‘What spell are you brewing, Kali? You’ve got that look…’
She returned to examining the letter. ‘Pardon?’
‘Never mind,’ he said. ‘I’m checking out this side.’ His heels clicked across the tiles as he headed towards the left wing. Scylla sneezed again and followed him, her soft pads not making a sound though they left prints on the dusty rugs.
Kreshkali slipped the letter into her pocket. Isn’t that just interesting! They thought of everything. She strode down the hall, looking into the rooms that branched out on either side of the long corridor. There was a massive dining hall that seated over one hundred, the long tables and high-backed chairs buried under a heavy covering of dust but otherwise sound. She swiped the dusty table with her finger to reveal the gleam underneath, a rich oak finish. The grain swirled like a waterway, creating beautiful patterns in the wood. Exquisite. She’d never seen a wooden table on Earth before, let alone one so large. The last had been made—and destroyed—before she’d been born.
The room was lined with buffets and hutches holding china, wineglasses and silverware. Kreshkali let her fingers glide over the patterned dishes, her tattooed hands delicately counting cups and saucers.
She checked the other rooms. There was a parlour with decadent sofas and cushions, a huge stone fireplace, and a refreshment room with basins and toilet.
‘Plumbing!’ she shouted over the sound of the flush. ‘We have plumbing, Rowan.’
I don’t know what your obsession is with such conveniences, but I’m glad you’re happy. He sent the message directly to her mind.
I’m not happy, Rowan. I’m ecstatic!
She found an open room with a raised stage fitted with chairs and music stands and sound equipment, and a room with tiered seating—a lecture hall, perhaps. She breezed in and out of them all, her heart quickening.
She arrived at the end of the hall to find the double doors ajar. She inhaled deeply, her fingers twitching. She heard the faint rise and fall of breath not her own, and the displacement of energy created by a familiar presence. She knew this scent—Lupin through and through. Her shoulders relaxed, and a spontaneous smile lifted her face. She pushed the doors wide and entered, searching him out. The Lupin greeted her with a smile of his own, arms stretched wide, gesturing for her to take in the expanse.
‘The library!’ she said, turning full circle.
‘Did you guess it would be this grand?’ he asked, his voice like silk over bare skin.
She resisted the urge to lock eyes immediately, turning her attention to the room instead. She took her time, absorbing the features as she might a work of art. The place was enormous, lined with bookshelves two storeys high, packed tight with tomes. Stairs led up to the second level and a railed walkway ran around its circumference, little tables and chairs set up in each corner for study. Light filtered through the stained-glass ceiling, casting a rose, blue and emerald tint over the carpet. Broad wooden tables and chairs filled the centre of the room, some with quiescent computer monitors and consoles, and others with books, notes and calculation devices.
‘It’s impressive, Hotha,’ she answered, finally allowing her eyes to rest on the Lupin. ‘More than I dreamed of.’
‘Indeed.’
He sat at the far end of the table, filling a high-backed chair. She had recognised him immediately by his posture more than anything, though his stunning looks and rich forest scent were unmistakable identifiers as well. Hotha had a regal quality that set him apart. Man or wolf, he was exquisite in either form—superb physique, dark eyes, sculptured jaw, jet black hair, dazzling smile.
He returned her gaze unblinking. ‘I’ve been waiting for you,