Arrows of Time - Kim Falconer [94]
Maudi? Something’s wrong.
‘I agree. On second thoughts, maybe we do need to investigate. The portal brought us here. It could be important. Come on. Catch up.’
That’s just it. I can’t.
‘Sure you can. Walk on through the crevice. It’s not that narrow.’
Maudi, I can’t walk through. Something’s pushing me back.
‘What are you talking about?’ Rosette felt a chill wash over her. She turned around to the portal, but as she faced the gap in the rock wall, it disappeared. Where moments ago had stood an entrance to the corridors, there was now sheer cliff face, a barrier of shale and rock higher than her head. She dropped Fynn to the ground and pressed her hands against the rock, brushing dust aside, looking for a seam. She checked the path to see if she had wandered further away from the exit point.
‘Drayco?’ She became frantic as she raked her fingers across the wall. ‘Drayco, can you hear me?’ she shouted. ‘Where are you?’
Fynn jumped at the wall, barking, hackles up.
Both of you, calm down. I’m right here.
Fynn sat and whined, his tongue lolling out, panting. Rosette continued swiping dirt and shale away from where she thought the entrance should be. ‘I can’t find the opening,’ she screamed.
Maudi, can you hear me?
‘I can, but…’ She tugged at roots that got in her way, her fingernails filling with dirt as she attacked the cliff.
Easy, Maudi. It’s only a wall between us, not a universe.
‘I’m not so sure.’
Her breath came in gasps as she searched the cliff face. Sweat beaded up on her forehead.
Stop, Maudi.
‘I can’t. I can’t get back. I can’t get to you.’
Fynn sat next to her, howling.
Maudi, think about what we can do, not what we can’t.
‘Like what?’ she shouted.
We can still link minds. What else matters? Everything is going to be all right.
‘It doesn’t feel that way to me.’
Take deep breaths, Maudi. You sound like you’re choking.
‘I tried a deep breath. It didn’t help.’ She was wheezing, and sweat trickled down her temples, mixing with her tears. Her heart felt like it was caught under a stampede.
Easy. Breathe slowly and deeply.
Rosette took a long, exaggerated breath.
And again. Play with the idea that it is something different than what your mind thinks it is. Come on. You can respond to this any way you like. Is panic the best choice?
She bit her lip, letting her hands fall to her sides as dust from the cliff face settled. Fynn dropped to his belly and whimpered. She took another deep breath and let it out. ‘Not really.’
So choose a different response. Frantic only creates more frantic.
She let the tension in her shoulders ease. She drew in another breath and let it out in a long, slow whistle, like a kettle on the boil. A breeze cooled her damp skin. Her breath started to smooth out. ‘All right. I’m okay now.’
Good. Can you see me?
‘That’s my problem, I can’t even…’
With your inner vision, Maudi?
I’m checking. Rosette closed her eyes, allowing her inner sight to rise, extending her awareness out towards the rock wall. The blackness startled her. ‘It’s blank…impenetrable.’
I’m here, Maudi, and I can see you with my mind.
She wrinkled her nose. I’ll give it another go. She closed her eyes again, pushing through the obstruction of granite. She saw it first as porous, then it thinned until it became transparent, a film of shadows. Finally it dissipated completely and Drayco came into sharp focus, standing in front of her, his tail snapping. She smiled. I’ve got you now. But you don’t seem to be taking your own advice. Are you okay, my lovely?
His tail stopped whipping about, though his ears were pinned back and his hackles up. Fynn barked a throaty challenge.
Behind, Maudi! Men approach.
Rosette turned to find three men charging up the track, headed straight for her. They don’t seem to be armed, she said, her hand on her hilt, sword half drawn.
I think they are. Short rifles. Like ASSIST. Watch out.
She studied the group. Their pace quickened—they were clearly not out for leisure. One was shouting, directing what sounded like a question to her, though