Strange Attractors - Kim Falconer [148]
She guessed Makee had come to the same conclusion. She left her perch on the rocks and got back in the saddle, taking the trail to the top of the gorge. As the horses disappeared from sight, Rosette let the glamour down.
‘She’s gone upstream.’
To divert the water.
‘It’d take one demon’s fire of a spell to do it, but yes. I think that’s her plan.’
Then what? She can’t carry Passillo.
‘That’s the one aspect of this whole business I haven’t figured out. Only my line can use the spell. Maybe Makee is going to grab it and try to keep it from us.’
A dog with a bone?
Rosette chuckled. ‘Something like that. Whatever it is, she has a strong intention going.’
One that precludes Jarrod.
‘That must be part of it. She’s gone to a lot of trouble to get him out of the picture.’ Her hand went to her belly, pulling away when she felt it flat, hard.
Are you all right, Maudi.
I’m fine…Thank you, sweetheart. She sighed as she looked at the twist in the path that wound behind the mountain. ‘What’s that witch up to?’ she asked aloud.
Follow, Maudi?
‘Oh yes. I’m not letting her get far from my sights unless…’
Maudi?
She climbed a nearby boulder and tossed a rock into the depths. It sank to the bottom like an arrow to its target.
I’ve got an idea, Drayco. With a little luck, I think it just might work!
Grayson gripped the gates of Temple Los Loma, holding the wrought-iron post to keep from being knocked off his feet. The ground churned, the surrounding mountains choking the sky with smoke. The haze burned his eyes, the air thick with sulphur and ash. Fissures cracked the land around him and he buckled, staying down on his knees until the undulations subsided. The ground gave one last shudder, like a belch, and went still.
He brushed the red dust from his pants as he stood and headed down the lane towards the temple. An eerie silence blanketed the land; not a bird was in the sky. The dogs didn’t bark to greet him, and the paddocks were empty. There was no sign of the Three Sisters either. The heat baked down and his shirt was drenched when he reached the temple grounds. What he saw in front of him was not expected. He stood, barely noticing when Fynn came up, wagging his tail and sitting on his feet. The pup whimpered and Grayson squatted down to pat him.
‘What’s this, little Fynn? What’s happened here?’
It seemed the spell that had protected Temple Los Loma all the centuries was failing. Statues were overturned, trees down, water flowing past in a muddy torrent where the aqueduct had ruptured. One of the buildings near the orchard had collapsed and a fire was being put out. He spotted Annadusa heading towards him, her sleeves rolled up, her hair tied back, wisps clinging to her damp forehead. Her hands were covered in soot.
‘Spell’s broken?’ he asked, bending down to embrace her.
Fynn barked as if to answer first.
‘Only in the last few days. I can’t tell why. It’s stood for so long.’ She squeezed his hand. ‘Rosette?’
He lowered his eyes. ‘Baby died…’
Annadusa bit her lower lip. ‘And the mother?’
‘Gone to…I don’t know where.’ He lifted his face, tears in his eyes. ‘We buried him in the Dumarkian Woods.’
‘Him?’
‘It was a boy.’
‘That can’t be, unless there were twins. Even so, only the female would have developed.’
‘It was a boy,’ he said again.
‘And Kreshkali? Where is she?’
A call from the barn turned their heads around. A young girl was trying to control a horse, blood soaking its neck and chest.
‘We’ll talk later,’ Annadusa said, hurrying towards the barn.
‘Where do you need me?’
‘The fires. There’re still some to put out.’
Grayson left his pack by the temple steps and ran to the shed, grabbing a sack to beat out the flames. Fynn stayed behind, trembling, watching the road.
CHAPTER 19
PRIETA FOOTHILLS, CUSCA PLAINS & CORSANON, GAELA & TEMPLE LOS LOMA, EARTH
Kreshkali pounded her fist on the table and the argument came to an abrupt halt. An’ Lawrence and Hotha were not in accord and even Teg had been emboldened by the debate, firing his thoughts at the