Strange Attractors - Kim Falconer [49]
He chuckled, the sound grating. ‘She suggests we take a punt.’
‘A punt?’
‘A guess.’
‘I know what the word means.’ She raised her sword. She didn’t know what would happen if they released the wrong witch. Who could the other be? No one trapped a Lemur raven on a whim. ‘She’s your priestess, Sword Master. You choose.’
An’ Lawrence flicked blood from his sword and sheathed it. He hesitated over one cage before turning to the other and unlatching the door. The raven pushed through the small opening, beating her wings with powerful downstrokes. As she morphed, a blast of energy warped the room, knocking Rosette to her knees. She leapt back up, sword high overhead, Drayco bristling at her side.
The witch in front of her was laughing, her black ringlets shaking as her head bobbed. ‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘Though I thought you’d be quicker.’
Before Rosette could respond, the woman released the other raven, morphed again, and the two black birds flew out of the tower window.
Rosette stared at her father. ‘Who was that?’ she asked, sheathing her sword.
He shrugged. ‘An enemy of Corsanon?’
‘Before the wars?’
‘Interesting, isn’t it? Like watching history.’
‘Like changing it, more likely. What now?’
I suggest you find your way down from that tower, lovely. Company’s coming and I think there are too many for even you and An’ Lawrence to entertain.
Rosette’s eyes flashed. She recognised the voice in her head. ‘Makee!’ She said the name like a war cry. ‘What have you done?’
‘Let’s go.’ An’ Lawrence grabbed her arm and spun her around.
‘But did you hear that?’
‘I did. Out of here, now!’
Rosette gave Drayco’s neck a squeeze and ran back down the stairs. By the next landing she had her sword high over her head, ready to cut through the advancing guards, but she hung back. Drayco and Scylla cleared the path, leaving the tower guards face down on the steps.
‘Thank you, Dray.’
The window, Maudi. You can fly out of here.
‘I’m not leaving you,’ she said over the sound of marching feet.
‘We may not be leaving at all,’ An’ Lawrence answered. ‘There’s too many.’
She looked at the Sword Master; his bare feet were stained with blood and his limp was worsening.
‘Then we disappear,’ she said, sheathing her sword. She waved them in close, looping her arm around An’ Lawrence, the temple cats on either side. ‘Slow your breathing, all of you. I can’t pull this off with you puffing and grunting.’
Rosette drew the energy of the Elementals to her, conjuring a glamour to blend them into the stone and brick walls. As long as the guards weren’t marching four abreast, they would pass them by unseen, untouched. The tap of boots on the steps echoed and a moment later the warriors appeared, rounding the corner, climbing fast. They weren’t four abreast. They were five.
So much for disappearing, An’ Lawrence said, sending the message straight to her head.
He made to draw his sword and step out of the glamour but she stopped him.
Wait.
For what? They’re going to plough straight into us.
I don’t think so.
Physics, Maudi, Drayco said, his tail lashing at her side. This is a one-plus-one-equals-too-many scenario. We have to fight.
Rosette held her breath. The tower guards were a hand’s length from her now. She went for her sword but a voice stopped her, screaming in her head.
Hold! I’ve got you covered.
Rosette warned the others. Wait. Help comes.
What help? An’ Lawrence asked, but he didn’t budge.
In the narrow tower window a Lemur raven landed, cawing at the guards and flapping her wings.
‘There she is!’ the one closest to her yelled. He broke formation and the others followed, missing the glamour and lunging towards the bird. ‘Grab her.’
Rosette didn’t wait to see if they did. She doubted Makee would let herself be caught again, if that had indeed been La Makee. Whichever bird, it had given them just enough distraction for a dash down the steps while the guards’ backs were turned.
She kept the glamour around them until they neared the bottom step. Death dogs, Drayco? Please? One more time?
Only if you promise to never turn me into