Strange Attractors - Kim Falconer [71]
‘How can that be?’
‘I don’t know. The shock of death perhaps? He’s been living in a body for hundreds of years now.’
‘But not the same one, surely.’
‘It doesn’t look the same. He’s morphed that tulpa around over time, but it’s still the body he thought up the day he left his hardware back at ASSIST.’ She squeezed his hand. ‘And one can get attached.’
‘But lost? It’s hard to believe.’
She sighed. ‘All I know is he can’t be sensed, by me or the temple cats.’
‘And Rosette?’
‘She’s safe, but she can’t feel him either.’
‘We have his backup CPU. We can bring him online again.’
‘That was the theory.’ She smacked her lips. ‘Janis Richter could have brought him back online, of course, and maybe her daughters Ruby and Layloni. They were trained in the same field, but there are no more techno-witches on Earth—not of that calibre. Grayson’s the closest we have, on our side.’
‘Kreshkali can’t do it?’ Hotha did a double take. ‘I mean, you? It’s beyond you?’
‘I understand the theory, of course. The knowledge has been handed down. We have textbooks, journals, notes and charts, but I can’t build a quantum computer—the housing necessary. We haven’t the resources or the expertise.’
‘Then we need to find someone who can.’ He waved his arm towards the smouldering mountains. ‘Not just for us. For the sake of the many-worlds. If Earth tips over…’
‘Exactly. That’s why I’m here.’
He smiled. ‘What have you in mind?’
‘We’re going to come up with a range of possibilities while they get themselves together in the corridors.’
‘They?’
‘I’ve left Kreshkali there to deal with Makee. She’s gone rogue, Rosette’s close to term, An’ Lawrence is wounded and…’
‘Teg?’
‘Injured as well but holding it together. He’s a valuable apprentice, Hotha.’
His eyebrows went up.
‘What?’ She stared at him. ‘He’s doing well. Be proud of your son.’
‘I am. I dare say he can handle Makee.’
She nodded. ‘He could if he knew her game.’
‘He doesn’t?’
‘I thought it best to play along, for now. She’s threatening with everything she’s got. Once they get out of the corridors, I’ll deal with her.’
‘Taking their time?’
‘Disparate intentions. They’re effectively trapped there until they get in alignment with each other. There’s too many of them in one space, with too many different ideas, let alone desires.’
‘But not you?’
‘Not me, here and now. I slipped out while I could. No one noticed. I searched for Jarrod’s consciousness but…’
He nodded, keeping hold of her hand as they crested the rise. ‘What’s first?’ he asked, bringing her back to the present.
‘We get Grayson in on this. He’s the most familiar with the technology. I’ll fly ahead and find him. Is he in his workshop? Busy today?’ She lifted her eyes to the horizon. ‘In the middle of a brilliant tattoo, no doubt.’
Hotha shook his head. ‘Save your wings, beautiful.’
‘Why’s that?’
‘He’s not here.’
Nell’s face froze. ‘Where then?’
‘He left for Dumarka weeks ago.’
‘And?’
‘There’s been no word back.’
‘We’re not going to get far without him.’
‘Then we best go looking.’
The corridors were steamy warm, rain pouring down outside the portal. Kreshkali clapped her hands. ‘You can drop the glamour, Makee,’ she said, pointing at the witch Rall. ‘You’re not fooling anyone.’
The Lemur raven clinging to her shoulder opened his mouth wide but no sound came out. Rall laughed and her body began to shimmer, her skin and clothes turning into luminescent dust that fell about her feet. When it settled, Makee stood in Rall’s place, hand on her sword.
Shaea gasped, covering her mouth. ‘She’s done it again.’
‘I’d say I had some fooled.’ Makee laughed. ‘And you!’ She strode up to An’ Lawrence, tilting her head back to take him in. ‘What have you done with Amarillo?’
‘The warhorse? That’s all you’re worried about?’ His voice boomed. ‘You left me in the middle of the Corsanon battlefield. You vanished mid-sentence!’
‘You managed to survive.’
‘No thanks to you, Makee. Did you tip them off as well? Risk Rosette’s life? Why would you think I give a demon’s balls about