Strange Attractors - Kim Falconer [93]
Shield your mind, Rosette.
It’s taking me!
I’ve got you. I won’t let go.
She was shaking uncontrollably, her hair lashing her face as if she were caught on the brink of a whirlpool. Drayco’s snarl was blood-freezing. The guard shouted to the troops. Teg heard them approaching, marching at the double time.
When they burst through the gate, Rosette screamed. ‘It’s pulling me apart! Teg, help!’ She screamed again and was gone, sucked into nothing by a wind so strong it grazed Teg’s hands. Empty hands. Teg’s fingers curled around vacant space, clapping together as Drayco roared, leaping after Rosette. The temple cat landed hard and spun on his haunches, circling the ground where Rosette had stood seconds before. The guards were on them.
Teg leapt, gathering energy to him as he sprang away, shifting into Lupin form. To me, Drayco! Come to me. Run!
Maudi! Maudi! They’ve taken her.
Before Teg could say more, Drayco launched at the guards, tearing out the first man’s throat before his sword came down. It fell from his hand as his head rocked back, no longer supported by a neck. The other guards spread out, their broad blades drawn, ready to close in on the temple cat.
Not them. Drayco. Listen to me. They don’t have her.
Drayco didn’t listen. He spun in a circle, his claws extended like daggers, lips pulled back over blood-soaked teeth. With his tail as counterbalance, he rushed and swiped at the men as if they were toy soldiers. He crushed their bodies, severing heads and breaking limbs, spitting one out only to launch on the next. He was impervious to their weapons, his speed too fast for them to find their mark. In moments the gate yard was littered with bodies, the bell tower ringing the alarm. Shouts and screams rose from a distant crowd. Drayco continued to maul the victims, shaking the bodies like old rag dolls.
Stop, Drayco. Enough! They’re dead.
Teg stood at the edge of the kill circle, his tongue lolling out, limbs quivering. He wanted to run. More warriors would arrive and Drayco was ready to kill until there were none left, or until he died.
Maudi! Drayco’s voice screamed in his mind. Where is Maudi?
Not here!
The temple cat dropped his last victim and levelled his orange eyes on Teg’s. Where is she?
I don’t know. A spell took her.
Mounted guards approached at the gallop.
We have to run, Drayco. There’s no finding her here.
Drayco roared again and launched into the air, clearing the circle of mangled bodies and landing beside Teg. He shook the blood from his ruff, red droplets flying in an arc around him. I have to find Maudi.
They took off, heading down the hill towards the quarry road. Drayco’s roaring echoed through the plains of Corsanon, followed by the sound of a hundred-horse pursuit.
Rosette continued to scream until she landed hard on her tail bone. The pain shot up her spine to the top of her head. She felt like she had been sucked through a mouse hole at high speed. Her throat burned. Her eyes stung and hot tears streamed down her cheeks. She had no idea how long she’d been screaming, or ripping through the unknown space. She kept her eyes clamped shut, her fists clenched. Her chest heaved, each breath tearing in and out of her lungs.
‘Rosette?’
She opened one eye. ‘Kali?’ Slowly her mother came into focus.
Kreshkali’s lips were parted but no words came out.
‘What in demon’s darkness just happened?’ Rosette said between gasps. She rubbed her eyes, allowing them to adjust to the light. She was in the library. ‘Temple Los Loma?’ The words grated her throat. ‘How did I get here?’
Scylla came up to her, touching her nose to nose, her purr rumbling in the silence. Rosette gripped the cat’s neck and struggled to her feet. She got her breathing under control and encircled her belly with her arms. ‘Great goddess of the woods, can’t you two say anything?’
Kreshkali cleared her throat. ‘We wove a calling spell…’ Her voice trailed off.
‘It was my idea,’ An’ Lawrence added. ‘Thought it would expedite things.’
‘You wove