The Spell of Rosette - Kim Falconer [10]
At the thought of him, Kalindi looked up the cliff. The sun had lowered towards the horizon and she didn’t like to think of him shimmying down the sheer face in the dark. She pushed wet tangles off her brow, spotting him on the headland a hundred feet above. He signalled to her, dropping some things over the edge before starting the descent. She ran to where they landed, scooping them into her arms. It was her winter wool coat, the quilt from her bed and a pouch of gold bigger than anything she had in her dresser drawer. Where did he get that?
He took his time climbing down, jumping the last ten feet and landing lightly in front of her. He didn’t smile. He didn’t even look her in the eyes for more than a second.
‘Thanks,’ she said, clutching her things as they walked back towards the fire.
‘I’m going for a swim,’ he said, pulling off his sweater and unbuttoning his shirt.
‘Wait, Jarrod. Tell me what happened. What did you see?’
‘I won’t be long.’
She nodded and sat cross-legged in front of the fire, turning the spit while he stripped off his pants and disappeared towards the water.
He came back blue and shaking. Kalindi raised the spit and added more driftwood to the flames. They burst to life as Jarrod squatted in front of it, his naked back to the wind. Kalindi took the edge of her quilt and dried his shoulders and hair, the rich brown ringlets uncoiling and bouncing back.
‘Give me the news.’ She turned his face to hers and held it so he couldn’t look away. ‘It can’t be worse than what I imagine.’
He dropped his eyes and shook his head. ‘Let me get dressed…eat something.’
They sat side by side in front of the warm coals eating rabbit, bread and cheese.
‘Delicious,’ he said, tearing off bits of hot meat with his fingers and popping them into his already full mouth.
‘Now,’ Kalindi prompted, ‘you’re washed. You’re fed. Tell me what happened.’
Jarrod took a swig of water and wiped his mouth with his hand. ‘You aren’t going to like it.’
‘Get it over with then.’
He sighed. ‘I walked straight up to the gates as if it was any other day. At least, any other day that your father wasn’t around.’
‘And…’
‘Nothing moved in the paddocks. The fields were empty and there was no sound from the chicken yard. No dogs bolting out to lick me to death.’
‘Just like last night,’ Kalindi whispered. ‘Did you see Assalo?’
He shook his head. ‘Everything felt creepy. Things that you know should be there were missing.’ He pushed his hair from his face and looked at her. ‘The front doors were still open, so I went in.’
Kalindi shivered.
‘The place was empty, just like you said.’
‘The kitchen?’
‘Empty, except for the…’
‘The what?’
‘The splatters of dried blood everywhere. I looked in the sink, but it had been washed clean.’
Kalindi hugged her legs, staring at her feet.
‘I found the flour jar and got your mother’s stash of gold, ran upstairs for your things and left.’
‘How’d you know about the flour jar?’
‘I saw her one day through the window. She was making bread and counting coins.’
‘Lucky.’
‘You’re going to need it.’
She exhaled. ‘Luck, or the coins?’
‘Both.’ He took another swig of water.
‘Did you forget my backpack?’ she asked.
‘It wasn’t there.’ He rubbed his hands together over the fire. ‘I hid your gear by the side of the road and headed into town. I figured there’d be talk.’
‘Was there?’
‘Plenty. The rumour is that assassins from Corsanon murdered your whole family, stock, pets and poultry! The only things left alive were the pigs.’
Kalindi felt her eyes well up again. ‘Why?’
‘There was talk about your dad’s trade agreements; I didn’t get it. Maybe he was in debt. He could’ve owed the wrong people.’
Tears spilled over her cheeks. ‘I can’t go back,’ she whispered.
‘It seems you can’t, Kalindi. Not now.’ He put his arm around her and pulled her close. He held her as the sun