The Spell of Rosette - Kim Falconer [120]
Drayco’s head appeared from the darkness of the central arch. You’re right. We have to communicate better, and you have got to stop nattering and try to keep up.
Jarrod’s stomach turned somersaults. ‘Drayco? Is that you talking?’
The temple cat’s eyebrows lifted. Who else would it be? Let’s go!
‘But, what are you…I mean, I can hear you…I thought only…’
Still I hear the nattering…
‘But how?’
I’ve known you always.
‘What?’
She dreams of you.
‘You can see her dreams?’
We see each other’s.
Jarrod shook his head. ‘How does that work?’
Jarrod, you’re a quantum sentient from another world, walking around in a Tulpa-body, chasing a young witch whose DNA holds the key-codes to your operating determinates. Why do you find this such a surprise?
‘You know all that?’
I do, now that I’m talking to you.
Jarrod did an internal scan and found every front end file accessed.
Let’s go, shall we, Jarrod? It’s this tunnel. I’ve got her scent, but I can’t hear her mind. She must be deep under the mountain, or deep asleep.
Jarrod didn’t speak for a moment. ‘So she dreams of me?’
Focus, Jarrod. This way.
He smiled for a moment, before following Drayco into the dark.
Rosette awoke with a start. Two Lupins had entered the chamber, made a quick bow and signalled for her to follow. She scrambled to her feet before grabbing her coat and shoving her arms into the sleeves. The haze that permeated the corridors had cleared and a bright, dazzling light prevailed. Was there a second sun in the heart of Gaela? She turned to the Lupin beside her, wanting to ask.
‘Mirrors,’ he answered her unspoken question. ‘The sun shines brightly on the surface this morning.’
‘Mirrors? Quite a few, I’d imagine.’
‘Thousands.’
He steadied her when she tripped over a rough stone.
‘Thanks,’ Rosette said as she clenched his arm. She released it quickly.
Her short but intense introduction to the race of Lupins left her in two minds. They were strangely appealing and also aggressive and wicked. She was certain Drayco did not like them. It was hard to sift the lore from the facts. Hotha was particularly alluring, and he’d stopped the others with a word, those three who had been so brutal and quick to anger. They had a powerful magic, though. She couldn’t help wonder about that. Could she learn it?
They took several turns before stopping in front of another door. The Lupin pounded on it—three resounding thuds—and stood back. Rosette felt butterflies in her stomach as it opened without a sound. The Lupin nodded for her to enter and she did so. Inside, there were more mosaic panels covering the walls. The artwork was astonishing, and under different circumstances she would have loved the chance to study it thoroughly. She had trouble pulling her eyes away.
‘It draws you in, doesn’t it?’
Rosette startled.
‘Anything you recognise?’ Kreshkali said. She sat at a large table in the centre of the room.
Rosette took in the tall trees, the plaza with a fountain and four corner statues, the apple orchards. She nodded. ‘Treeon, of course.’
‘But?’
‘Treeon of a different time.’
Silence filled the room and Rosette continued to study the panels. When Kreshkali spoke again she was standing only inches away. ‘Is it Treeon’s past or Treeon’s future?’
Rosette tilted her head. It had to be the past. Dragons filled the air and a battle raged on the training grounds. There didn’t seem to be as many stables or any cabins by the river. ‘Past,’ she said.
‘Is it?’ The witch leaned closer, whispering into Rosette’s ear. ‘Are you certain?’
‘I can’t see how else…’ Rosette faltered as chills ran down her spine. ‘How could it be anything but the past?’
‘How indeed? You and I have much to discuss, and very little time.’
She directed her to the table, gesturing for her to sit.
Rosette looked at it before she pulled out a chair. It seemed to be carved from bone, like a huge vertebra, level with her hip, wings jutting out to either side. Whalebone? It couldn’t be. Nothing that large moved on land or sea.
Not in this world, perhaps, but