The Spell of Rosette - Kim Falconer [127]
‘Come on, Rosette,’ he said, slapping both her cheeks. ‘I’m not going to get captured this close to the surface. We have to run.’
Her eyes opened fully. ‘Jarrod?’ She struggled to stand. ‘Jarrod?’
‘That’s me.’
‘Drayco really did find you?’ She reeled.
Jarrod gripped her shoulder. ‘We have to run!’ He grasped her hand and hauled her up towards the surface.
Deep within the tombs of Los Loma, Kreshkali awoke. She stretched cat-like before realising what had happened.
‘Well, well…’ She grinned, the smile turning into a chuckle—the chuckle into full-throated laughter. ‘Little bitch! Well done!’
The thought froze as she listened to the Lupins. What were they doing now?
Let her go! she yelled, sending a blinding force into the mind of every Lupin, stopping them in their tracks. Come back to me before somebody gets hurt! Her mental voice reverberated through the corridors of Los Loma.
Come back, she said in a softer tone. She’s on her way. Kreshkali took a deep drink of water. ‘Well on her way…’
Her hand rested gently on Rosette’s sword and she smiled, admiring the exquisite simplicity of the design.
Rosette blasted through the entrance with Jarrod and Drayco beside her, the wind jolting her like an icy slap. She dropped Jarrod’s hand and spun around, calming her mind and beginning a summons. The wind picked up, whisking snow from the overhang, revealing the stones that held the archway in place. She noticed they were carved with runes and figures, just like the ones deep in the bowels of the mountain.
‘Not for long.’
As she wove her spell, the stones and rocks began falling, one by one, gaining momentum as she chanted. Soon she brought the whole rock face down. Ice broke off in sheets and a roaring welled up from the ground. It travelled through her legs and up her spine. She clenched her teeth to stop them from rattling.
Too much! Nell called from the body of the falcon. You’re tearing apart the whole mountain.
‘Avalanche!’ Jarrod shouted, his words barely discernible above the cracks and groans.
Rosette froze, watching the wall vibrate.
Nell landed beside her and shifted, screaming, ‘Get out of here!’ She clapped her hands together. ‘Now!’
Rosette started to run down the trail, but Nell grabbed her arm, jerking her back. ‘This way.’ She pulled her in the opposite direction.
Rosette ran hard. She couldn’t hear the snow crunching under her boots or the sound of her breath as she gasped for air. There was only the rip and shatter of rock and falling shale. She charged around the side of the mountain and up towards the summit plateau, Drayco at her side. Climbing the last stretch hand over hand, Rosette pulled herself up to stand at the edge of the clearing. She could feel Jarrod’s chest rise and fall beside her and Nell’s bare hand holding her own. Drayco leaned into her leg, tail lashing.
Half the western face of Los Loma swept by—snow, rock and rubble. It rushed past, a furious stream of ice, towards the forests below. Fingers of white powder shot up from the depths like massive geysers and the ground trembled underfoot. The sound of snapping trees and branches tore through the air. Rosette backed up, pulling the others with her towards the centre of the plateau. Boulders the size of cabins tumbled past, then smaller ones, diminishing into gravel, shale and the odd sheet of ice. Finally, all went quiet. The trail was gone and so was much of the mountainside.
Ravens cawed from behind them and took flight. The Three Sisters surveyed the damage, scolding as they flew over Los Loma.
‘Fine spell, Rosette,’ Nell said, brushing snow from her arms and shaking it from her hair. ‘Just a tad strong, though, don’t you think?’
‘A tad,’ Rosette agreed. Her jaw clenched. ‘Your timing was good, Nell, or should I call you something else?’ Rosette raised her eyebrows as she crossed her arms.
‘This sounds like it could be a long conversation,’ Jarrod said. ‘Maybe we’d best save it for later. I’m guessing the Lupins have other passages out of the caverns. We won’t be safe for long if they follow.’
‘Kreshkali isn’t