The Spell of Rosette - Kim Falconer [128]
‘I did.’
They stared at each other until Nell cleared her throat. ‘So you met Kreshkali?’
‘Yes, I met her. She’s very…unusual.’
‘I know,’ Nell said, her eyes levelled on her daughter.
Rosette matched her gaze then shook her head. She turned to Jarrod, where she met an equally intense stare. ‘I can’t deal with either of you right now,’ she said, reaching out for Drayco.
‘Understandable,’ Nell said after a pause. ‘I’m going on ahead. I’ve been away from Scylla and she’ll need her dressings changed.’
‘Are they all right?’ Rosette asked.
‘The feline’s lacerated and An’ Lawrence has a ripper of a headache still. They’ll both recover. I’ll meet you at the cave.’
‘We’ll take the long way down,’ Jarrod said. ‘Unless you’re going to fly?’
‘I don’t actually do that yet,’ Rosette said.
‘Really?’ He looked at the mountain peak she’d just turned to dust. ‘I can’t imagine why not.’
She gave him a fleeting smile and headed across the plateau towards the copper-chestnut mare. Nell shape-shifted, disappearing into the clouds, the Three Sisters darting off after her.
CHAPTER 16
Rosette braced her hands on her knees, catching her breath. Drayco leaned against her side. ‘Is this day ever going to be over?’
We don’t have far to go.
That’s good news, Dray. ‘Water, please,’ she asked Jarrod.
He stopped, pulling the water-skin down from the saddle. He was leading the mare, the trail too unpredictable for them to ride. ‘It’s not much further.’
She smiled before she pressed the spout to her lips. ‘So Drayco tells me.’ She drank long and deep. ‘I’m glad you remember the way, Jarrod. It was blowing a blizzard the first time I came through. Couldn’t see a thing.’
‘It wouldn’t have mattered. That spell of yours rearranged the whole mountain. The trail’s virtually gone.’
They circled around a boulder wedged directly in their path.
‘I stopped the Lupins, so don’t complain.’
Jarrod waited for her to catch up as the path broadened. He took her hand and gave it a squeeze. ‘Wouldn’t dream of it.’
The sun dropped low and shadows stretched over the trail. It narrowed again, the rocks and boulders taking on the appearance of stone giants with menacing stares. She hurried, only to slip on the icy path. The descent was getting tougher. Rock and rubble blocked their way, forcing them to detour close to the sheer cliffs. There were sudden drop-offs and rifts, and it was getting colder.
Her heart was pounding when they reached the cave. Once inside she headed straight for the fire, pulling off her gloves and warming her hands close to the flames. Nell was by the stone hearth, stirring a pot that bubbled above the hot rocks. Jarrod settled his mare. When he returned to the fire, he didn’t take his eyes off her.
‘We’ve got a lot of catching up to do,’ Jarrod said as he sat next to Rosette, close but not touching. ‘So much has happened.’
‘It has,’ she answered.
Neither said any more.
‘You must be starving!’ Nell broke the silence. ‘When did you last have a meal, either of you?’
‘Actually, Kreshkali gave me a fabulous dinner last night, or this morning. Whenever it was.’ She sniffed towards the pot. ‘That smells good, though.’
‘You dined with Kreshkali? How gracious of her.’ Nell didn’t make it sound particularly gracious.
‘She left it for me—incredible, really—warm bread and honey, meat in a spicy sauce and this brilliant red fruit.’ She reached into her pocket, feeling for the seeds.
‘Did she talk?’
‘Not then. She didn’t stay. Said she had things to do.’
‘I’ll bet she did.’ Nell kept her eyes on the pot.
‘What happened down there?’ Jarrod asked. ‘What did Kreshkali want?’
‘I’m more curious about how you got away,’ Nell added.
Rosette thought about where to begin, aware of the sleeping figures of An’ Lawrence and Scylla on the other side of the fire. When she’d finished her account, both Nell and Jarrod were staring at her.
‘What did Kreshkali say to you exactly about Passillo?