The Spell of Rosette - Kim Falconer [130]
‘What? Did you hear him?’
‘I guess I’m tuned in now.’
‘Since when?’
‘Since inside the mountain. It was the only way to communicate in the dark. You know, with the Lupins everywhere, and…’
‘I know. I was there.’ Can you hear this? She sent the words silently.
He didn’t look up. He just sat, bewitched by the fire.
He needs more practice, Drayco said. It’s like he’s speaking underwater sometimes.
‘As if you would know what that was like,’ Jarrod said without turning his head.
‘How were you able to do it?’ she asked Drayco. ‘You’ve never spoken to Nell and she was there from the beginning. You said you could only speak to me.’
Would, not could. There’s a difference.
‘Apparently he recognised me from your dreams,’ Jarrod said with a soft smile.
Rosette blushed. ‘My mind goes where it will at night…’
‘You don’t have to explain. I’ve had dreams too.’
I had to link to him, Maudi. Otherwise we would never have found you. He’s quite blind in the dark, even with a torch. Interesting mind, though. Not what I expected. Did you realise he was…
‘Smart? Oh yes, I know. And thanks,’ Rosette said, reaching over to stroke Drayco’s head.
‘You’re welcome.’
‘Oh, Jarrod. I meant thanks to Dray for linking with you to help me.’ She leaned into him. ‘You have my total appreciation as well. I can’t believe the timing. It’s like you waited until I needed you the most.’
She filled another bowl for Jarrod. As she placed it in his hands, she leaned in and kissed his neck, not letting go of the bowl until he turned his face to hers.
Are you going to be kissing each other all the time now? Drayco asked, licking his chops after finishing his meal.
That could be fun, Rosette answered.
Jarrod smiled up at her.
You weren’t like this with the bard.
He’s not him, is he, Drayco?
‘Who’s the bard?’ Jarrod asked.
‘Clay. A friend,’ she answered, filling her own bowl and taking a huge bite.
Nell, An’ Lawrence and Scylla joined them by the fire, eating without conversation. Their faces glowed with thoughtful expressions in the orange light. Rosette didn’t know where to begin with her questions. Every time she formulated one it came attached with so much emotion that she couldn’t squeeze it into a coherent sentence.
Breathe! she schooled herself. You simply want to know what happened. Just allow them to tell their story without being so attached.
She took a deep breath, held it for a moment and let it out, her shoulders relaxing as she did so. ‘All right, you two. Tell me how it happened.’
‘How what happened?’ Nell asked.
‘How I happened without him ever knowing it.’ She gestured towards An’ Lawrence. Stay calm, she reminded herself. Just get the facts.
‘Yes, Nell. How did that happen? I’d love to know as well,’ An’ Lawrence chimed in. He seemed revived after a little walk and some food. ‘I’m quite curious to hear your side,’ he went on. ‘Mine’s quite simple since for over two decades I had no idea that anything had happened at all.’
‘You don’t remember the week we spent under the falls of Los Ghatos Regela?’
‘Of course I remember. I just never heard from you again so it was a little difficult to exercise my parental duties, seeing as I didn’t know I had any! All these years and I thought we’d had a brief interlude and that was that.’
‘You thought what?’ Nell spat the words out.
Apparently you’re not the only one with emotion on this topic, Maudi.
I see that… ‘Okay, stop, you two.’ Rosette held up her hands. ‘Tell me the story, minus the vehemence, emotion and/or explicit details, thanks.’
Nell reached behind her for another log and tossed it on the fire. Sparks danced towards the vaulted ceiling. She questioned An’ Lawrence with her eyes.
‘Go ahead, Nell. You tell it. I’m listening.’
She nodded, looking into the fire. ‘It was simple, really. I was a priestess at Treeon, alongside Makee. We had both trained extensively with the High Priestess La Kaffa, and the two of us worked very hard under her. You have to remember that, back then, we were still at war with Corsanon.’
‘Of course.’