The Spell of Rosette - Kim Falconer [152]
‘Isn’t it?’
She shrugged her shoulders. ‘The “where” question would’ve been my first,’ Kreshkali said.
An’ Lawrence looked down the tunnel, and back at her.
‘Not quite what you expected, is it, Sword Master?’
‘I have no expectations,’ he said.
‘That will be an ally here, I promise.’
‘Tell me, Kreshkali, is this the glamour or the real thing?’
‘To be honest, I don’t really know any more.’
‘Care to explain?’
‘I’m more than a little curious myself,’ Zero said, interrupting the two. ‘Where exactly are we and why?’
‘It’s another world, lad,’ Kreshkali said.
‘And I suspect, by the stench, it’s not a very agreeable one,’ An’ Lawrence added.
‘It’s called Earth. If you think this sewer’s bad, wait till you see the surface.’
‘It feels like a very sick place, Kreshkali.’
‘No argument there. Any more questions?’ She started stacking the boxes and bundles around them.
‘Why have you brought us here?’ An’ Lawrence let his voice boom through the sewer.
She stopped and dusted off her hands. ‘To teach the sword, why else?’
‘What?’
‘I need your expertise, both of you. Is that so hard to understand?’
Zero’s brow knitted. ‘For how long?’
‘As long as it takes to bring down ASSIST.’
‘Bring down what?’
‘The enemy.’
‘And what about Rosette?’ An’ Lawrence asked. ‘What do you want with her?’
‘She’s an essential component, that young witch, but she’s off my radar for the moment.’
‘Radar?’ Zero asked. He still had his hand on the hilt of his sword.
‘She’s a little lost, but not for long.’ Kreshkali returned to ordering the gear. ‘She’s going to be here shortly and then you three can pull together the ragtag rebels we’ve got waiting for you.’
‘Pull them together for what?’
‘Battle, what else?’
‘Rosette’s alive?’ Zero asked, looking from the Sword Master to Kreshkali and back.
An’ Lawrence nodded. ‘Sorry I couldn’t fill you in before.’
‘Come on, give a hand,’ Kreshkali said. ‘We need to get out of here.’ She slung a few net bags over her shoulder and hoisted a small crate. ‘Grab the rest and follow me. I’ll explain on the way.’
‘The way where?’
‘To my stronghold.’
Both men hesitated a moment before grabbing the waterbags and other equipment. They climbed out of the sewer, Kreshkali checking each direction before pushing the manhole all the way back. The rain poured down, its acrid odour rising from pools and rivulets. The street was dark, deserted. Only the occasional flash of lightning showed the hauntingly tall buildings, built like mason’s blocks, massive on either side.
‘It’s clear for now,’ she said. ‘Follow me.’ She waved them on. ‘Keep your hands close to your hilts. No-one’s an ally here. Remember that. And don’t drink the water unless you know it’s purified,’ she warned.
‘Why?’ Zero asked.
‘It’s polluted. Keep the rain out of your eyes too.’
He pulled down his hood. ‘Polluted?’
‘Poison. Hurry up!’
Drayco’s nice spot turned out to be magnificent falls that cascaded hundreds of feet down the side of the mountain into a crystal-clear lagoon. The sound was a pleasant drone, and the spray from the impact reflected thousands of tiny rainbows, giving the place an enchanted feel. They walked through long grass and around igneous boulders to the lapping edge of the lagoon. The ground was trampled and muddy.
‘The horses were here, all right.’ Jarrod pointed to the tracks left in the soft ground.
Drayco was at the water’s edge, drinking daintily before going further in to lie on his belly in a clear, shallow pool. Jarrod stripped and followed the feline in, drinking deeply. He rinsed himself and Drayco free of the sea salt.
Rosette hesitated, the back of her neck prickling. She stared at the water, her brow wrinkled.
‘Come on, Rosette. This is the sweetest taste in the world,’ Jarrod said around deep drinks.
‘We don’t know what lives down there.’ She took another step back.
‘It’s safe, I promise.’
She shook her head. ‘Something’s not right.’
‘Come on.’ He reached a hand out towards her. ‘Drayco wouldn’t be in it if there were river sharks. You’ll feel better for it, I promise.’
‘What about