The Spell of Rosette - Kim Falconer [177]
She opened her eyes again. ‘See the curve of my leg here?’ She rolled on her side to give him a better view, water lapping the edges of the bath.
He reached towards her, tracing the line of her thigh from her buttocks to the back of her knee. ‘This line?’
She nodded.
‘I see it,’ he murmured.
Rosette closed her eyes, breathing deeper into the sensations. The buzzing sound blurred into the background of her mind as she focused on her breathing. She drew it in, long and deep, letting it out ever so slowly until her lungs were completely empty. She waited there, in that empty place, before taking in another deep draught.
‘Do you need a break?’ Grayson asked, resting his hand on her hip, taking in the details of his work. He put down the tattoo iron—a handheld machine that ran on electromagnetic coils. It drove the needles like an engraver’s tool, depositing ink into the dermis, puncturing the skin up to fifty times per second. He wiped the blood off her thigh, running a wooden blade over the outline, scraping it smooth with a clear gel.
She let her body relax completely. ‘I’m okay. Let’s keep going.’
Again the buzzing filled the space around them. She opened her eyes for a moment, connecting with his. He seemed deeply satisfied with the work. She watched him for a while, minding her breathing, before sinking back down into her soul. That’s where she fell to as he brought the image to life. The sensations rolled through her body, one moment orgasmic, the next a searing so deep it brought new waves of endorphins that mingled pleasure with pain. In her mind she recited again the words from the Earth text Kreshkali had given her to read.
The cult of Great Isis I believe I have served down through the ages and my task today is to stand for nature against those who blaspheme Her and so wrong themselves.
‘Look at my arms,’ Grayson said, a shiver in his voice.
She propped herself on her elbow, staring at his goose bumps. ‘It’s more potent than I thought,’ she whispered.
He nodded and returned to the work.
They travelled the known lands of Gaela between sessions, giving the work time to heal as they explored the rivers, valleys and coastline. Rosette delighted in his wonder and surprise, watching his face come alive with each new experience. The beauty of Gaela engulfed her anew. She could only imagine what it did for him, having lived most of his life within the confines of ASSIST. She took him to Treeon’s bathing pools and to the forests of Dumarka. She taught him to ride horseback and hunt with falcons in the grasslands of Morzone. They explored the ruins of Corsanon, the restoration well underway, and trekked the Dumar gorge and the coves along the South Azul Sea. He couldn’t swim—no-one could from Earth—but she got Maka’ra to teach him. Grayson’s joy was like a child’s.
Earth was like this once, Maudi.
I get that now.
We going back?
It’s how we can help.
Soon?
I think so. Jarrod will be waiting.
He is.
‘Grayson?’
He murmured a response.
‘I love it here, but we really have to get back. There’s work to do.’
He nodded, nudging her raft as they floated over a Rahana Iti lagoon.
Rosette watched the tropical fish below, vermilion and aqua darts of colour popping out from the coral, only to disappear instantly when she swished her hand towards them.
‘One more day,’ he whispered.
‘Ours, or theirs?’
‘Theirs.’
Returning to Earth they found Jarrod pacing in front of the portal.
‘You came back,’ he said.
‘After reflection, it seemed like the best thing to do.’
‘Did you have a nice holiday?’ he asked. His eyes were unblinking, arms stiff by his sides.
‘We were gone less than a week.’ Rosette studied his face. ‘You knew where I was.’
‘Yes, I knew. And I also know that five days on Earth is more than as many months on Gaela.’
‘I was thinking, and getting tattooed.’ She kept her eyes steady.
‘It looks to me like you were getting a tan.’
‘It’s a complex design, with two weeks between each session for healing. And I wanted to have a day to swim and unwind after it was complete.