The Spell of Rosette - Kim Falconer [35]
The sun had finally reached high enough over the eastern mountains to warm the frosty morning. She rubbed her hands together, letting her hood fall back. The scab on the side of her head caught, and she winced, feeling its rough edges. It was yet another one, quite close to her eye. She shrugged. A mark from her own sword, it would match the nick on the left side of her face, a reminder to stay focused and ignore distractions. She shook her head, trying not to think of how skilled the other students at Treeon would be.
It’s not a competition!
Rosette stretched her arms over her head, bangles clinking together when her wrists touched. The silver and lapis bands sparkled in the sunlight. They were a birthday gift from Nell.
Twenty-one years, my Rosette. Look what you have developed—strength, knowledge and a thirst for magic. Now all you have to do is cultivate discipline. Let these bangles be a steady reminder of that intention.
Rosette loved the bangles. She didn’t know if wearing them would help her concentration or not, though it didn’t hurt to have them on. She had felt grounded since she’d left Dumarka, a lot more so than five years ago—the last time she’d travelled. Of course, then she was running for her life. Now she was striding towards a new one.
It’ll come to you, Rosette. It’ll come. Nell had said the words so many times when they’d sparred and studied, they had become like a mantra. Rosette had found it easier to believe when she was within sight of Nell. Now, far away, a niggling doubt snuck in. What if it didn’t come to her? She touched the scab again. What if she failed?
Then she heard Nell’s voice in her mind. Intention! What you think becomes what you experience.
Rosette smiled. ‘I will succeed then,’ she said, aloud to make it stronger.
Stretching once more, she rocked back onto her heels then up to her toes, flexing her whole body. Her muscles ached for some decent exercise. By the looks of it, she’d get plenty of that today.
‘Maybe we should’ve paid the coach driver to take us right up to the gates, instead of hoping for a lift.’
Maybe if you hadn’t argued with him, he would have.
‘He wanted a month’s rent in gold just to get within a mile of Treeon Temple, Dray.’ She scanned the trees while undoing the front buttons of her cloak. ‘What’s the matter with people? Why are they so greedy?’
Maybe they don’t think they have enough.
‘Enough what, I wonder?’
That’s a very good question. Do you think we have enough time?
As Drayco’s thoughts filled her mind, Rosette watched the big black feline emerge from the woods. He sauntered around the fringing oaks, head high and tail swaying back and forth like a lazy fan. His orange eyes flashed when he spotted her.
‘You’re right, Drayco. We’d best get walking.’ She held her hand out towards him as he leapt down the embankment. The momentum carried him forward and he bumped her thigh with the top of his head. His purr hummed around them.
When are we meant to arrive?
‘Noon.’ She looked down the road. ‘Can we make it?’
Drayco sniffed the air, turning his face up to Rosette. Nope.
‘Pessimist.’
Realist. On foot, it’s too far, unless you care to run the whole way. I can, of course. Can you?
Rosette scratched behind his ears and sighed. ‘Maybe we’ll get a lift.’
Drayco studied the road, his tail twitching as his head turned left and right. Who from?
‘Honestly? I have no idea.’ She laughed. ‘Let’s go.’ She gave Drayco a final scratch and hoisted her bag.
It wouldn’t be much fun, jogging along with the weight she carried, but it wouldn’t pay to be late either. She set off at a brisk walk, taking in the landscape. Twisted oak trees and groves of tall redwoods spread out to her right while over-grazed pastures rambled off to her left. A rickety barbed-wire fence bordered each side of the dirt road, the posts listing at odd angles where the wire had sagged or snapped. She felt sad for the beasts scattered across the fields. The ones she could see close up looked about to calve.
‘Don’t they cut hay in this part of the country?’
Doesn’t look