The Spell of Rosette - Kim Falconer [56]
‘Go to the pools and bathe. You start at dawn tomorrow,’ Mara instructed.
‘I do?’ Rosette’s head tilted to the side, making one braid dip below her waist. Start what?
‘You’ll need a good rest tonight.’
Rosette nodded. ‘Thank you, Mistress.’
Mara, already slipping out the chamber door, seemed to miss the gesture of gratitude.
Several candles fluttered out as the door whooshed closed. Pushing her sleeve to her elbow, Rosette took the silver candle snuffer and extinguished the remaining flames, all save one. Near darkness swallowed the room and doubt entered in with it.
Maybe coming to Treeon Temple had been a mistake. There were other ways to train in witchcraft and perfect the sword, other paths to developing her creative powers. She had done quite well under Nell’s tutelage. If she’d known what life at Treeon Temple was really like, perhaps she would not have made the application in the first place.
Then where would I be?
She pulled on her boots and laced them. Taking a final look around the room, she snuffed the last candle and whispered a thank you to the Elementals. She stepped into the night, the spirits of Fire, Gaela, Air and Water dancing out with her.
The evening was cool and crisp, smelling of autumn, a hint of apples and freshly cut hay reminding her of warmer days. Pausing at the top of the steps, she closed her eyes and reached out her thoughts until they touched Drayco’s mind. I did it, Dray. I perfected the spell. She could feel him yawn.
You’ve been doing that one for years.
I do it better now.
Coming home?
I’m going to bathe first. I won’t be long.
He answered with a purr.
Rosette headed down the steps, peeking at the stars through the courtyard trees. At least Drayco had adapted to life at Treeon Temple. She wished others had adjusted to the two of them with as much ease. Shaking her head, she walked across the dimly lit plaza and down the path that led to the granite bathing pools. She relished the idea of soaking away her worries tonight. The pools were the best part of this place.
The path wound off to the left, beyond the horse barns and apple orchards. Torches lined the way like sentinels, making her squint after the darkness of the chamber. The bright, smoky light obscured the stars, but she looked up anyway. It felt like her arduous Saturn transit was going to last forever. She sighed. Of course, it wasn’t really negative. She just had to do the work, pay the price, and earn the advancement. That’s what mattered to Saturn, and if she were to get through this it had to matter to her as well.
Honour the gods, Rosette, each after their own nature, and you honour yourself. Ignore them and a demon is born. Nell’s voice from the past came as a comfort and a guide.
Looking for the moon, she confirmed it had already set. It’d be nearly midnight now. Clay had probably given up on meeting her after training. He was a patient friend, but her consistent tardiness was probably beginning to irritate him. She wondered sometimes why he was so forgiving.
Her boots crunched on the gravel as she walked, silencing crickets and night owls along the way. If only she could silence the stream of thoughts running unchecked through her mind. They tumbled over and over with nagging doubts about myriad things, but tonight they centred on her relationship with Clay. For all his support, she didn’t completely trust him.
There’s no real reason not to. He’s always there for me.
They’d spent every spare moment together since the chance meeting on the road. Lately, with her study load and his musical journeys to towns across the countryside, those moments were becoming fewer, yet she always found them fulfilling. They talked as they wandered, exploring the landscapes of Treeon. Together they perused the books and maps in the library, picnicked in the orchard under falling apple blossoms and swam in the crystal gorges behind