Arrows of Time (26 page)

‘From volcanoes?’ He scanned the terrain. ‘There’s hardly a hill nearby, and those distant mountains don’t look active.’

‘Not volcanoes.’ She shook her head. ‘It’s from pollution. Come on.’ She tugged at him, turning back
towards the portal. She whistled to Fynn. ‘We need to get under shelter. There’s nothing here at the gate, certainly not Jarrod.’

‘We aren’t staying, are we?’ He spat. ‘This place is worse than the swamps of Tensar.’ His boots were half submerged in the mud and he lifted one foot as evidence. Muck dripped from his sole, rain bleaching the leather tops in light-coloured splotches. Muck filled the imprint as he stood on one leg. ‘I don’t care if this is your Earth, or the bowels of Gaela, for that matter. I think we should go.’ He hunched his shoulders as a rip of lightning scorched the sky. ‘Come on, Rosette. This is no good.’

‘Give me a moment. We can’t jump back into the corridor and get whirled out into another random place. I’ve got to get my bearings first, Shane. I have to work out when and where this is, and why we landed here. Something’s happening with the corridors…’

‘Girl, you haven’t had your bearings since I met you. Where do you think you’re going to find them now? In this?’ He looked into the distance as if the answer would appear on the horizon. A mistake. He didn’t see it coming.

Rosette slammed his shoulder with a full-palm strike. It tipped him off balance, knocking him to his knees. His hands sank into the mud to break the fall and disappeared beneath the surface of the ooze.

He glared up at her. ‘What was that for?’

‘Your compulsion to focus on the negative.’

‘Me? What about your response? I’d call that fairly negative.’

‘Like attracts like.’ She crossed her arms.

Fynn bounded to his side and jumped up to lick his face. He pushed the dog away. ‘Back off, you crazy mutt.’ He glanced at Rosette and flicked mud off his hands, a half smirk curling his lips. ‘The lot of you are crazy.’

‘Maybe.’ Rosette extended her hand to help him up. ‘But I’d like to remind you that I can and will find my bearings.’ She smiled. ‘And, just so you know, I haven’t been a
girl
for quite some time.’

Shane cringed. ‘It’s a figure of speech,’ he said.

‘Don’t use it around me.’

He nodded, took her hand, and allowed her to hoist him up. ‘Never again.’

They stood face to face, the thunder cracking overhead, their feet and hands covered in mud. They suddenly started laughing so hard Rosette didn’t notice the toads had gone quiet.

Maudi, the portal!

She stiffened.

Someone comes.
Her familiar crouched as he sent the thought.

Rosette spun around, drawing her sword. The sing of it clearing the scabbard rang out just ahead of another clap of thunder. Drayco’s hackles fanned, a low growl rising from his throat. Fynn released a series of husky barks, surprisingly deep for a pup.

‘What is it?’ Shane said, drawing his sword as well. ‘I can’t see a thing.’

Rosette sidestepped and motioned to Shane to do the same, making certain they were outside of each other’s kill circle. Her eyes focused on a figure emerging from the rock crevice. Drayco sprang forward, flying through the air.

Maudi, Maudi! We found him.

‘Wait, Dray. Who?’

Sheath your sword, Maudi. He’s here.

Laughter came from the man walking towards them. ‘Actually, Drayco,’ Jarrod said, his voice booming over the reanimated toads, ‘it’s
I
who have found you.’

Rosette lowered her sword. ‘Jarrod!’ she shouted, slipping her blade into its sheath and charging. She
leapt, wrapping her legs around his waist, almost knocking him over as he slid backward in the mud. Drayco ploughed the top of his head into the entwined couple, purring like an engine. Fynn barked rapid-fire—high pitched and ear-piercing now that the danger had passed—his tail wagging.

‘Here you are at last. The glorious Rosette de Santo,’ Jarrod said, his voice still projecting across the barren landscape. ‘My beautiful witch.’ He wrapped his arms around her tighter, whispering, ‘Where have you been, love?’

She hugged him back, squealing with delight. Jarrod teetered, struggling to keep his balance before releasing her to the ground. She planted a kiss on his lips that lasted long enough for Shane to turn away. When Rosette pulled back from the embrace, she laughed aloud. ‘I’ve been lost like you wouldn’t believe.’ She grabbed his face and kissed him again. ‘Where have
you
been?’

‘Most recently? Treeon. Looking for you.’

‘You’ve managed to keep track of
him
, I see.’ A woman stepped out of the crevice and nodded towards Shane. She took in the scene, her eyes squinting in the rain. Her hand was on her sword, her face stern.

‘Rosette, this is Selene,’ Jarrod said, introducing the women.

‘From Tensar?’ Rosette queried.

‘I am,’ she said. ‘And you…’ Her tone dropped as she directed her attention to Shane. ‘What have you been playing at?’

‘Odd. I have the same question for you,’ Shane answered, his eyes even with hers.

They glared at each other, speaking in their native tongue. Rosette followed the conversation, but the body language alone would have given them away—testy, belligerent, defensive. Rosette turned to Jarrod
and shrugged. He shook his head, apparently no wiser than she.

‘Let’s get out of this rain,’ he said, brushing strands of damp hair from her cheeks. She fell into step beside him as they returned to the portal.

‘Do you know where we are?’ she asked when they were under the rocky overhang. ‘It looks a little early for us.’

‘My thoughts exactly, though I recognise the spot,’ he said. ‘Even in this state.’

‘You do?’

‘It was once a very beautiful place.’

‘What? An ASSIST complex?’

‘Not at all. It’s the estate of Luka Paree.’

‘The place that Kreshkali’s searching for?’

He nodded.

She looked out towards the barren land; a flash of lightning turned everything blue-white before it went back to its bleak and murky hues. ‘But this is before Kreshkali brought us over, isn’t it?’

‘I’d say so.’

Rosette pushed her wet hair out of her eyes. ‘The portals aren’t running true for me, Jarrod. What about you?’

‘Definitely askew. I get the feeling someone’s tampering.’

‘Tampering?’

‘I think so. Trackers might be hacking into the plasma stream, or it could be a spell.’ He glanced towards Selene and Shane. They were still arguing in the rain.

‘If there are trackers about, that means ASSIST has gone underground,’ Rosette said.

‘Or trackers could have been wandering through the corridors since Kreshkali crossed over. We have to find them in either case.’

She frowned. ‘You said you’ve been to Treeon? My Treeon?’

Jarrod laughed, reaching into his pocket. ‘I have indeed, and I’ve got these to prove it. ’ He pulled out several moss-green apples and handed her one, tossing the others to Shane and Selene. ‘Catch,’ he called out, getting their attention.

‘You’re divine,’ she said, polishing the fruit on the inside of her coat and biting into the crisp skin. She captured the sugary liquid that spilled over her lips with a sweep of her tongue. ‘We were just there too, but it turned out to be a different time. It was very strange. Nell was strange…Oh, this tastes good!’ She examined the apple before taking another bite.

‘The entire journey since we left Tensar has been strange,’ Selene said. She’d turned away from Shane and was staring at Rosette. ‘I imagined you differently.’

Rosette stopped chewing. ‘Did you?’

‘From the way he talks, I pictured you more…mature.’

Rosette lifted a brow and smiled. ‘Thank you.’ Turning to Jarrod, she asked, ‘Did you see the Caller? Is that world sorted out?’

‘Still working on it—long story.’ He dropped his eyes to Fynn, who was twisting around to chew at the base of his tail. ‘I can see you’ve some stories as well. Where’d you pick him up?’

‘You first,’ she said, leaning her back against the rock wall. ‘What’s happened since I saw you last?’ Her eyes drifted from his face to Selene. ‘I want all the details.’

Rosette had finished her apple by the time Jarrod explained his experience on Tensar. She held the core between her thumb and first finger, absently rotating it from side to side. ‘And why did Selene get you away?’

‘She’s got her doubts about the Caller.’ He lowered his voice. ‘Says she might be interfering with the borders and enlisted me to help her find out.’

‘I thought you might have been “enlisted”.’ She winked. ‘And have you solved that mystery?’

‘Which one?’

Rosette laughed, then turned to consider Shane and Selene. They had renewed their argument and were speaking in low, harsh voices, unaware of Rosette’s scrutiny.

‘Explain how you learned her language so fast?’ Selene fired the question at Shane.

He shrugged. ‘I told you, we had plenty of time—we were caught in a loop.’

‘For how long?’

‘For long enough to learn each other’s language.’

‘Long enough for other things as well, I see,’ Selene said, her face curled into a sneer.

‘You don’t know what you see,’ Shane said. His voice echoed through the rock shelter.

‘Don’t I? I think I see perfectly well. And I can add, too. You speak her language, and that’s not all, is it!’

Rosette touched Jarrod’s shoulder. ‘What are they arguing about?’

‘You tell me,’ Selene snapped, her green eyes zeroing in on Rosette.

Jarrod raised his hands. ‘Whoa, now. They understand each other’s language,’ he said. ‘It doesn’t mean any taboo has been broken or boundaries crossed.’

‘What taboo? What boundaries?’ Rosette asked, returning Selene’s look.

‘We have some pressing matters in front of us,’ Jarrod interrupted. ‘Let’s stay on the immediate topic.’

Selene crossed her arms and closed her mouth.

‘Rosette, what happened when you reached Tensar? You must have got out of the portal.’

‘I certainly did. Many times.’ She described their journey, the recurring loop at the entrance to Tensar, her meetings with Shane and their escape through the subterranean waterway. Jarrod questioned her frequently, especially her experiences of Nell as a girl and at the Dumarkian Temple. Rosette was about to elaborate on her own theory when the ground beneath them rolled. A searing bolt of electricity lit the sky and the cliff face rattled. The rain stopped. Rosette blanched. ‘Shaker’s coming. A big one.’

‘This way.’ Jarrod waved them deeper into the crevice. ‘We’ve got to get out of here.’

Shane and Selene hung back.

Rosette braced against the wall. ‘Quickly, you two. We’ve got to go.’

‘I’m not going back in there,’ Selene yelled over the falling rubble. ‘It’s collapsing.’

‘That’s why we need to get through the portal before it does. The corridors are safe.’

‘I’m not so sure,’ she said.

‘I am!’ Rosette grabbed at her sleeve and made to pull her forward. Selene stood back, her hand going to her sword. Rosette automatically did the same.

‘What’s the problem?’ Jarrod asked, rushing back. ‘We’ve got to move.’ He looked at the women, squared off for battle. ‘What happened?’ he asked Shane.

‘Nothing.’

Selene planted her feet, keeping her eyes locked on Rosette. ‘Where are you taking us?’

‘I’ve got to find Nell—the Nell of my time.’ She let out her breath. ‘What’s wrong with you? We’ll be buried alive if we don’t move.’

Selene didn’t answer.

Maudi, we need to go now.

Rosette broke the connection, turned away from the other woman and stared at the wrought-iron gate. It
rolled with the quaking ground as if a giant serpent was travelling beneath it. The apple core still in her hand, she raised her arm and hurled it towards the fence. It hit the post and splattered. When she turned back, her voice was strong. ‘Nell’s the missing piece to this riddle. You can come with us to find her, or you can stay here and be buried under a ton of rock. Your choice.’

‘I think there’s more than one missing piece,’ Selene said, tilting her head towards Shane. ‘I’m not moving until I see it.’

Rosette wiped her hands on her coat-tail while mouthing a silent question to Jarrod.
What’s going on?

He shrugged. ‘I get the feeling she thinks you and Shane have been…’

‘Have been what?’ Her eyes widened. ‘Intimate? You’re joking, aren’t you?’

Apparently it’s a sore point, Maudi
. Her temple cat stood by her side, his legs braced against the building shaker.

Rosette spun back to Selene. ‘You think I’ve been having my way with him?’ She tossed her hand towards Shane. ‘That’s what this is about?’

Selene lifted her chin, unmoved. ‘It’s obvious,’ she said.

Jarrod stepped between them. ‘Can you two continue this debate in the portal? We really need to get out of this time-space, or do you fancy entombment?’

‘No, no. Let’s clear this up right now.’ Rosette bristled as she spoke. ‘What exactly is the problem?’

‘He wouldn’t be the first bard you had an eye for…’ Selene said, her voice trailing off.

Rosette spun on Jarrod. ‘What have you been telling her?’

He started to speak, but Rosette turned back to Selene.

‘First of all, what difference does it make if we’ve been having all kinds of sex? You don’t possess him, do you? Control his capacity for love and intimacy? I don’t remember slavery being on the list of Tensar’s social customs. And, second of all, we haven’t, though I can’t see how that concerns anyone but me and Shane.’ She finished with a look for Jarrod that made him cringe.

‘I don’t believe you,’ Selene said.

‘Why not?’

‘Look at you.’

‘Look at what?’

Maudi! Move it!
her familiar roared in her head.

Rosette was about to fire another challenge. Instead she let her shoulders relax and exhaled. ‘Come on. This is absurd. We have to travel the corridors and it’s best done without anxiety. No telling where the Entity will send us otherwise.’

‘It doesn’t change what I know.’ Selene directed her comment to Shane.