Arrows of Time (48 page)

‘I never said I was from Los Loma.’

‘But you certainly aren’t from Morzone,’ Jago said.

Teg didn’t deny it. There was no point. It was also clear who he reminded them of. Hotha! That Lupin, on any world, was a lover of women. It didn’t surprise him that he’d been this way before and stirred everyone up, particularly Lily. They may not realise he was a Lupin too, but they were onto his connection. What now? Stick as close to the truth as possible, lie outright, or make a run for it? Running was looking like a most attractive option, but he wasn’t going anywhere unless he could take Kreshkali with him. He had to stall while she revived.
Kali? Can you hear me?

Teg tore a small loaf of bread in half. Steam rose from the centre and burned his fingers. ‘I know of Hotha,’ he said. He popped a piece of bread in his mouth as their faces brightened.

‘I thought you might!’ Lily said, reaching for the other half of the bread.

Teg didn’t offer anything else. He was making a
good show of preoccupation with the food, though he was having trouble getting it down. He couldn’t work out if they knew Hotha as friend or foe. He could pose as either. Then it occurred to him that they were being extremely cordial considering there were murderers on the loose and he might be one of them. Suddenly, he felt like a pig being fattened for Beltane.

‘He’s an accomplished falconer,’ Jago was saying.

‘What’s that?’

‘Hotha. He’s a good hunter.’ Jago’s eyes were on Lily. ‘He rode with us on several occasions, but he doesn’t come this way much any more.’

‘Have you spoken to him recently?’ Lily asked, her hand reaching out to stop Teg’s next mouthful.

He put down his fork and turned his full attention to her. ‘I’ve not seen him for some time. Are you concerned?’

Her brow creased.

‘Not at all,’ Jago said. ‘A man like that can take care of himself.’

‘A little,’ Lily whispered. ‘Can you get a message to him?’

Teg groaned internally. There had to be a smooth way out of this. He was about to respond when a woman entered, distracting Lily. She was one of the grooms, plump and blonde with a smile like summer sun. Her short stature made Teg wonder how she handled the tall horses he’d seen in the stables. How did she ever saddle and bridle them?

Her eyes darted to him. ‘Milk crate,’ she said.

‘Pardon?’

‘Mind your thoughts around Jess,’ Jago said, laughing deeply. ‘She comes from a long line of witches.’

Jess joined the laughter. Teg thought he would be sick.

‘Don’t look so alarmed,’ Jess said. ‘I’ve got more important things to do than skulk around inside your mind.’ She shook her head, her golden hair bouncing. ‘I never make a habit of eavesdropping.’

‘That’s good to know,’ he replied.

She looked at him closely, letting her eyes take in his form as if she were studying a horse at the markets. ‘For you I might have made an exception, but I see your mind shield is already well in place.’

‘Sit down, Jess.’ Lily pulled out the chair next to her. ‘And let our guest eat.’

Teg was surprised at the inclusion. Other staff members entered the dining hall and filled the remaining seats.

‘Thanks, but I’ve got the broodmares to turn out still. I came in because I’m worried about the new falcon. She’s making a lot of noise.’

Jago rose from his seat, motioning the rest of them down. ‘Stay here, Jess. I’ll let the mares out and check on the bird.’

Teg was up, ready to follow.

‘Eat, lad. I won’t be long.’

Teg slid back into his chair and faced the two women, who were now asking him more questions about his origins.

What are you doing, Kali? Are you all right?
Teg sent the message through his mind shield, testing to see if Jess caught it. There was no indication that she did.

I’m getting that man away from you before the word ‘Lupin’ comes up. What are you doing wining and dining with these people?

I’m trying to rescue you.

There’s that word ‘try’
…

Kali, I thought we could tell them the truth, but I’m having second thoughts. They may have alerted Treeon
that we’re here, or that I’m here. I’m feeling a wee bit vulnerable.

You’re feeling vulnerable?
She all but screamed at him
. I’m hooded, in a cage, injured and unable to shift or fly. Remember? And watch the groom. Smart witch, that one.

Jess turned to smile at him.

Shield!

‘You’re no stranger to the birds of prey, are you?’

‘I thought you didn’t eavesdrop.’

‘Normally no, but your mind is so deep and rich. I just wanted to…’

‘Jess, get out of it,’ Lily said as she thrust a plate into the other woman’s hands. ‘He’s just a journeyman herbalist on his way to Treeon. Nothing more, nothing less. Isn’t that right, Teg?’

He nodded, taking a mouthful of fruit. The sweet juice trickled down his throat. He coughed.
Kali? What’s Jago doing?

He’s taking my hood off.

‘So tell me, Teg.’ Lily scooted her chair closer to him. ‘Are you related to Hotha? Is he a…brother perhaps? An uncle?’

‘Me? No…My family is from the outskirts of Morzone…’ His voice trailed off as he directed his thoughts to Kreshkali.
Are you out of the cage?

I am.

‘Oh, come now, Teg. You don’t know enough about that city to be born and bred there. Where are you really from?’

‘You can tell us,’ Jess added. ‘We can help you, whatever you’re mixed up in.’

Kali, they know.

Get out, Teg! Now!

Teg bolted, leaping from his chair and down the stairs, shifting to all fours before his feet hit the ground.

An’ Lawrence stood at the gates of Temple Los Loma.

‘It’s the right place, Sword Master. Well done,’ Grayson said. ‘Is it the right time?’

‘I think so.’

The apple trees were vibrant, full of leaves and swelling fruit. That fitted. The temple cats were relaxed, always a good sign. Fynn had scrambled out of Grayson’s backpack, awake now and delighted to see Shane, who rewarded him with a pennywhistle tune. The sweet high-pitched jig lifted spirits, a welcome relief, and the Three Sisters greeted them all with loud caws, their shiny black wings whiffing through the air as they swooped and dived. They didn’t seem to be upset that their mistress wasn’t present, and he took that as a comfort. He searched the ground for prints, boot or paw. There was no sign of Teg.

Grayson bent over the body bag, feeling the edges, frowning deeply. ‘Everett said we only had a day or so until…’

‘Once she thaws, it’s all over, unless her heart starts up again. Is that about right?’ An’ Lawrence asked, turning away from the corpse. He looked at the sky; it was pale blue and cloudless, a sliver of moon rising in the east. The sun was already making him sweat.

‘That’s what I gather.’

Rowan, we need a High Priestess, fast, if we’re going to revive Rosette. Kreshkali isn’t here.

He reached out and stroked the top of Scylla’s head.
Any ideas?

Treeon. Or Timbali?

An’ Lawrence patted her back, directing his attention to the others as they gathered around him. ‘Get her into the temple hall. Assemble everyone.’ His voice boomed as he waved them towards the gates.

‘Where are you going?’ Grayson asked.

‘To get us a High Priestess, or a Timbali witch, even La Makee if I can find her.’

‘But Kreshkali…’

‘We don’t know when she’ll arrive and we need someone who can do the ritual. We need a High Priestess. Makee is one. It’s our only chance.’

‘She’s on sabbatical,’ Jarrod said. ‘How will you find her and get her back here in time?’

‘The Entity will take me to her.’

‘You’re trusting a lot.’ Jarrod had his hand on the edge of the black body bag. ‘The Entity has been opening strange corridors lately.’

‘It’s worth the risk. Kali may get back here in time; I may find La Makee. This doubles our chances of saving Rosette.’ An’ Lawrence called Scylla to him and backed towards the portal, waving them away. ‘Set it up. Get everyone into the Temple hall, meditating. Lift the roof off the place with healing energy. Joy. You have to start with a sense of joy. That’s the first step.’ He turned to Jarrod. ‘You know what to do. I won’t be long.’ He gripped his sword and dashed through the portal, Scylla by his side.

He felt a particular thrill as his hand passed over the plasma waves sparking out from the Entity. He was clear now. Whatever Kreshkali was up to, in whatever form or world, he didn’t have time to wait. The more he thought about it, the more he knew Makee was the best bet if Kali didn’t show. In spite of their past, he trusted the woman, and because of their past, he felt confident he could find her in a flash. Would she come? Surely curiosity alone would bring her back. He tightened his grip on his sword.

The streams of colour and light slowed and the portal opened onto a familiar scene—the flat lands east of Corsanon. What in demon’s darkness was she
doing there? The sounds of clashing steel and thundering hooves, shouts and screams, came in on the breeze. He smelled smoke and turf and blood. Scylla’s hackles were up, her spine tense.

‘Curse you, Makee. What battle are you fighting now?’ He and Scylla leapt from the portal, screaming a war cry.

It appeared this campaign had been going for some time, the heat of the day wearing both sides down. It almost looked like slow motion, a sea of horses, warriors and hand to hand.

Where is she, Scylla? Can you spot her?

To the west, holding that small hill.

Which one?
He squinted at the fray.

On the golden horse.

He spotted her, red hair flaming, the sun glinting off the sapphire that hung between her bare breasts. She wielded her sword in smooth arcs, tireless and exacting, her mount in perfect control, pivoting and leaping in time to her swings. No one could get near her; he watched them die trying.

Scylla, run with me. We’ll skirt this lot and approach the hill from the south.

Why not straight through?

He chuckled.
You have a taste for blood, my lovely?

It’s Corsanon!

Come. This isn’t our fight. Rosette’s our first concern.

Let’s hope you can make it Makee’s. She does look like she’s having fun.

He took off towards the knoll, hoping to avoid the warriors. He’d done it all before—fought Corsanon into the ground. Why they kept re-forming was beyond him. They seemed to have no concept of peace or truce. Certainly they had none of defeat.

She knows we’re here
, Scylla said.

Excellent. Her mood?

Curious-excited.

That’s better still.
He followed Scylla as she led the way, clearing a path to Makee.

The witch spotted them. She didn’t take her focus from her opponents but sent him a mind message.
What brings you here, Sunshine? You finally get tired of Kali, or was it the other way around?
She charged towards him, cutting down those too slow to get out of her way. The rest retreated.

Neither. Makee, we need you.

Of course you need me.
She flashed him a smile as she signalled her mounted troops. ‘See them off,’ she commanded, throwing her head towards the retreat.

Rosette needs you.

Makee flicked blood from her sword and sheathed it, jumping to the ground. She handed her reins to her second, giving the warhorse an affectionate slap on his sweat-soaked neck.

‘Well done, Amarillo,’ she said to him. Raising her voice, she addressed her warriors. ‘Done, and well done, all.’

They were gathering around her but let An’ Lawrence and Scylla through, stepping back and bowing their heads as they passed.

‘What trouble’s the young witch in now?’ she asked.

An’ Lawrence reached her, bending down to kiss her right cheek, her left and then her lips. ‘She’s dead.’

Makee frowned. ‘That is trouble.’

‘Can you help?’

‘She’s floating around disembodied?’

‘Back at Temple Los Loma.’

‘Where’s that?’

‘Earth.’

‘And her body?’

‘It’s been on ice. Glacier-cold. We don’t have much time.’

‘Kreshkali knows the ritual. Why are you bothering me with this?’

‘She’s gone missing.’

Makee laughed. ‘So you’ve come begging?’

He kept his eyes on her while watching the far side of the knoll with his peripheral vision. A Corsanon warrior crept forward, only the top of his head and the tip of his bow visible.

An’ Lawrence pulled Makee aside as an arrow whizzed by, just missing her shoulder blade. The High Priestess let out a rumbling scream and spun around, blasting her energy out in a sudden flare. An’ Lawrence covered his face, shielding his eyes from the white light. The archer was thrown, landing face down on the ground, unmoving. She spat and turned back to the Sword Master. ‘You really can’t find that doppleganging witch?’

He shook his head.

‘But you found me!’

‘Indeed, Makee. I did.’

Rosette studied the apple trees at the entrance gate. They seemed to glow with recognition, their leaves radiant in the sunlight, branches ruffled by the breeze.

I don’t remember those, Drayco.

Nor I, Maudi.

When she returned her focus to the others, An’ Lawrence and Scylla were back in the portal. What was he doing now? She tried to send him a mental query, but it was like throwing feathers at a bull. No impact.

Where’s he going, Dray?

To find a High Priestess.

I hope he can be quick.

She was feeling thin, drifting further and further away, losing the significance of her connection to the
people below. She could barely hear their voices even as they argued. Jarrod’s cut through above them all. He rallied them, saying something that calmed everyone down. They followed him through the gates, heading towards Temple Los Loma. Part of her wanted to keep up. She was sure it was best to stay close to her corpse in any case. It seemed important, but she couldn’t quite remember why. The other part of her wanted to drift away, buoyed up by the wind, letting go of all that worry down below. If she could only float off like an Elemental. That felt good. She wanted to do that.