The Spell of Rosette (31 page)

They halted as one before the Sword Master, but their gleaming eyes were not on him, or the familiars. They were on Rosette.

‘Why are you here, An’ Lawrence?’ the central Lupin asked, his voice deep, the words articulate.

‘They know you by name?’ Rosette whispered through chattering teeth.

He ignored her, his full attention on the central Lupin. ‘We have come to offer a trade.’

She wondered how An’ Lawrence could speak with such confidence. Her neck felt like it was in a noose. She didn’t think another word could escape without her voice squeaking and cracking.

Panic rose and she increased her mind-shield, calming herself and her thoughts as best she could. Then she noticed something even more unusual about the Lupins. The way they behaved and moved so subtly, it was almost as though they were one entity.

She sent a silent message to Drayco.
How many do you see?

Three.

But how many do you sense?

Drayco took a moment to reply before she heard his silent answer filtering through her mind-shield.
Interesting, Maudi. They communicate as one. They’re linked.

Rosette reached forward and tugged on the Sword Master’s coat, but he brushed her hand away. She tried to send a mental message, but his shield was up, impenetrable.

Tell Scylla,
Rosette instructed Drayco.
Tell her to tell him.

His familiar got through. She knew he had received the message by the way An’ Lawrence straightened his spine.

‘You have nothing we want,’ the Lupin said.

The three of them leaned towards Rosette, drawing in her scent.

‘We do,’ An’ Lawrence countered evenly. ‘Treeon has uncovered a vein of lapis lazuli. I believe the stone is sacred to your race. We offer it freely, unasked.’

All three shifted in their tracks.

‘Show us.’

Rosette was relieved to be out from under their scrutiny. The Lupins were riveted as the Sword Master pulled a black velvet bag from his coat lining. Holding it by its braided cord, he handed it over without hesitation. The Lupin opened the bag.

Rosette marvelled at how the Lupin’s face softened. He hardly glanced at the contents but simply held it to his chest for several heartbeats. Tucking it into a fold within his leather coverings, he released a sound, the murmur of a she-wolf to her first pup.

‘We admire the courage it must have taken to return what is ours.’ His eyes narrowed; his face, though wildly handsome, became severe. ‘Why do you risk it?’

‘You’d have sniffed it out sooner or later, and it occurred to us that doing so would be the more dangerous option,’ the Sword Master replied.

The Lupin did not smile back.

Rosette wondered at the Sword Master’s frankness. He didn’t seem to be trying to hide anything from these creatures. Maybe he was of the same mind as Nell—
Speak as close to the truth as you can.

‘We ask a favour in return,’ An’ Lawrence continued. His voice was strong and clear.

I’m glad you’re so confident about all this.
Rosette shot him the thought though he didn’t answer back.

‘We owe you no favour,’ the Lupin replied.

‘Think of it more as a trade. The source of lapis within our lands is rich. If we can come to some agreement…’

The Lupins looked at each other in silence.

‘Ask what you want. Be quick.’ The leader glanced up to the cloud-covered sun, the opaque glow rapidly heading west.

‘We seek an amulet, a faceted-crystal vial that glows blue at night, clear in the light of day. It was taken from an estate in Lividica six winters ago. I think your queen has something to do with it.’

Rosette gasped. What was he saying? She yanked on his coat again and this time he hit her hand, smacking it hard.

‘We know of this amulet. What does it contain?’

‘The Spell of Passillo.’ He said the words softly, like a prayer.

Passillo? No wonder he had told her nothing. Goddess forgive them! They can’t be messing with Passillo.

What had she gotten mixed up in? The Spell of Passillo was buried centuries ago by an ancient witch, if history had it right. It was not to be found, not to be touched. And if somehow it was found, it was not to be used, not unless all the demons and angels of Gaela commanded it, and Rosette was certain there had been no such command. Sword Master or not, An’ Lawrence had no right to dabble with such a power. No-one on Gaela did.

What are you doing?
She screamed the thought at him through clenched teeth.
What amulet?

She clamped her jaw tight, her eyes popping. He must have it wrong. She knew that vial, and it had nothing to do with Passillo. It was a charm given to her mother by Nell who…She gulped.
Oh no. Nell found Passillo?

‘We have heard of this,’ the central Lupin said.

And Bethsay gave it to me?
Rosette’s mind continued to race. Who did An’ Lawrence think could carry the spell back to Treeon if these Lupins actually had it and were willing to offer it up? Only females could work this kind of magic. Only…She swallowed hard again. Then she growled under her breath,
Demon’s death to
you, An’ Lawrence. You have no right to use me like this!

Had the Lupins sacked her house and killed her family for the amulet? Her hand went to her sword. Were these the murderers? Rosette didn’t know who she wanted to cut first, An’ Lawrence or the Lupins.

What’s Passillo, Maudi?
The warm touch of Drayco’s question interrupted her fervour. Rosette stilled her mind, shielding the rage, keeping her exterior a calm shell.

Finally, something I know that you do not!

I don’t know your star-lore.

But you seem to know everything else.

Not this. What is it?

Passillo is the cause of all the temple wars. What everybody wants and no-one should have.

Why?

I don’t know. Something to do with keeping the worlds apart.

Worlds?

Apparently. Be ready, Drayco, for anything. This can’t go well.

Maudi, swap!
Drayco’s voice commanded.

What?
she queried.
Now?

Get out of your body and let me in. You’ll be safer if we swap.

We can’t, Drayco. I have to keep my mind-shield tight.

I have no problems with that and you know it.
He lifted his paw and placed it on her leg, claws extended.

She almost made the exchange, her familiar was so insistent. But then she shook her head.
No, Drayco. It’s going to be all right. Besides, it isn’t always about safety.

I think today it is.

Trust me. We’re fine.

The Lupins had not moved. They did not look at one another or respond in any noticeable way. What they thought of the request was anyone’s guess. Not a twitch or sniff crossed their faces. Their exhalations were smooth and visible, little puffs of steam shooting down from their noses in regular bursts. She suspected hers were doing the same.

In the distance, she recognised the sinking whistle of a bird of prey calling high above the jagged peaks. An answering call followed. For a moment, that sound made her skin flush with a warmth she hadn’t felt in years. It was a goshawk, the same cry Jarrod had been able to imitate so well. The region was full of these birds, but it was the first time she’d noticed now that the storm had passed. Strange what stands out when the body is shaking with fear.

Without realising it, tears welled up and trickled halfway down her cheek before freezing into diamond droplets. The sound of the hawks echoed from mountain top to mountain top. Everything seemed vast and desolate, and still there was no response from the Lupins.

Do something, Sword Master. My shield’s starting to slip.

What little blood Rosette had in her extremities drained, despite her attempts to appear calm, humble and unimpressed. Drayco nudged her with his nose. There was comfort there, but no warmth. The sun was lowering into a thin red line on the horizon. Her mind-shield faded until it seemed to wink in and out like a firefly. They were wearing her down.

‘We do have such an amulet, but it contains no spell,’ the leader of the Lupins said at last.

‘The Spell of Passillo has been encased in the amulet for decades. It cannot escape. It was hidden in Lividica and taken from there. We know Kreshkali has it, and we want it back.’

‘The amulet contains no spell.’

‘So you say.’

Rosette stared at the back of the Sword Master’s head. She had no idea why he was provoking the Lupins, but it had every one of them snarling. Drayco was on his feet, his hackles as high as her waist. An’ Lawrence had one hand on his sword hilt, the other on Scylla’s head.

‘You’ll not live to question our word again,’ the lead Lupin said simply as he drew his sword.

Look out!
Rosette screamed and drew her sword as well. The Lupin was on top of An’ Lawrence just as his sword sang from its sheath, blood spurting as he sliced into its shoulder. Scylla went for the throat.

Rosette had no time to watch the outcome. Drayco faced off with one of the Lupins that had shifted back to wolf form. The third remained bipedal, levelling his sword at Rosette’s throat before she could strike.

‘We aren’t here to fight. If you want to know more about this spell, you can come with me, alone.’

‘I don’t think so!’ She sent a charge of energy through her limbs, the lightning flooding her with warmth and strength. She knocked away his blade with a spinning kick and cut towards his head. He blocked it instantly, the ring of steel on steel sounding over the plateau.

Above, the hawk shrieked.

The Lupin wavered, looking her in the eye. ‘Rosette,’ he said, his voice reprimanding her as if she were an errant child. ‘Put down your sword before you hurt yourself.’

Inflamed, she swung again, aiming to cut his head off. Mid-strike she dropped to her knees, pain searing through her body.

Maudi?

For a moment, she couldn’t speak. She could barely raise her head long enough to register the Lupin above her. The magic she’d released had opened her mind-shield and the energy was being driven back into her by the Lupin. He held her down with the force of his thoughts.

‘Shield, Rosette!’ The shout came from An’ Lawrence.

‘I’ll let you up as soon as you stop this nonsense,’ the Lupin said, his voice strangely calm.

When she relaxed, she found she could stand. Sheathing her sword, she glanced at An’ Lawrence in a stalemate with the other Lupin. Both had their swords in the guard position, waiting for the other to attack. Scylla lay in the snow, breathing but apparently unconscious.

‘Wait!’ she said. ‘It’s all right. I’ll meet your Kreshkali and learn more about this Passillo, but put your blades away.’
Drayco, what’s happened to Scylla?

She’s been cut, Maudi!
At that moment Drayco attacked the Lupin in front of him, trying to charge past to get to Scylla. He was dropped to his belly, the much larger Lupin pinning him down, his lashing tail the only part of him that moved.

‘Don’t hurt him,’ Rosette said, her voice a growl, her sword half drawn.

‘You have brought us more than our sacred stone,’ the Lupin facing An’ Lawrence said. ‘This woman has the blood of the Mistress, and we’re taking her with us.’

‘Blood of your Mistress? She has no such thing,’ An’ Lawrence shouted.

The Lupin laughed. ‘We’ll let Kreshkali decide.’

‘Take me.’ An’ Lawrence lowered his sword. ‘I will deal with your queen.’

The Lupin snarled. ‘You think we’re fools? Only
females of the blood can carry the Spell of Passillo, if they can carry it at all, and this one can.’

The Sword Master twisted his head around to look at his daughter.
Rosette?

I have no idea what he’s talking about!

‘You won’t take her,’ An’ Lawrence answered, his hand moving his sword imperceptibly upward.

He kicked a mound of snow up in the air and lunged. Rosette knew it was a distraction, a chance for her to break free, but the Lupin in front of her froze her mind again with his strange magic.

Don’t do it, An’ Lawrence. It’s no good. I can’t move.

There was a resounding clash of steel on steel before An’ Lawrence dropped to his knees. Rosette strained her eyes to see what had happened. He was face down on top of Scylla. Drayco let out a yowl that was cut short by a blow from the hilt of a Lupin’s blade. Her familiar’s tail stopped lashing and his head sank to the snow.

Rosette screamed as her captor brought a dagger to her throat, pricking her skin just enough to draw a single drop of blood.

‘You’re coming with us.’

‘I’ll not leave them,’ she gasped.
Drayco! Are you all right?

My head hurts, Maudi.

She struggled against her captor and again the blade pressed her neck.

‘What are you doing!’ A voice cut through the air, halting the Lupins. ‘Put that knife away, Rashnan, and let her go!’

Striding towards them was another Lupin, tall in his human form, eyes blazing. He scowled at the others and Rosette again suspected they were in silent communication.

He turned to her. ‘Rosette, I apologise for this.’

She was kneeling in the snow next to Drayco. ‘What have they done to him?’ Her face was red and streaked with tears.

‘He’ll be fine. It’s a mild spell.’

She pointed at An’ Lawrence and Scylla, also unconscious in the snow. ‘Mild? They’ll freeze to death like that.’

‘If you come with us, I’ll release them. They’ll be in the cave by a warm fire before dark. Kreshkali simply wants to meet with you. No-one’s meant to be harmed.’

‘It’s a little late for that, don’t you think?’

‘Again, my apologies.’

She tried to pull her heart out of her stomach, but it wouldn’t budge.