Strange Attractors (48 page)

‘I’ve been blessed to participate in the rearing of one, but am always thrilled to see more.’

One temple cat? Is that all?

There’s more than one.

In Dumarka?

They’re hidden.

You mean we’re hidden…
Saphon put her cup down without taking a sip. ‘Come then. Let me show you the younglings.’
Tell me, Kreshkali, does Temple Dumarka lie in ruin because I didn’t follow your plan, or because I did?

Kreshkali smoothed her cloak, loosening the clasp around her neck. She looked into Saphon’s eyes, black in the shadows. ‘I believe it is because you did not, High Priestess.’

‘Can you be certain?’

Kreshkali cleared her throat. ‘I can’t.’

R
osette sat close, the warmth of the fire barely penetrating her bones. She held her cloak around her tight, visualising a small flame in the base of her spine. A gust of wind blew it out.
This is absurd, Drayco. I can’t even get my visualisation to light.

Drayco leapt to his feet, hackles up, ears pricked.
Someone comes!

She put her hand on his back. Still deaf, she couldn’t hear him growl but the vibration was palpable.
How close?

Above us.

Makee?

Drayco’s tail lashed once as he sniffed the air. He sat on his haunches, his mouth slightly open.
It’s a black falcon, whistling her head off. The Three Sisters, too.

Nell!

Drayco was on his feet again.
Can’t you hear her? Run! Water’s coming. Makee’s made a flood.

A flood?

She’s cracked open Lake Drid!

What?

She’s going to blow the banks of Corsanon gorge.
Drayco dashed forward.

Wait, Dray. The fire.

Run, Maudi! Fly! The fire will be washed away, and us too. A torrent comes!

Rosette leapt over the rocks, shape-shifting into a wolf before she cleared them. Her head throbbed, ears ached, but the urgency had finally lit the fire in her spine and the flames grew. She and Drayco ran hard, cutting across the cliff until they were forced to turn down the only track. The ground shook, boulders vibrating. They reached the valley and shot straight for the higher hills, the black falcon leading the way.

When Rosette crested the edge of the woods above Temple Corsanon, the falcon landed, morphing into Nell, the Three Sisters circling above. The shock wave smacked into her own as she shifted at the same time. Drayco squeezed his eyes shut.

Nell!
She fell into her mother’s arms.

Are you all right?

I’m having a little trouble communicating, but I hear you fine now. Just stay in my head.

As they watched from the elevated position, Rosette realised the magnitude of Makee’s action. The witch had released a rush of water about to crack the gorge, draining it out, revealing the spell’s cairn, or at least placing it within reach. She must also have planned an even more ruthless tactic—the destruction of Temple Corsanon.

The temple! Nell, they spotted us.

Before Nell could respond, a wall of water crashed down the face of the mountain, plummeting into the
gorge. It took with it trees, grass and boulders, the spray shooting up above the valley. The weight of the water cracked the far end of the gorge, breaking the natural dam. The river that roared into the valley was higher than the peaks of the temple, heading straight for it.

Is Makee insane?

Far from it, Rosette. In one moment she’s revealed the spell, destroyed the temple and blamed it on a Dumarkian temple cat and a Lupin. Clever, really.

She’s not destroyed the temple yet. Help me!

Rosette pointed to the barn, a two-storey brick building that stood on raised ground near the temple road.
If we can bring it down crosswise, the water will disperse around it.

We have to lift it.

How?

The Air Elementals!

A twister?

Definitely!

Rosette took a deep breath, calling on the Elementals. The fire in her spine burned bright and she felt it growing, encouraged by Nell’s similar actions beside her. Together they called in Air, drawing it into a spiral, augmenting its spin and volume until it swelled like a giant dust devil—a tornado larger than ever seen on the Ubi Plains. At the last moment before the torrent reached the temple grounds, they released their spell.

The twister cut across the valley, straight to the barn. It lifted the building, spinning it around, the bricks flying out in all directions. With a wave of her arms, Rosette halted the call. The twister dispersed and the brick building crashed to the road, blocking the temple grounds with roof-high rubble. The water
hit it full force, forming a standing wave, rivers cutting their way around both sides of the grounds.

People were climbing onto the temple roof, clinging there with bags and belongings. Some were standing on the walls, casting spells of their own to protect what was left of the grounds. The water had diverted, but not all of it. A rushing river snaked through the temple gardens, tearing a new path, leaving trees and statues uprooted in its wake. Rosette didn’t miss the arms pointed towards her, even from such a distance away.

We’ve got to get out of here, Nell. They’re coming.

Not without the spell!

Passillo?
She laughed but heard no sound.
It’s all right, Nell. I’ve got her.
Rosette pulled open her cloak, revealing the vial secured around her neck. Nell’s face contorted, mouthing words. Rosette shook her head, cupping her ears.
I can only hear your mental voice, Nell.
She shrugged.
I’ve gone deaf. Hope it’s temporary.

It best be temporary. I have much to say to you with both voices.

Excuse me, Maudi? Nell? The Corsanon temple guards are halfway up the hill. They seem upset. Shall we go?

Rosette spun around.
Run!

Nell morphed, the wind nearly knocking them down.
Head for the mountains, both of you. Dead run! Stop for nothing.
The black falcon screamed towards the top of the gorge, though Rosette could see no sign of Makee, or the witch Rall and her apprentice.

Where are you going, Nell?

She’s got to be stopped. Meet me at the portal below Prieta south. If I’m not there before you, head straight back to Los Loma!

Rosette bolted, Drayco on her heels.

The chestnut mare trotted along at an easy jog while Clay sang. He was learning a new tune from Shane, his eyes bright with excitement. ‘What’s it called?’

‘It’s got a few different names.’

‘What do you call it?’

‘
Her Long Black Hair
.’

‘Ah, like Rosette? Did you two…’

‘Nah,’ Shane answered fast. ‘She’s too…’

‘Yeah. I know what you mean. She’s daunting, in a way, but also alluring. I think I wouldn’t mind…’ Clay was about to say more when he spotted a large black bird zeroing in on them.

‘How many shapes can that witch shift into?’ he asked, pointing skyward.

‘Don’t know. Plenty, I’ll wager.’

Clay kept his arm outstretched. ‘Try not to lose your horse this time.’ His face crinkled, eyes squinting at the creature flapping overhead. It knocked his arm hard as it landed, springing back and morphing, the wings turning to particles of dust that floated away, a cloaked woman touching her feet lightly to the ground as she landed.

‘Here you are!’ she said.

Clay screwed up his face. ‘On the road, right where you left us, Nell.’

‘Indeed.’ She brushed a white down feather from her sleeve.

‘Did you want us to gallop all the way back to Treeon?’ Shane asked, struggling to keep his horse still. ‘I was on foot for a while, you realise.’

Nell laughed. ‘Treeon? Hardly. There’s been a change of plans.’

Clay frowned. ‘How so?’

‘I want you to follow a young witch, keep an eye on her. Can you do that?’

‘Rosette?’ Clay whispered.

‘That’s the one. She’s running northwest, towards the Prieta portal. If you turn off at the foothills road, you’ll get there before her. Any questions?’

She didn’t wait to hear an answer before she took off again. The horses reared but Clay was ready for it. He leaned forward when his mount reared, keeping the gelding under control. Shane managed the same. Far in the distance a raptor whistled and the raven shot away towards the west.

‘I’ve never seen a black bird so huge,’ Clay said, scratching his head. ‘Can they shape-shift into any creature or does it have to be real?’

‘I’m not sure what you mean by
real
, but I’ve seen such a bird before. They’re called Lemur ravens. There’s plenty of them at Timbali Temple. At least, that’s what I’ve heard.’

Clay’s face lit up, his smile wide. He whooped, urging his horse forward. ‘What luck. We’ll be seeing Rosette before the day’s out. And we were just thinking about her, both of us.’

Shane frowned. ‘It doesn’t feel quite right.’

‘Not right?’ Clay called back over his shoulder. ‘Come on, man. It’s
all
right. Keep up!’

Nell rode the thermals high above the Lemur raven. When she was directly overhead, she dove.

To the ground, La Makee, or I’ll break your neck midair.

The Lemur raven cawed, faltering before cutting sharply to the right. Nell adjusted her dive, picking up speed by the second. In falcon form, she was the fastest animal alive. No one could outdistance her,
and certainly not in a dive. The Three Sisters vanished from her peripheral vision. They couldn’t hope to keep up.
Last chance, Makee.

The raven dipped its wings, stalled and recovered in time to flap hard in the opposite direction. Nell had to pull out of the dive, riding the thermals back up. She kept Makee in her sights, the wind rushing past her face as she gained altitude, closing in.

You’ve done enough damage, Nell. I’ll not have you destroy my last effort.

Effort for what, witch? To plant yourself on every dragonbone chair in the known lands of Gaela?

Hardly. I’m saving this world from your stupidity.

Nell whistled and dove again, the raven in her sights. The black bird’s head came up and it flapped hard against the wind. Nell saw that she was labouring. She pinned her wings to her sides and plummeted. Again the raven evaded the strike, though her recovery was slower. Nell hit an updraught and soared above her, sure this would be the last strike.

Wait, Nell. Stop.
Makee’s voice strained in her head.
I’m landing. We can talk.

Nell followed the raven down, tracking her every move. Adrenaline rushed in her veins. She felt a wash of emotions, trust in the other witch not being among them. She dropped to a grove of oaks, touching lightly to a branch beside Makee. The raven’s head cocked, her blue eyes blinking before she jumped to the ground, morphing as she landed. Nell did the same, her toes touching the dirt an arm’s length beside her. Makee began to pace, her hand on her sword, her red hair flaming behind her.

Nell stood back, watching. ‘What do you think you’re doing, La Makee?’ The Three Sisters landed in a grove of beech trees, echoing the challenge. ‘You stop the wars,
you start the wars. You destroy Temple Corsanon and point the finger at Dumarka, and you nearly kill Rosette in the process. From what I can see, you’ve destroyed Jarrod and set the mountains of Earth to boil. Have you gone insane? What are you thinking? What purpose could you possibly have?’

Makee spun on Nell. ‘What shall I answer first?’ She didn’t give Nell time to speak. ‘It was An’ Lawrence who started the Corsanon wars again. I had that fire out.’

‘Out? Hardly, Makee. You baited him and you know it.’

She ignored the comment. ‘And Temple Corsanon was set to blast the Entity apart, or didn’t you remember that? The flood just saved my world.’

‘You’ve never heard of diplomacy, Makee? Did you even try to talk to their High Priestess?’

‘Try to talk?’ Makee spat. ‘I’m sorry, Nell, that you think I didn’t discuss matters thoroughly enough with their High Priestess. I was too busy being stalked, caged and locked in a burning citadel.’

‘Where Rosette saved your life! And you promptly try to drown her in a flood and send the temple guards to run her down.’

‘She’s fast enough, and her temple cat too.’ Makee leaned towards Nell. ‘She’ll survive.’

‘At what cost? She’s deaf now. Did you know that?’

‘She’ll heal.’

‘And Jarrod, the spell! What’s your game, Makee?’

‘You don’t know, do you?’

Nell crossed her arms under her breasts. ‘That would be why I’m asking.’

Makee looked over her shoulder.
Not here, Nell. We’re being watched.

Nell stiffened. She sensed someone in the distance and hissed,
Follow me.
She knelt for an instant and
sprang into the air, La Makee a wing’s length behind her.
I know a more private place.

An’ Lawrence rode Cheetah, a black mare, sixteen hands high and full of the demons. A four-year-old daughter of his stallion, Diablai, he’d been training her in Los Loma, with mixed results. She had all her sire’s gusto but so far none of his good sense. She knew the Lupin was not far off; his form was hidden in the tree cover, but not his scent. She also was familiar enough with this particular one by now that her skittishness was uncalled for. An’ Lawrence stroked her neck, motioning Teg to back away. He ground his teeth. He’d have words with the lad when they camped for the night. It was easier to blame his proximity than any shortcomings of his mare’s.