Strange Attractors (63 page)

‘Will do.’ She squeezed Rowan’s hand before he walked away. ‘Have you checked lately?’

‘Not since the last of the lava cooled.’

‘Let’s look today.’

He smiled then kissed her lips, lingering. ‘If there’s a way back to Gaela, we will find it.’

‘And if not,’ she whispered, ‘it’s all been worth it. Earth survives.’

‘Survives?’ He laughed and picked her up in his arms, baby temple cat and all. ‘She flourishes!’

Rosette watched Mozzie slowly winding his way across the rafters. He was heading towards his cubby hole next to the chimney. ‘If you get any bigger, Mosaic, we’ll have to build a larger cottage.’

Then, technically, it wouldn’t be called a cottage,
Drayco commented.

She scratched her familiar with her big toe. He was laid out on the rug in front of the fire, eyes closed, whiskers twitching.

‘Technically?’ She laughed. ‘What would it be then?’

A chateau, perhaps, given that we are growing grapes on the hillside. Or simply a homestead?

‘Definitely a home.’

Mozzie’s head turned back and he hissed. Drayco leapt to his feet.
Do you hear that?

‘What?’ Rosette was at the door, reaching for her sword as she looked out the window. Someone was running up to the gate.

‘Rosette, quickly! Help!’

She swung the door wide, Drayco leaping out beside her. ‘Grayson! When did you arrive?’

‘Help!’

‘What’s happened? Are you being chased?’

He shook his head. His eyes were wild, breath labouring. ‘He’s hurt, or not. I don’t know. He’s frozen cold. I found him near the portal when I came through. He was all alone. Is that normal?’

‘Found who, Grayson? Calm down. You aren’t making any sense.’

Drayco had raced past him and out the gate, but quickly doubled back.

Maudi! Can you hear him! He’s cold. And hungry. Quickly. Get him inside. Get him warm!

Rosette grabbed Grayson and pulled him into the cottage. ‘Who’s cold and hungry? I can’t hear anyone.’

‘
He
is.’

‘Show me!’

Grayson stomped his boots on the mat and slipped off his pack. Drayco jumped up, his forepaws on Grayson’s shoulders, his nose pressed into a bundle.

‘Don’t frighten him,’ Grayson said, his voice soft. ‘He’s had a long journey and doesn’t know where he is.’ He opened his cloak and up popped the face of a feline. His head was broad, ears large and tufted, his fur a rich black with dusty grey undertones. Grayson knelt in front of the fire and lifted him out; his hindquarters were tall, tail bobbed. He was shivering uncontrollably.

‘Oh my goddess of the woods,’ Rosette said. ‘Where did you come from, you beautiful one?’

Drayco sat very still.
He says his name is Gratch.

‘Gratch?’ Rosette and Grayson said together.

That’s how he says it.

‘Where did he come from?’

He says they were all hunting and he wandered into a tiny cave.

‘He’s freezing,’ Grayson said.

‘Hot water. A tub. We need to immerse him. It’s the fastest way to warm him up.’ Rosette grabbed Grayson’s arm. ‘You’re talking to him?’

He nodded, his eyes filling with tears.

‘Dray, get a message to Jarrod. We need more wood.’

They had a hot tub in moments, the patient not resisting when they slipped him in up to his neck.

Drayco, who is he?
Rosette asked her familiar privately.

Drayco lowered his head to sniff the cub’s face, giving him a nose touch. Gratch immediately began to purr, the rasping sound of his little motor sending ripples across the water.
I best hunt. My son is hungry.

‘Your son? How?’

Drayco rested his orange eyes on her.
Scylla’s had a litter.

‘Scylla?’ Rosette said.

The baby cat’s head went up at the sound of his mother’s name.

‘It seems so.’ Grayson washed the cub’s fur, picking out twigs and thorns. ‘He says they were all calling for him—Scylla, Rowan, Nell and his siblings—but the cave whisked him away.’

‘Nell?’ Rosette whispered. ‘An’ Lawrence and Scylla? Temple Los Loma survived?’

Grayson washed clods of red earth from between Gratch’s toes. ‘It seems so, Rosette.’

They had him toasty warm by the time Drayco returned with a rabbit. When he’d finished he was sleepy but Rosette pestered Grayson and Dray for details, anything Gratch could tell them about where he was from.

‘It seems that Temple Los Loma did more than survive,’ Grayson said, taking her hand. ‘He’s sending me pictures of gardens, orchards, horses, goats and sword classes. Mostly he has images of Scylla, Nell and An’ Lawrence. They’re always smiling.’

‘Earth is thriving?’ Rosette’s face lit up.

‘What’s this about firewood?’ Jarrod said, slipping off his boots as he entered the cottage. ‘Grayson, you made it.’ He hung his coat by the door along with his compound bow. He stopped short when he spotted Gratch. ‘Who’s this?’ When they’d filled him in he was beaming.

The cottage was full of celebration that night. Even Mozzie stayed awake to listen to the songs and stories. When they finally made ready for sleep, Rosette took Grayson’s hand. ‘I know you were only going to stay a few days, to do Jarrod’s work and my totems, but would you consider staying longer?’ Her eyes drifted to Jarrod. ‘We’ve a very cosy setup in the barn now.’

‘You might appreciate the guidance, with this one to raise.’ Jarrod looked at Drayco. ‘He would benefit from his father too, don’t you think?’

‘I’m not sure.’ Grayson stroked Gratch in his sleep. ‘I would love the help, but…’

‘We can send for Maluka,’ Rosette said. ‘I would adore the female company myself.’ She smiled at him when he
looked up. ‘Please? Dumarka is Gratch’s ancestral home. Let him grow up here, at least for the winter.’

Grayson closed his eyes and nodded. ‘I’d like that very much.’

‘And who knows—we might find a way back to Earth, with this little one to guide us.’ Jarrod laughed aloud, tussling the cub’s sleepy head.

‘We might.’ Grayson watched Gratch as he took a playful swipe at Jarrod’s hand.

‘Then it’s done,’ Rosette said.

Done and well done
. Drayco stretched his forepaws out like a sphinx; little Gratch, awake now, attacked his tail as it swayed back and forth.
I think he has a knack for finding lost ways.

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First, I’d like to acknowledge all my readers! Your letters, emails and posts are a wonderful support. Thank you. Great appreciation also goes to my son and alpha reader, Aaron, and to Sara and Cavy for the welcome enthusiasm. A warm thank you to my friend Ly de Angeles, my mother, Eunice Falconer Mosher, my sister, Shawn, my granddaughter Kayla and grandson Kinayda.

Special thanks to my publisher, Stephanie Smith, who asks all the right questions, Equinox Management for steady guidance, Sue Moran and Annabel Adair for the astute editing and also my TL companion and Voyager Online Captain, Natalie Costa Bir. For their contributions and support I thank Jodi Osborne, Kurtis Richmond, Mystic Medusa, Tris O’Connor, Candida Baker, Jacqui Sullivan, Victoria Sullivan, Tricia Borg and Helen Nailon. For teaching me how to pray rain, my good vibe coach, Master Jeannette Maw, and for his tips
On Writing
, Stephen King.

I also thank Tim for his encouragement, crosswords and fabulous coffee and all the staff at Espresso Head for being there. Linda Funnell for her pivotal feedback and the Voyager Cabin Crew and everyone at HarperCollins who had a hand in this, especially the art department, proofreaders and typesetters.

Thanks to Matt Connolly for the music, friendship and cat minding, Jim Roush for falconry advice and Greg for decades of veterinary care. For the literal warm fuzzies and wings I thank Draygon, Gratch and Rakka, and for my very best-best, thank you E.J., your friendship means the many-worlds to me.

Blessings to you all!

Kim Falconer lives in Byron Bay with two gorgeous black cats. As well as her author website, she runs an astrology forum and alternative science site, trains with a sword and is completing a Masters degree. Her novel writing is done early every morning. Currently she is working on a new trilogy set in the worlds of Gaela and Earth with many of the wonderful characters from Quantum Enchantment.

Visit her website at kimfalconer.com

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Q
UANTUM
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NCHANTMENT

The Spell of Rosette

Arrows of Time

Strange Attractors