alright?' she asked as she grabbed her and held her tightly.
'Yes, they are,' answered Alpha Sawyre, faltering slightly. 'We did have some trouble with the villagers and with...someone else, but I'll come to that in good tim e. Well now, what of your news? I hear that uncooked fish is now a delicacy thanks to you Elli, I look forward to trying some. Come inside and sit down, I'm sure you have lots to tell me. I'll make us all some tea,' she said, disappearing into the kitchen.
They went into the house and took their shoes off, looking up as Max appeared at the top of the stairs. His black fur glinted in the warm light with a slight sheen of oil, and he wore a dark green cravat beneath an expensive jacket. He walked regally down the steps, his mouth in an open grin.
'Enjoy work, did you?' he asked, watching them from above and noting the food stains on Rufus' trousers.
'Why didn't you tell me she was coming?' whispered Rufus, mouthing the words clearly.
'She?' asked Max, his deep voice quiet but stern. 'You'll address Esme properly in this hous e pup.'
'What's that smell?' asked Elli as Max reached the bottom step. 'Oh that's lovely. Like wood and sandals, and grass and...oh what's that other...?
'It's musk,' said Rufus flatly. 'So what has Alpha Sawyre told you about me?' he asked whilst putting his fluffy slippers on.
'She hasn't yet, but I look forward to hearing all the tales,' replied Max. 'She's a remarkable lady you know. Let's ask her shall we.' He walked off through the doorway and Rufus wrinkled his nose.
'Esme?' he said, as Elli pushed him gently through the door.
They sat together in the large room, the rich tapestry curtains closed and a woody scent in the air. Elli sipped her tea carefully and ate another lavender biscuit, watching as Rufus dunked his and then lost the other half in his bowl. 'So you're sure that this man and woman are chasing me,' she said finally, feeling the cool glass of the locket against her skin and the swirling mist inside struggling to get out.
'Lord and Lady Lansdown, an interesting couple at best,' said Alpha Sawyre with a crooked grin. 'It would appear that they've sent out spies in all directions looking for you. They want your stone Elli, and I fear that you are already being watched. As to why, my understanding is that bringing these two stones together unleashes enormous energy, certainly enough to destroy Brayston and all of the people who live here.'
There was a pregnant pause as Elli twirled her chain between her fingers. 'How do they know I still have it? I could have passed it to any number of people by now.'
Alpha Sawyre sighed and looked at the dull red of the false locket. 'They can't know for sure, but I suppose they'll start with you. I wonder, can you get any sense of him through your stone? I'd imagine if they're that closely linked you may have an echo of the other one, it's just a thought.'
Elli looked down and opened the clasp slowly, feeling the slivers of dancing light spill out around the true stone. She closed her eyes and focussed, and in a heartbeat felt an icy calmness reaching out towards her, a mind of clarity and vision and order calling her towards it.
'Elli,' called out a voice, and she looked across to see Rufus staring at her intently. 'What is it?'
'Him,' she said simply, turning to Alpha Sawyre. 'You're right, I can sense him but I don't think I should do again. He seems strong, as though he's following a straight path.' The words lingered for a moment.
'I'm sure that's what he believes,' said Alpha Sawyre gently, moving towards Elli and closing the locket over her stone once again. 'St Christophe tells us that the path to wisdom lies on the broken stones that wind around and trip us over after all. A straight narrow path suggests there's no room for doubt; and therein lies the danger.' She paused and sipped at her tea, her head held high. 'He calls us the Monstrous Races, meaning anyone other than humans. I've heard those
'Yes, they are,' answered Alpha Sawyre, faltering slightly. 'We did have some trouble with the villagers and with...someone else, but I'll come to that in good tim e. Well now, what of your news? I hear that uncooked fish is now a delicacy thanks to you Elli, I look forward to trying some. Come inside and sit down, I'm sure you have lots to tell me. I'll make us all some tea,' she said, disappearing into the kitchen.
They went into the house and took their shoes off, looking up as Max appeared at the top of the stairs. His black fur glinted in the warm light with a slight sheen of oil, and he wore a dark green cravat beneath an expensive jacket. He walked regally down the steps, his mouth in an open grin.
'Enjoy work, did you?' he asked, watching them from above and noting the food stains on Rufus' trousers.
'Why didn't you tell me she was coming?' whispered Rufus, mouthing the words clearly.
'She?' asked Max, his deep voice quiet but stern. 'You'll address Esme properly in this hous e pup.'
'What's that smell?' asked Elli as Max reached the bottom step. 'Oh that's lovely. Like wood and sandals, and grass and...oh what's that other...?
'It's musk,' said Rufus flatly. 'So what has Alpha Sawyre told you about me?' he asked whilst putting his fluffy slippers on.
'She hasn't yet, but I look forward to hearing all the tales,' replied Max. 'She's a remarkable lady you know. Let's ask her shall we.' He walked off through the doorway and Rufus wrinkled his nose.
'Esme?' he said, as Elli pushed him gently through the door.
They sat together in the large room, the rich tapestry curtains closed and a woody scent in the air. Elli sipped her tea carefully and ate another lavender biscuit, watching as Rufus dunked his and then lost the other half in his bowl. 'So you're sure that this man and woman are chasing me,' she said finally, feeling the cool glass of the locket against her skin and the swirling mist inside struggling to get out.
'Lord and Lady Lansdown, an interesting couple at best,' said Alpha Sawyre with a crooked grin. 'It would appear that they've sent out spies in all directions looking for you. They want your stone Elli, and I fear that you are already being watched. As to why, my understanding is that bringing these two stones together unleashes enormous energy, certainly enough to destroy Brayston and all of the people who live here.'
There was a pregnant pause as Elli twirled her chain between her fingers. 'How do they know I still have it? I could have passed it to any number of people by now.'
Alpha Sawyre sighed and looked at the dull red of the false locket. 'They can't know for sure, but I suppose they'll start with you. I wonder, can you get any sense of him through your stone? I'd imagine if they're that closely linked you may have an echo of the other one, it's just a thought.'
Elli looked down and opened the clasp slowly, feeling the slivers of dancing light spill out around the true stone. She closed her eyes and focussed, and in a heartbeat felt an icy calmness reaching out towards her, a mind of clarity and vision and order calling her towards it.
'Elli,' called out a voice, and she looked across to see Rufus staring at her intently. 'What is it?'
'Him,' she said simply, turning to Alpha Sawyre. 'You're right, I can sense him but I don't think I should do again. He seems strong, as though he's following a straight path.' The words lingered for a moment.
'I'm sure that's what he believes,' said Alpha Sawyre gently, moving towards Elli and closing the locket over her stone once again. 'St Christophe tells us that the path to wisdom lies on the broken stones that wind around and trip us over after all. A straight narrow path suggests there's no room for doubt; and therein lies the danger.' She paused and sipped at her tea, her head held high. 'He calls us the Monstrous Races, meaning anyone other than humans. I've heard those
Similar Books
