Mortiswood: Kaelia Awakening (Mortiswood Tales) Read online

  Cadence laughed hollowly. ‘Don’t you get it, Chosen One? I hate you. You turn up like a lost little puppy and everyone falls all over you. You’re not so special. Look at you now, defeated by a dumb, stone statue!’

  ‘Let Kaelia go!’ Calix clenched his fists at his sides.

  ‘No way!’ Cadence’s lips bowed into a full sneer. ‘I’m having way too much fun.’ She danced to the statue. ‘Rumour is you’re set to be even stronger than Bran the necromancer.’ She teasingly jabbed Kaelia in the leg. ‘Although I can’t see any evidence of that now, you wimp!’ A smile cracked a line across the stone woman’s face, mirroring Cadence’s own grin.

  Kaelia kicked out at Cadence and the toe of her boot scuffed against Cadence’s face. Cadence’s eyes cleared slightly as she rubbed her cheek. The fingers of the statue loosened a fraction but not enough for Kaelia to free herself.

  Realising the key to releasing Kaelia was weakening Cadence’s power over the stone, Calix withdrew a bottle of lavender water from his bag and squirted it at the back of her jeans.

  ‘What did you squirt me with?’ Cadence twisted one way then the other, trying to look at her bottom. ‘These jeans are new and expensive. You’d better not have ruined them or you’ll have to buy me a new pair!’

  Calix winked. ‘Don’t be a diva, it was lavender water.’ He bent towards her, sniffing. ‘What a lovely, sweet smelling bottom you do have.’ He jumped back as Cadence made to slap his face.

  ‘Keep distracting her, it’s working!’ Kaelia grabbed onto the statue’s thumb as the fingers released. She was still too high up to jump without risking injury.

  Cadence advanced towards Calix, her cheeks puce with anger. The irises of her eyes still resembled stone but the whites had returned to normal. ‘I knew you’d take her side!’

  ‘This has nothing to do with Kaelia,’ Calix lowered his voice, ‘it’s between you and me.’

  Still dangling from the statue’s thumb, with her arms feeling three times as long as was normal, Kaelia shouted, ‘I need a little more help here!

  ‘Stop this idiocy and we can talk,’ Calix cajoled to Cadence.

  Cadence turned, lifted a hand in the air and mimed a gesture of lowering her hand. The stone woman statue mirrored the movement and Kaelia gratefully dropped to the ground, landing on her feet.

  The ground shook as the statue sedately returned to its position in the water feature, stone screeching against stone with the realignment to its former pose.

  ‘You talk first.’ Cadence folded arms over her generous chest, leather jacket straining with tension.

  Kaelia stretched one arm above her head then alternated the movement, easing out the ache and pretended not to be listening.

  ‘Or don’t you want to discuss it in front of her?’ Cadence’s eyes narrowed underneath her severe fringe.

  Calix looked from Cadence’s angry face to Kaelia, head still bent in pretend ignorance. ‘I don’t have secrets from Kaelia.’

  Cadence arched a groomed eyebrow. ‘So you told her we had sex on Friday and you’ve been avoiding me ever since?’

  ‘Well—’

  ‘I knew it!’ Cadence crowed. ‘The little bitch has you wrapped around her finger!’

  ‘Hey!’ Kaelia protested, forgetting about pretending not to be listening. ‘I do not.’

  Cadence turned on Kaelia. ‘But something’s going on between the pair of you.’

  Colour tinted Calix’s pale skin rosy, even his light hair absorbed the blush.

  Kaelia answered for Calix. ‘We’re friends. Nothing more.’

  ‘I don’t believe you.’ Cadence sniffed. ‘Why else would Calix ignore me?’

  Kaelia laughed. ‘Because you’re a crazy, psycho cow.’

  Cadence’s eyes changed colour once more. ‘You’re jealous!’

  ‘Actually, I’m not. I’m in love with someone else.’ Kaelia swallowed the sudden lump in her throat. ‘Even though he’s no longer here.’

  Wind picked up around them, swirling around their legs, and Calix snapped, ‘Pack it in, Cadence.’

  Cadence, caught up in the exhilarated feeling which always accompanied her magic, ignored him.

  Kaelia muttered under her breath and fired a shot of white-blue light into the ground by the Sifar’s feet, causing dirt to shower Cadence.

  Cadence spluttered through the dirt-shower and waved her hands to clear both the wind and mud. ‘Do you want to do this?’ She pushed her heavily made-up face into Kaelia’s pale, freckled one.

  Kaelia wrinkled her nose. ‘Do you mean do I want to defeat you? Because I will.’

  ‘You couldn’t beat my stone woman!’

  ‘Try it again and I will!’

  ‘Enough!’ Calix interjected. ‘This is ridiculous.’

  ‘It’s your fault!’ Cadence plonked her hands on her curvaceous hips.

  ‘Exactly!’ Kaelia turned on him. ‘Can’t you learn to control your play things?’

  Cadence pushed Kaelia. ‘I’m not a play thing!’

  Kaelia shoved Cadence in return. ‘No, just a thing!’

  Calix stepped between them. ‘It is my fault. I should have been honest with the pair of you from the start.’

  ‘And told us you’re out for whatever you can get?’ Cadence pursed her pink glossed lips. ‘Or should I say, whoever?’

  Calix, thoroughly exasperated, groaned. ‘That’s not it.’

  ‘Yes, it is.’ Cadence’s voice increased in pitch. ‘You couldn’t screw her.’ She pointed at Kaelia. ‘So you tried me instead, and me, being a complete idiot, let you.’

  ‘This isn’t easy for me,’ Calix protested. ‘I didn’t plan for it to happen.’

  ‘Thanks!’ Cadence’s eyes bulged. ‘You really know how to make someone feel special!’

  ‘Now you’re twisting my words.’ Calix sighed. ‘You hate Kaelia but I don’t. It makes this.’ He gestured from himself to Cadence and back again. ‘A little difficult.’

  Kaelia, fed up with being included in something she really didn’t want to be included in, threw her hands in the air. ‘Leave me out of it. I don’t care what goes on between the pair of you.’

  ‘You don’t?’ Calix asked.

  ‘Oh,’ Cadence huffed. ‘If Little Miss Chosen One gives us her blessing, it’s okay is it? Well, I don’t know if I want you now!’ She turned on her heel. ‘I thought you had balls, Calix, obviously I was wrong!’ She stalked off in the direction of the gates.

  ‘Go after her,’ Kaelia instructed Calix, who was obviously torn. ‘I can see you want to.’

  Calix kept one eye on Cadence’s retreating back. ‘Are you okay? You looked upset when I saw you before Cadence decided to play stone dolls.’

  ‘How did you know where I was?’ Kaelia leant into him, breathing in the familiar, musky scent of his aftershave. ‘Were you following me?’

  ‘I came out for some air.’ Calix lowered his eyes. ‘Cadence was bending my ear about making a decision whether I wanted to be with her or whether I was dicking her about.’ He shrugged. ‘Her words, not mine.’

  ‘Which is it?’

  Calix scratched his head, unable to meet Kaelia’s eyes. ‘I hope you don’t think I’m being disloyal but I’ve been seeing Cadence for a while. She makes me mad, drives me absolutely crazy, and we’re always bickering but I feel it, Kaelia, and it consumes me. I can’t think straight when I don’t see her. It took me a while to realise exactly what it is I’m feeling.’

  ‘Love.’

  ‘Are you taking the piss?’

  ‘No.’ Kaelia tapped her chest. ‘I may be feeling a little sentimental but I carry my love in my heart with no hope of it being free.’ She tiptoed and kissed Calix on the nose, her eyes moist. ‘Grab the chance, Calix. Follow your heart. I must do the same and that’s why I’m leaving Mortiswood Academy now.’ She turned away and followed Cadence’s route.

  ‘But it’s not even daylight!’ Calix scooped up his bag and hurried after her. ‘Are you going to Niflheim? Has Bran
contacted you?’

  Kaelia shook her head. ‘No, it’s the Vallesm. He needs me.’

  It still irked Calix to hear Kaelia call the wolf he. ‘It.’

  ‘Arguing with me won’t keep me here any longer.’ Kaelia stopped and grasped Calix’s hands, intently searching his eyes. ‘Have you told Cadence how you feel?’

  The blush returned to Calix’s face and he shrugged his athletic shoulders. ‘Kind of ...no, I haven’t. She’ll probably call me a wuss and laugh in my face.’

  Kaelia giggled, imagining the very scene. ‘I think you may be surprised. She’s obviously jealous of our friendship so she must really like you.’ A light breeze wrapped around them, lifting Kaelia’s hair and whispering in her ear. ‘Did you hear that?’

  Calix’s pale eyebrows furrowed. ‘Hear what?’

  ‘Nothing.’ Kaelia was certain another desolate howl travelled on the air. ‘If you like Cadence, go after her. You don’t owe me an explanation. Now, I have to pack my stuff. If you stay, tell Harriet I said goodbye and thanks.’

  She left Calix undecided at the entrance of the walled garden and ran back to the building, exerting her magical speed which carried her past Cadence in a flash of flying hair and blurred colours.

  * * *

  Cadence bit her lip as Kaelia shot by, catching her off-guard and spinning her around. ‘Show off!’ She smoothed her hair, flattening her sharp fringe back into place.

  Calix, running at a normal speed drew into Cadence’s view. Flicking him the finger, she composed herself and prepared to stalk off.

  ‘Wait!’ Calix shouted. ‘Cadence, do not move!’

  Cadence couldn’t be bothered to wait for Calix to reach her. She put her lips together and faced him. Splaying her hands, she sucked in a deep breath, causing the air around Calix to lift him clean off his feet and transport him directly to her. Releasing her breath, Cadence watched gleefully as Calix fell, landing with a bump.

  Calix hastily jumped up, brushing himself down. ‘Thanks,’ he said sarcastically. ‘Sorry if my pathetic, norm legs weren’t working quickly enough for you.’ The translucent blue of his eyes was even clearer in the darkness. His hands shook minutely as he grabbed Cadence around the waist, pulling her to him.

  ‘Right, so now you think you can pull me about and I’ll give in, do you?’ Cadence pouted.

  ‘Stop moaning.’ Calix dipped his head, teasingly lowering his lips to Cadence’s but stopping short of touching them.

  Cadence made a show of pushing at his chest without really wanting to force him away. ‘Think you can kiss me and I’ll forgive you? Well,’ she prattled on, ‘it doesn’t work that way, you can’t just click your—’

  ‘Shut up.’ Calix smothered her lips with his, kissing her passionately.

  Melting delightedly against the firm tautness of his muscular frame, Cadence abandoned herself to him, enjoying how his strong hands explored the arch of her back before smoothing over the swell of her buttocks. ‘My room or yours?’ she purred.

  Calix kissed her once more before replying. ‘Neither, I have to leave.’

  ‘What?’ Cadence’s face exploded into a riot of colour. ‘You’re joking?’

  Calix regretfully shook his head, his hands trailing the curve of her hips. ‘I wish I was.’

  This time Cadence did push him away. ‘This is to do with Kaelia, isn’t it?’

  Calix sighed. ‘She’s leaving and I must go with her.’

  ‘Must you?’ Cadence raised an eyebrow. ‘Don’t expect me to wait around for you.’ Her face lit up. ‘I’ll come with you.’

  Calix edged backwards, hands held out in a conciliatory manner. ‘I don’t think it would be a good idea. You and Kaelia can barely tolerate each other.’

  ‘Agreed. Stay here, with me.’

  ‘I really can’t. I would love to,’ Calix added hastily as Cadence’s eyes clouded over. ‘But I promised Kaelia I would go with her.’

  ‘To where?’

  ‘I can’t say.’

  Cadence’s eyes narrowed. ‘There really is something going on between the pair of you, isn’t there?’

  ‘No, I know you won’t believe me but there isn’t. You’ll have to trust me.’

  ‘Will you come back?’

  Calix looked away, his gaze focussing on the door back into the building. ‘I really don’t know. I’m not exaggerating. I don’t know if I’ll make it back it alive. I’m mad about you, Cadence. You infuriate the hell out of me but you make feel alive. If I don’t return, don’t ever think it’s because I forgot about you; I could never forget you.’

  ‘What?’ Cadence screamed as Calix walked away. ‘You drop a bomb like that and then bugger off? You’re so selfish!’ She sent the wind hurtling after him but Calix had already made it safely inside.

  * * *

  ‘I thought you had decided to stay,’ Kaelia said to Calix when he caught up with her on the path back to the woods. She hitched her bag over her back. ‘I left you the bike.’

  ‘And I forgot it.’ Calix smiled ruefully. ‘I promised you I’d come as close to Niflheim as I could and even Cadence won’t make me break my promise. You’re still The Chosen One and my friend.’

  Kaelia hugged him. ‘Thank you. I know how difficult this is for you - what with Cadence and your love of the academy’s library.’

  Calix slung his drawstring bag across one shoulder as they set off into the early morning darkness. ‘Both will still be here when I return.’

  Kaelia squeezed his hand. ‘First, I must find the Vallesm.’ She looked at Calix. ‘How much do you weigh?’

  ‘If I asked you that, you’d think I was calling you fat! Wait, are you calling me fat?’ He patted his stomach. ‘I’ve not put on much weight. Well, possibly a little but the chef was so good!’

  Kaelia laughed. ‘I didn’t mean you were getting fat, idiot. It’ll take us at least half an hour to walk back to where we entered the protection sphere.’

  ‘Because you’re stuck with me, a norm.’ Calix’s handsome face turned glum.

  Kaelia affectionately punched him on the arm. ‘I could give you a piggyback and we’ll be there faster.’

  Calix twisted his bag around onto his chest so he could open it. ‘Just because you want to show off with your super-fast-chosen-one speed running.’

  ‘No!’ Unexpected tears pricked Kaelia’s eyelids. ‘I can’t lose him,’ she replied in a small voice.

  Calix reached into his bag and drew out a tiny, pale gold feather. ‘This is from a Rytock eagle. When put under the tongue its magic is absorbed and allows the person who holds it to float, as light as a feather.’

  ‘Did you read that in one of the books?’

  Calix nodded and readjusted his bag. ‘Shall we try it?’

  Kaelia held out a hand. ‘Hold on tight, if you end up floating into the sky I can’t fly after you!’

  ‘What?’ Calix asked in mock surprise. ‘Are you telling me there’s something you can’t do?’

  Calix intertwined the fingers of his right hand with those of Kaelia’s left and popped the feather under his tongue. Instantly his mouth dried and he floated upwards until his feet pointed toe-first into the air.

  Kaelia giggled. ‘My very own, life-sized, Calix balloon!’

  Calix rolled his eyes, unable to speak for fear of dropping the feather, his face turning a shade of green. Hoping Calix wouldn’t be sick all over her; Kaelia dipped her head and broke into a sprint, before erupting into a breath-stealing pace. It was difficult for Calix to breathe, only being able to do so through his nose but he held on tightly and squeezed his eyes shut.

  * * *

  Now

  Kaelia stopped abruptly at the edge of the protective sphere surrounding Mortiswood Academy. Calix shot over her head, moaning as the force pulled at his shoulder joint. Carefully, Kaelia pulled Calix down until she had her hands around his waist and his legs began to lower.

  Calix spat the feather out and dropped safely to the ground. ‘I’m glad that’
s over with.’ He rubbed his aching shoulder. ‘I thought my arm would pop out from its socket, I had visions of you racing off with my torn limb without realising I was dying in agony somewhere!’

  ‘You are overreacting,’ Kaelia replied distractedly, already scanning the clearing in the woods outside of the protected area. She held a hand out and beamed blue-white light to cut a break in the sphere.

  Together, Calix and Kaelia stepped out from the academy’s protection, the sphere instantly resealing behind them, obscuring the whole building and grounds from view. The woods were even darker than the grounds of Mortiswood Academy had been. The moon was covered by clouds and its beam failed to add luminance, even the stars in the sky were veiled. Decomposing leaves and cold polluted the air, contrasting with the scented pine-needles and blossom of Mortiswood Academy’s grounds.

  ‘Where will we find it?’ Calix asked, thinking of the Vallesm.

  ‘I’d thought he’d be here.’ Kaelia splayed both palms out, using her light to illuminate the clearing. She thought of the watery-image shown to her in the water feature.

  ‘Maybe it found somewhere else to go, someone else to follow.’

  ‘Of course he hasn’t.’

  ‘It.’

  ‘Are we still on the same argument?’

  ‘How many Vallesm have you known?’ Calix asked.

  ‘One.’

  ‘Exactly. It did pledge its allegiance to you. Since you’ve been gone for a while, it probably went off alone or found someone else.’

  ‘And you know this because you’re an expert on Vallesm?’

  Calix shrugged. ‘No, you know I’d never seen one before your pet arrived on the scene.’

  ‘So, you’re no more of an authority on their behaviour than I am.’ Kaelia traced the outer edge of the clearing, searching the bracken covered ground for signs of the Vallesm. ‘He hasn’t left me.’ She turned to face Calix, momentarily blinding him with her light. ‘And if you call him it one more time, I’ll punch you.’