Mortiswood: Kaelia Awakening (Mortiswood Tales) Read online

  ‘This is amazing!’ Bran laughed, reaching for her other hand.

  Kaelia, seduced by the euphoric haze, joined in with his laughter. She had never felt so alive, never experienced something so all-consuming. It was better than the effects of a night spent quaffing booze. She was in control, every sense heightened. The sound of birds beginning to awaken in the trees was as clear as if they sat on her shoulder, the distant seawater and beach, easily distinctive to her extra sensitive nostrils. Leaves and gnarled bark of the trees, sharpened visually in high-definition.

  ‘You and I together,’ Bran continued, ‘can be undefeatable. With my power to bring back the recently dead and your power to save the living, no-one will be able to touch us. We can do more than join The Salloki, we can rule them!’

  His words slowly sunk in, Kaelia shook her head and broke contact. ‘That’s not what I want.’

  Her cheek tingled as Bran stroked it. ‘I don’t think you’ve even figured out what you want yet. I understand this is all still new to you. When you’ve had decades to figure out who you are, the same as I have, you’ll understand. You’ll want the power.’

  ‘All I want is to find my mum. I will then destroy the Salloki scum who killed my father, took my mum, and murdered my best friend!’

  ‘You’ll want more and when you do, you’ll realise I’m the sole person who can give it to you. I’ve waited a long time for your arrival into our realm of magic and I won’t rest until we are joined.’

  ‘No!’ Kaelia twitched from the come-down of the power contact with Bran. ‘You show up out of nowhere and I have no idea who you are, then you start spouting this rubbish to me. How do I know this isn’t all a trick?’

  ‘You will realise I speak the truth. Once you come to trust me.’

  ‘I don’t want to trust you.’ Kaelia’s fingers belied her words, inching forward for another shot of power. She snatched her hand back and folded her arms across her chest.

  Bran grinned. ‘I’m patient. I will wait until you do trust me.’ He turned and strode away, the tails of his coat flapping darkly behind him.

  Strange emotions silenced Kaelia. A heady cocktail of fear laced with excitement. Yet another part of her had awakened, one she hadn’t known existed. The urge to follow Bran was overwhelming. As if realising it, Bran turned at the edge of the forest and looked back. Kaelia took two steps towards him until a growl snapped her to her senses. The Vallesm’s warm fur tickled her exposed legs. Kaelia looked at the creature, its amber eyes already fixed on her, and when she looked back to the edge of the forest, Bran had disappeared.

  ‘I must return to the cottage.’ Why was she speaking to the wolf like it understood?

  The walk back to the edge of the forest was short and she turned where the bracken gave way to softer grass. The Vallesm stopped directly behind her.

  ‘Go.’ She waved it away with her hand.

  Its breath was hot against the back of her legs, with every step she took, the Vallesm silently followed. Reaching Cassie’s garden, Kaelia turned again to face the creature, remembering her grandmother’s words about the grey coat of a Vallesm signifying allegiance. Cassie had thought it meant allegiance to The Salloki. Kaelia gulped, this could end up being a really stupid move on her part.

  Her hand shook but she held it out to the Vallesm. It looked at her but didn’t move forward. Nerves kicked in and the shakes reached her arm. ‘Come on,’ she whispered, hardly daring to breathe. ‘Don’t let me down.’

  Everything was in slow motion. The Vallesm’s whiskers pricked her fingertips. Kaelia tried to keep her hand steady but it jelly-wobbled. Cold wetness pressed against her fingers as the wolf’s nose slid into her outstretched palm. Kaelia’s heart stopped; the wolf rested its muzzle in her hand and silently blinked its amber eyes.

  Exhalation released her nerves and Kaelia laughed delightedly, hugging herself inside. She had been right. A grey coat may well mean the wolf had pledged an allegiance but it didn’t mean an allegiance to The Salloki, she knew that now. The Vallesm had pledged allegiance to her. It had done so from the first time she had seen it outside her house and the bond had grown stronger when the wolf drained her of the poison. She trusted it and by the wolf allowing her to touch it, it showed it trusted her.

  ‘This is all very weird.’ Kaelia hurried to the cottage. ‘I don’t know how I’ll explain you to Calix and my grandmother.’

  * * *

  In the distance Bran clenched and unclenched his fists, regretting having brought the Vallesm back to life and angry for not having recognised the bond between it and Kaelia. There was no way he could get close to Kaelia with the Vallesm beast in the picture. He would have to make sure the wolf really did die sometime soon.

  * * *

  Kaelia laid out a rug for the Vallesm and watched the great creature turn in a circle before settling down and placing its head upon its front paws. Kaelia’s feet were dirty but it was too late to wash them without waking everyone - the water system was old and clanked whenever a tap was turned on - so she slipped under the covers regardless. It was only a bit of dirt and would come out in one wash. It was unnerving to sleep knowing the wolf was in the same room but the gentle rhythm of its breathing assured her it was already asleep so Kaelia, too, closed her eyes. The dream came quickly and she tossed and turned under the covers.

  The night was squally, dark clouds swirled across the sky and a ferocious wind made the trees in the park bend beneath it. Rain plummeted, plastering Kaelia’s hair to her head. The hood on her coat was too large, the wind whipped beneath it, pulling it from her head. Water seeped through to her feet as she ran towards the shelter of the copse of trees. The smell of wet earth and salty rainwater hung in the air. The ground was squidgy, mud squelched with each step she took, gunging up the soles of her shoes. She slipped, stumbled forward, and managed to regain balance before she lost it completely. She had just reached the outer most branches of the copse when a pair of strong arms pulled her underneath the canopy.

  ‘This is madness!’ she exclaimed, teeth chattering.

  Bay was as wet as she was. He pulled her to his chest and ran his hands up and down her back to warm her. ‘It doesn’t matter,’ he soothed. ‘We’re both here now. I’ve been longing to see you.’

  Kaelia turned her face up to his. ‘You look different.’

  Bay kissed her. ‘I’m wet.’

  ‘It’s not that,’ Kaelia replied, unable to put her finger on the difference.

  Lightning forked from the sky and burned into a tree in the copse next to the one they sheltered under. An almighty cracking sound filled the night as a burning scar split the tree in half lengthways. The damaged tree fell in two pieces, the first crashed into the other trees beside it but the second hurtled into the canopy of the copse Kaelia and Bay were under.

  Kaelia’s heart sped up as Bay wrenched her out just before the broken tree plummeted to where they had been standing. She clung to Bay, eyes wide open in fear.

  ‘It’s not safe here, not now.’ Bay glanced around them and pushed her away. ‘You know who you are, Kaelia.’ He pointed at her heart. ‘Inside, you know it. You don’t need anyone else to make you undefeatable, you can do that yourself!’

  ‘What do you mean?’ Wind whipped the words from her mouth as Bay ran into the night. She chased after him, he disappeared around the copse of trees. Increasing pace she ran around and around but simply ended up back where she had started without any sign of Bay.

  ‘Bay!’ she screamed. ‘Bay!’

  Thunder rolled across the sky and a fresh spike of lightning pierced the ground near her. The rain fell even harder and the wind strengthened so much Kaelia feared it would pull her legs from underneath her.

  Kaelia awoke suddenly. She moved her head on the pillow. Why was she so sweaty? She pushed the covers off and sat up, feeling her pillow. It was soaking. She touched her hair; it was wet and not just at the back of her neck where it rested against the pillow but all over. She realised she wa
s completely drenched from head to toe. Tearing the wet bedding from the bed she tossed it all in a pile and pulled out fresh linen, and a night-set, from the drawers beside the bed. Slipping off the wet clothes she had been wearing, she gasped. The mud on her feet was wet too and blades of grass clung to it. Shaking, she flipped the fresh linen on the bed and crawled underneath it, chilled to the bone. Something was very wrong with her dreams.

  * * *

  Calix awoke later than was usual for him. He stretched, bones creaking, neck stiff from having slept with his head propped up on the arm of the sofa without a pillow to support it. Rubbing sleep from his eyes, he wandered from the lounge and into the hallway. Downstairs was quiet. A floorboard creaked under his foot and he paused at the bottom of the stairs.

  ‘Kaelia?’ There wasn’t any answer. ‘Cassie?’

  Fear constricted his lungs. The front door was ajar and huge paw prints dirtied the hallway floor, leading upstairs.

  ‘Vallesm!’ Pumping with adrenaline, Calix took the stairs two at a time and, steeling a breath, catapulted through the door into Kaelia’s bedroom.

  Sprawled on the bed, Kaelia stirred. ‘Calix, is something wrong?’

  Calix, frozen by the sight of the monstrous Vallesm curled on the rug at the foot of Kaelia’s bed with its nose snuggled in the fuzz of its tail, opened and closed his mouth in shock. The wolf yawned noisily, exposing all of its teeth.

  ‘Move!’ Calix hissed, gesturing to Kaelia. ‘Slowly.’

  Kaelia, realising Calix was freaking out about the Vallesm, laughed gaily and slipped from the bed. ‘It’s fine.’ She padded, barefoot, to the wolf which was now sitting up.

  Calix sprung forward, grabbing her arm. ‘Don’t be stupid!’

  The wolf growled, easing up onto all four legs. Its amber eyes narrowed suspiciously. Kaelia shook Calix off and beckoned to the Vallesm. Not removing its glare from Calix, the wolf approached and slipped its wide head underneath Kaelia’s hand.

  Calix’s eyes bulged. ‘You really have lost your mind. First, you go chasing the creature onto a moonlit beach, now you’re having it over for a slumber party?’

  Kaelia, trying not to show her nerves, awkwardly patted the Vallesm’s head. ‘My grandmother was right about the grey coat of a Vallesm signifying allegiance.’

  Calix’s eyes widened as he clicked on. ‘Allegiance to you.’

  ‘I must tell my grandmother before she sees the Vallesm and has a heart attack.’ Her eyes twinkled, eyebrows rising pointedly. ‘Or shoots him.’

  Calix grinned sheepishly, shock still paling his face. ‘I’ve never heard of Vallesm pledging allegiance to a single person before. It’s not normal!’

  ‘Yes,’ Kaelia said sarcastically. ‘And a wolf the size of a foal is?’

  ‘Point taken.’

  Kaelia slipped past Calix and he made to follow but the wolf shoved before him, knocking him against the wall. Hastily, Calix straightened himself and reluctantly followed some distance behind the wolf.

  Kaelia reached her grandmother’s bedroom first and knocked lightly on the door. ‘Grandmother, are you awake?’

  There was a noise from within and Kaelia pushed the door open. Cassie was propped up in the bed, the covers a crumpled mass around her legs. The white linen pillowcases, as well as her tangled hair, were covered in dried mud and pieces of grass.

  ‘Are you okay?’ Kaelia hesitated by the foot of the bed, wondering why her grandmother was in such a state.

  A wide smile spread across Cassie’s face. ‘Of course I am.’

  ‘What did you have to do to perform the protection spell? I’ve heard of the saying “been dragged through a hedge backwards” and you look as if you have been!’

  The Vallesm sloped into the room. Kaelia immediately darted over to her grandmother, grasping her hand. ‘It’s okay, there’s no need to panic.’

  Cassie tilted her head to one side. ‘Why would I panic?’

  Confusion furrowed Kaelia’s brow. ‘Because of the Vallesm.’

  ‘What about it?’ Cassie tilted her head to the opposite side.

  ‘I thought you were terrified of the wolves, Cassie?’ Calix edged into the room, wary of the Vallesm’s eyes upon him.

  Cassie smiled; her mouth forming a weird, stiff crescent. Her voice when she spoke carried an eerie undertone. ‘Come and sit beside me, my dear.’ She patted the edge of the bed. ‘I have something to tell you.’

  Kaelia frowned. Something was different about her grandmother. She couldn’t say what exactly but she felt it. Trying to shake off unease, Kaelia perched on the edge of the bed as instructed.

  ‘Grandmother, are you feeling okay?’ Kaelia held a hand to Cassie’s forehead. ‘You’re clammy.’

  Cassie smiled strangely again. ‘I’m fine, my dear.’

  ‘Are you sure? You’re really pale.’

  ‘I’m the same as I normally am, my dear.’

  Kaelia touched her grandmother’s hand. ‘Now you’re ice-cold!’

  Before anyone knew what was happening, the Vallesm pounced on the bed and tethered Cassie to the bed with the covers.

  ‘Get off of her!’ Kaelia pushed at the wolf’s furry chest. ‘What are you doing?’

  Ignoring her, the wolf emitted a sinister growl, its lips wrinkling into a snarl. Cassie’s own lips lifted, her teeth barred and her mouth opened freakishly wide, vomiting a terrifying wail. Cassie’s head twisted to face Kaelia, her jaw frozen open so wide her chin dug into the top of her chest. Gone were the gentle eyes Kaelia had come to know and love; in their place glittered flint hard replacements. Cassie’s hand lifted, morphing into a twisted, gnarled claw with curved talons. With extraordinary strength Cassie forced the wolf aside and lunged at Kaelia.

  Calix, horrified by the grotesque being Cassie was changing into, grabbed Kaelia around the waist and yanked her backwards resulting in the pair of them tumbling in a heap on the floor. The growling Vallesm pounced protectively in front of Kaelia, its tail swishing angrily.

  It was hard for Kaelia to think straight. Were her eyes deceiving her? What was happening to her grandmother? Echoes of Cassie remained in the figure, crawling on all fours with disjointed, twisted limbs, over the side of the bed and onto floor. Cassie’s back curved upwards, her neck elongating, head turning until it was at right angles to her left shoulder.

  Kaelia grappled to untangle herself from Calix’s bulk, all the while watching fearfully as the wolf launched again at Cassie and clamped its immense jaws firmly around her neck, blood spurting from the puncturing of the beast’s fangs.

  ‘No!’ Kaelia cried. ‘Grandmother!’

  Cassie’s deformed face swivelled unnaturally, black eyes glinting, and she laughed. Her bottom jaw hung slack against her chest, blood poured from her mouth, surging out in red-black waves. Her clawed hands tore at the Vallesm, wrenching out handfuls of fur but the creature refused to relinquish its hold. Cassie screamed. The sound was so high pitched it momentarily deafened. Even the Vallesm shook its head but still held fast.

  Shakily, Kaelia pressed her hands together, thumb beside thumb. Light flickered from her hands, twisting into a corkscrew of orange-red light.

  ‘I’m sorry.’ Kaelia fired at Cassie, willing the restorative light to keep her grandmother alive.

  Cassie screeched repeatedly until her cries obliterated all other sound in the room. The metallic tang of blood hung heavy.

  Kaelia hadn’t noticed Calix had left the room until he reappeared. ‘I’ll have to kill the Vallesm,’ he said, raising Cassie’s shotgun. ‘Don’t you dare heal it this time. I told you Vallesm are evil!’

  ‘I wouldn’t do that,’ a voice boomed over the wailing.

  Calix spun on his heel, waving the shotgun at the intruder. ‘Who the hell are you?’

  ‘You, again!’ Light fizzled out as Kaelia lowered her hands.

  From where his tall frame filled the doorway, Bran smiled coyly, his dark eyes, not dissimilar to Cassie’s eerie eyes, glittered. ‘Me, again.’
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br />   Calix turned the gun back to the wolf and took aim. With a shot of violet light Bran blasted the weapon out of his hands.

  ‘Hey!’ Calix protested, rubbing his smarting hands. ‘That wasn’t fair!’

  Bran strode to the wolf and the twitching body of Cassie. ‘Leave her,’ he commanded to the wolf. The wolf, either not hearing or pretending not to, disobeyed. ‘You’ll have to tell your pet to leave her.’ Bran motioned to Kaelia.

  Kaelia moved forward.

  ‘Stop!’ Calix’s fingers missed her arm by a hair’s breadth. ‘Who is this and how do you know you can trust him? Who does he think he is, coming in here and taking over?’

  Kaelia, already by Bran’s side, answered without turning around. ‘I’ll explain later.’

  Calix let out an exasperated sigh, not missing the hungry way in which Bran’s eyes devoured Kaelia.

  Kaelia reached out and laid her palm on the wolf’s back. ‘Leave her,’ she instructed.

  The wolf’s jaws immediately snapped open, its teeth making sucking noise as they pulled free from the flesh. The creature slunk from the bed and slipped behind Kaelia, sitting at her feet, its head reaching up past her hip. Kaelia grabbed its steadying solidness for support as Cassie, neck veiled with blood, slumped forward.

  ‘What’s wrong with her?’ Calix’s panicked voice rose hysterically. ‘Is she dead?’

  ‘It’s a Dybbuk.’ Bran, standing the opposite side of Kaelia to the wolf, held out his hand. ‘It’s using her body.’

  Kaelia’s hand slipped unconsciously into Bran’s. She gasped at the tingles of electricity that darted between them. The power-share was instant. ‘You mean my grandmother’s already dead?’

  ‘Afraid so.’

  ‘How can you be so sure?’ Calix asked suspiciously. ‘Cassie was perfectly fine last night. She performed a protection spell. How could anything have come inside to hurt her?’

  Bran half turned his head. ‘My guess is something went wrong in the spell and the Dybbuk was able to take advantage.’