Gathering Storm (The Salvation of Tempestria Book 2) by Gary Stringer (howl and other poems .txt) 📕

“I won’t forget,” she assured him, although the druidess had no intention of giving it up until she’d determined whether it would help her understand her staff more and she couldn’t test that theory until Michael was far away.

“Tell me honestly,” Michael requested, smiling conspiratorially. “Are there really bashed and broken towers all across the continent, owned by bashed and broken wizards?”

Cat matched his smile with one of her own.

“OK, I may have exaggerated, slightly,” she confessed. “I’ve demolished a total of three towers…and I rebuilt them all, afterwards and no-one got hurt apart from once when I lost concentration, and a brick landed on the wizard’s foot. But I healed him right away.”

Michael laughed. “Catriona Redfletching, you are a rebel.”

“Well, a friend of mine has taught me that it’s often good to have something of a reputation. It has a way of making people more co-operative.”

“Couldn’t agree more, my dear. Why do you think the gods made me look like this?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Cat disputed, leaning close. “I think you’re quite cuddly, really.”

Chapter 9

Daelen caught up with the other two and agreed to Catriona’s terms.

“Takes him a while, doesn’t it, Michael?” Cat commented with a sly wink.

Michael snorted. “For him, that was fast.”

“I’m glad I’m splitting you two up. You’re a bad influence on him, Cat.”

“Yes, I know, I’m trouble,” Cat admitted. “But don’t worry, you’ll soon learn to love me.”

Without any further ado, she took out the map Dreya had given her and unfurled it to show her two companions where they were going.

As one might expect, Daelen had explored most of Tempestria in his long life, and he remembered the area. On the southern edge of the Rhynas Desert, lay a forest called the Corolis Wood. Just as the foliage got noticeably thinner, there lay the ruins of an ancient temple. Michael knew it well and confirmed the map co-ordinates. That became the designated rendezvous. Using their powers to cross the ocean was best avoided as it was bound to be detected by Kullos. That meant a voyage of approximately ten to twelve days, but Daelen was keen to stop for a week part way there. He wouldn’t immediately say where or why; only that it was necessary. Once on land, the journey would take another four or five days from the nearest harbour. That was three to three-and-a-half weeks until they could meet at the temple ruins.

As for what they would do about Kullos’ army when they got there, well, they had a few weeks to think about that. Cat indicated that she had a few ideas but would say no more for now. She couldn’t even if she wanted to because many of her ideas relied upon Dreya. Even allowing for any complications that might delay their journey, they should have time to scout around for a day or two before finalising their plans. They would begin the attack in exactly one moon cycle.

They were all clear on the plan as far as it went, so Michael bade them farewell and teleported away.

*****

Daelen wanted to remove his essence from Catriona’s body as soon as possible, but Cat insisted on showing him something first, and retrieved her Crystal Mage Staff from her pocket dimension.

The shadow warrior admitted he had never seen a device quite like it before, “containing all those different powers together like that. Like a perfect merging of the technology of my realm with the magic of yours.”

“Having seen Michael’s tomb, I wondered if it was something like that. Any idea to what purpose?”

“None that I can think of,” Daelen admitted. “Do you mind if I take a closer look?”

“Sure, go ahead,” Catriona agreed and held it out to him.

The instant their hands touched on the staff, there was a mighty discharge of power, the blue crystal flared, and Daelen screamed in pain. Cat yanked the staff free of his grasp, but the damage was done, and Daelen collapsed to the ground, drained of energy, unable to move and barely conscious.

Cat immediately shoved her staff back into her pocket dimension out of harm’s way, vowing that this was the last time she was letting anybody touch it. Cursing herself, she belatedly realised it was a clear pattern: Mandalee, Dreya and now Daelen – the more powerful they were, the bigger the reaction.

“Daelen!” she cried, rushing to his side. “I’m so sorry. That was stupid. How bad is it? Can I help?”

Most druid magic in the world was used for healing, of course, but Cat herself had minimal experience of it. Besides, her powers worked with nature, and Daelen’s nature was quite literally alien. She wouldn’t know where to start.

“I’ll— I’ll be OK. Just get me somewhere— somewhere warm and secure so I can recharge...sleep. I’m— I’m in your hands, Catriona Redfletching. Strangely, I’m not as worried about that as I should be.”

Cat thought quickly. She considered breaking into Justaria’s house – she was reasonably sure she’d understand and forgive under the circumstances. She dismissed the idea, though. She didn’t have time and energy to waste, trying to penetrate her magical defences. Even more ludicrous was the notion of a sympathic communication to Dreya, to ask if she’d mind sheltering the being that she was still at least half convinced she should kill. No, Daelen presented too tempting a target in his present state. Fortunately, their sympathic link wasn’t active at the moment, meaning Dreya was busy and not paying attention. As long as Cat didn’t transmit a sympathic shout, she could keep her girlfriend out of this.

In the end, she knew of only one place nearby that would work. Warm, dry, comfortable, defensible and a public building, so no problems getting inside, though it would create quite the stir. She briefly cursed the cosmos that kept bringing her back to that place, like some awful, offensive joke, but it was still the right choice. It wasn’t that far, but she couldn’t carry Daelen there. Well,