Old Magic(90)

Jarrod slowly moves and I see bloodstains on his tunic right down one side of his leg. ‘The fire surrounds us.’ His voice lacks life.

‘But Rhauk is dead,’ I add.

Our eyes meet and he half crawls, staggering, until he is right in front of me. ‘What did he do to you?’

‘He drugged me. My limbs are useless.’ I purposefully look at Malcolm. ‘He sold you out, Jarrod. That man is a traitor.’

‘A traitor perhaps, but not mine,’ Jarrod replies softly.

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

‘He told me how you tried to escape.’

‘Did he also tell you he caught me and gave me back to Rhauk?’

Malcolm kneels in front of me, his face disturbed. ‘I wanted to help you, my Lady, but I knew Rhauk was watching your every move. I thought for a moment we could make it, but then he appeared. I had no choice but to give you back.’

Jarrod’s hand finds mine, our fingers lace. ‘Let me explain,’ he tells Malcolm, then to me he says, ‘At first Malcolm thought I wanted more than just Rhauk, but Thorntyne Keep as well. But somehow I managed to convince him of the truth. Then he started helping me train for this duel. He taught me all he could in the short time we had. He could see how worried I was for you, and came up with a plan: to feed Rhauk false information about my strengths and weaknesses, in exchange for a small reward. If he didn’t ask a price for this information, Rhauk would only suspect ulterior motives.’ He peers up at Malcolm, who has one eyebrow raised, a smile tugging at one side of his mouth. ‘As I understand it, he played his part so well Rhauk didn’t suspect a thing.’

‘Why didn’t you tell me this in the woods yesterday?’ I demand of Malcolm.

‘With Rhauk’s witchcraft he could have been listening to our conversation. I couldn’t risk it. I had to keep Jarrod’s plan alive.’

‘What plan?’

Jarrod interrupts, looking embarrassed, reminding me of the Jarrod I remember. ‘Let’s finish this later.’

‘No!’ I’m too intrigued to let this pass. ‘What else, Malcolm? What was this plan?’

Malcolm glances fleetingly at Jarrod, and smiles good-naturedly before answering. ‘I was to rescue you, if something happened to him. At least, under the guise of a reward, I had reason to return to Blacklands, securing myself a way to get in.’

I nod at this, understanding it all now. Malcolm’s treachery was a back-up plan to rescue me if fate worked against Jarrod. ‘You risked your life.’

‘No more than Jarrod did for you and my homelands.’

I’m so relieved Malcolm’s not a traitor. I wonder how we would have coped if he had been. Malcolm will inherit Thorntyne Keep one day, then battle to keep it. I wish him well.

Jarrod takes my wrists in his hands, then, concentrating with eyes closed, focuses on the iron clasps. They fall open, releasing my hands. After doing the same with the iron clasps at my ankles, he pulls me into his arms, cradling me against his chest. ‘We’re still in trouble, Kate.’

‘Put me down, Jarrod. Remember your wound.’

He holds me tighter.

Morgana screams as the fire, buffeted by a subtle wind change, suddenly closes right in around us, pushing us frighteningly back to our only means of escape – the cliff. I peer briefly over Jarrod’s shoulder and feel nauseous, no one can survive a jump that high. Let alone Jarrod, who is still bleeding openly from the stab wound in his side, nor me in my drugged lethargic state. Besides, there are also many jagged rocks directly below. ‘We’re trapped.’

‘We’re all going to die!’ Morgana screams.

Isabel turns on her. ‘Shut up, child!’

‘I can’t swim,’ Richard mutters, peering over the loose edge.

‘Nor can I,’ Emmeline adds.

‘Is this how it’s going to end, Jarrod?’ I ask, as he’s the only one among us who has the ability to do anything. ‘Is all your strength gone?’

He’s better off forgetting me, forgetting us all, and saving himself, I balance in my thoughts. He alone right now has the gift. Of course he could use the amulets and take us both back to Jillian, but this would mean Jarrod would have to live with the fact that he fled his own ancestors, leaving them here to burn or jump to their deaths. And this is not how their lives are supposed to end.

He peers into my eyes as if he can read what I’m thinking. ‘I could never desert my family, Kate.’

My mouth drops open in awe. He did read my thoughts! His gift must be immense! Then use whatever powers you have, Jarrod, my mind-thoughts say. ‘Save us.’