Mortiswood: Kaelia Awakening (Mortiswood Tales)

by Gina Dickerson

  The stench of decay emanating from Thom assaulted Bran’s senses and he shot a bolt of light from his right palm, pushing Thom backwards. ‘Again, none of your business, Draugr.’

  ‘Do not toy with The Salloki. We will not tolerate it.’ Thom jabbed a talon tipped warning finger at Bran. ‘We want her as soon as she leaves Mortiswood Academy. You promised us you had her in your grasp. If you do not deliver her, we will take her by our methods. No more summoning Draegarnae from the realm of the dead, they are a risk. We want Kaelia alive. She is of no use if one of your play-things decides to disobey you and kill her.’

  Bran rubbed his hands together. ‘I do enjoy these little visits from you. Tell me; if The Salloki are so powerful why don’t you have Kaelia already? You’ve waited centuries for The Chosen One to arrive; I’m surprised you haven’t already kidnapped her.’

  ‘You know full well she must come to us willingly,’ Thom snapped. ‘That is where you are supposed to be working your magic. You have to make her trust you. Can you make The Chosen One fall in love with you? Does she have very good eyesight? I see your scar has not improved with age.’ He trailed a finger across his own eye, mimicking Bran’s scar.

  ‘You will never gain advantage over me again.’ Bran’s scar burned with remembered poison. ‘I am stronger than you now. I was young when you poisoned and scarred me.’

  ‘I wanted you to remember me, to remember The Salloki.’ Thom leant close, putrid breath rising from his smirk. ‘I branded you, Dark One. You are part of The Salloki whether you like it or not. With or without the scar.’

  Bran shoved Thom. ‘Come any closer, Draugr, and I will not be held responsible for my actions.’

  Thom laughed. ‘I could kill you and wear your skin as a coat, if you were taller.’

  ‘I’m glad I’m not the size of a giant, I’d never be able to move freely in this world if I was. If you try to kill me, you will die first and you know it.’ Bran folded his arms across his slender chest. ‘Return to your loyalists and tell them I’ll have Kaelia for them when I’m ready.’

  Thom’s skin rippled and he juddered into the form of an immense, earless and tail-less, grotesque black horse. Violet vapour expelled in snorts from his beastly nostrils and dinner-plate large hooves scuffed up the ground beneath them. Rotting flesh, flayed from his flanks, trembled with every move he made. The stench was choking. With an echoing neigh, the Thom-beast galloped down the hill. The land opened its mouth in greeting to reveal a tunnel leading into the depths of the earth. Grass and soil closed behind Thom without a mark to show he had even been there in the first place.

  * * *

  The sun had fully risen and shone a bright circle through the clearing in the woods on the opposite side of Mortiswood Academy. The Vallesm stretched from a long sleep as the warmth of the sun’s rays licked the tip of its tail. It shuddered, bones achingly cold, and crawled on all fours into the sunlight. The rays both warmed and illuminated how thin the creature had become. It’s once dense, grey-white fur hung in patchy clumps with bald spots where fur had fallen out and its eyes, once lustrous and amber bright, resembled frosted glass. With effort, the wolf lifted its head and howled sorrowfully.

  * * *

  Prone on her bed in her room, recovering from having healed Harriet, Kaelia thought she heard a wolf howling outside. In a flash she was on her feet, tiredness all but forgotten as she swung the window open. She listened intently but only the voices of other students could be heard.

  Exhaustion reclaimed Kaelia. The carpet scraped at her feet as she stumbled back to bed. Pulling the covers over her weary body, she conjured up an image of the Vallesm in her mind, its fur beautifully thick, eyes glowing amber with sparks of fire as, in her imagination, they ran together once more.

  * * *

  Calix tapped on Kaelia’s door late that afternoon.

  ‘Come in, I’m awake.’ Kaelia rubbed sleep from her eyes. ‘I just couldn’t be bothered to get up.’

  Calix passed her a mug. ‘This should help invigorate your senses and give you a boost.’

  Kaelia’s nose crinkled. ‘It smells disgusting, what is it?’

  ‘Rosewater and Kanoboberry.’

  ‘What berry?’

  ‘Just drink it.’

  Kaelia dutifully lifted the mug to her lips and sipped. The lukewarm, bitter liquid hit the back of her mouth and she spat it back out. ‘What are you trying to do, poison me?’

  ‘Is it really so gross?’

  Kaelia held the mug out. ‘You try it.’

  Calix grabbed it and tentatively tested a mouthful, then spluttered it all over Kaelia’s quilt. ‘This tastes disgusting!’

  ‘Yes,’ Kaelia replied patiently. ‘I know.’

  Calix dumped the offending mug onto the bedside table. ‘I’ll kill her!’

  ‘Who?’

  The roots of Calix’s hair turned pink with a blush. ‘Cadence.’

  Kaelia jumped up and raced over to the small sink on the wall opposite the bed. Shoving toothpaste onto her toothbrush, she frantically scrubbed the inside of her mouth. ‘You trusted her to give you a remedy? I didn’t know you are such good friends with her.’

  Calix’s blush deepened. ‘She said it would revitalise you!’

  Kaelia dried her mouth and studied her reflection in the mirror. She blinked, her eyes suddenly feeling as if they were bulging. No wait, they actually were bulging. ‘What’s happening to my eyes?’ She fingered the soft skin around her eyes as they protruded, morphing into the ommatidia of compound eyes.

  Calix, rubbing at his own eyes, which were also changing, tried to join Kaelia at the mirror but with his vision altered his sense of balance was compromised and he tripped over. He scrambled across the floor and grabbed the sink to pull himself up by.

  ‘No!’ Calix wailed, taking in stock of his and Kaelia’s reflections. ‘She’s given us fly eyes. What are next ...wings?’

  A floorboard creaked behind them. ‘There’s been a fly infestation in the building.’ Cadence held up a fly-killing spray. ‘We need to exterminate them.’

  Kaelia span around, centre of balance askew, and fired an annoyed ball of light at Cadence. The light ball veered off at angle and blasted into Kaelia’s pillow. Feathers erupted from through the pillowcase, showering the room with tickly snow.

  Cadence laughed. She wove over to Calix and linked her arm through his, dragging him to the door. ‘I didn’t think you would drink it, you idiot. I told you to give it to her.’

  Calix slapped Cadence, frustratingly hitting himself in the process. ‘You think this is funny?’ He clutched his head. ‘I feel ill; my vision’s giving me motion sickness. What were you playing at, Cadence?’

  Kaelia answered first, her voice cool and controlled. ‘The drink was meant for me, Calix. Cadence didn’t expect you to try it, or to be in here by the time she arrived with the fly spray.’

  Cadence shoved Calix out of the door, ignoring his protestations. ‘It would’ve worked if you’d downed the whole lot,’ she mumbled under her breath, turning to close the door behind her.

  Kaelia’s head twitched, her hearing excelling the dizzying effects of her changing eyes. She could feel the vibrations in the air resulting from Cadence’s every move. Kaelia reached the door before it clicked shut and wrenched it open.

  Cadence toppled forward, crashing into Kaelia. ‘What? How did you do that?’

  ‘You were right about the drink invigorating my senses.’ Kaelia grabbed Cadence around the neck. ‘I don’t need to be able to see you, I can feel you.’

  ‘Let go!’ Cadence scratched at Kaelia’s hands. ‘You have no right to assault me.’

  ‘Assault you?’ Kaelia laughed hollowly. ‘I could do more than assault you. You tried to kill me!’

  ‘You can’t prove it!’

  ‘So you brought fly spray with you because you believe there is an infestation? Even thinking that is an insult to both of our intelligences. You knew exactly what you were doing.’

&n
bsp; Cadence brandished the fly spray can in the air. ‘Let me go or I’m spraying you!’ She pressed the button, fizzles of liquid spluttered out and shot into Kaelia’s left eye.

  Kaelia cried out as the fizzing spray pierced into her. Releasing Cadence she fell to her knees, clawing at her eye. ‘It’s burning!’

  Cadence stood over Kaelia, satisfaction distorting her smile. She shook the spray can. ‘Plenty more left to spritz you with.’

  With a roar, Kaelia shot a stream of light at Cadence’s head. Cadence dropped the can and writhed on the ground in agony. ‘My eye!’ she screamed. ‘You fired at my eye and I can’t see!’

  Kaelia rose, kicked the spray can out of harms reach and held out a hand. ‘You undo the damage you instigated and I’ll undo the damage I did.’

  Cadence wailed. ‘How can I trust you?’

  Calix, bumping into the walls some distance along the corridor, shouted, ‘Quit being stupid, Cadence, and agree. I want my normal eyes back!’

  Kaelia grabbed Cadence’s hand and hauled her up. ‘Ready?’

  Cadence winced, her eye was really painful. ‘If I must,’ she grumbled. ‘Don’t think this means I like you.’

  ‘Don’t worry,’ Kaelia replied. ‘The feeling’s mutual.’

  * * *

  Nine

  One hour ago, Mortiswood Academy

  Echoes of laughter resonated in the oak-panelled corridor. Lessons and training had long since ended for the day and the residents of the academy were free to spend their time as they wished. Kaelia closed the door to the library after having bid Calix goodnight. Since arriving at Mortiswood Academy their time spent together had lessened, Kaelia devoting concentration to her studies and mastering the magic within her, and Calix researching various potions and remedies he thought may come in useful in the future. Kaelia unlocked the door to her room and pulled her coat from the wardrobe. After slipping it on she tugged on a pair of flat, leather ankle boots and then made her way outside.

  The midnight air was crisp, scratching at her throat. Grass crackled underfoot, the cold having frozen it into spikes. Light spilled from the windows of the Mortiswood Academy building. Kaelia was able to work out which window was the library and could see Calix through the glass, his head bent in concentration. He turned, eyes searching the inky blackness yet unable to see beyond the reflections of the glass, the glare from the lighting of the room obscuring view outside.

  Calix’s pale-blond hair glowed with the light diffusing through it, lending him the appearance of a fuzzy halo. He rose from the window seat as another figure drew into view; Cadence. Kaelia smiled, certain that Cadence fancied Calix. It was easy to see why. Kaelia adored Calix; he was reliable and grounded her if she became too lost in her powers to see straight. She was glad her grandmother had brought him into her life.

  Turning away from watching the window, Kaelia’s thoughts carried her along, drawing her to the walled, herb garden. The tall iron gates, peppered with rust, groaned at her touch, the bottom scraping another layer into the well worn groove beneath it. A heady aroma diffused from the many herbs as Kaelia followed the cobblestone trail to the heart of the walled garden.

  In the heart an ornate, stone water feature commanded centre stage. An imposing stone statue of a scantily robed woman rose from the middle of the circular pool of water, the tails of her robe disappearing into the murky water as if they were part of the same. The statue’s arms stretched upwards, one hand furled around opposite wrist, reaching into the air. Strong lines of the statue’s features had been softened by the ravages of time and the eyes were now no more than mottled stone.

  Kaelia perched on the outer wall of the pool. Unyielding cold penetrated through the layers of her clothes and she shivered, wishing she had worn a longer coat. Even the cold could not numb the pain of memories which had cracked her heart today. Memories of her mother’s voice, her grandmother’s loving smile, the tenderness that had been present in Bay’s eyes - then the pain of losing him, her father’s death, her mother’s disappearance, the stealing of Cassie’s spirit. The list of sad memories was so long it would wrap around her twice but something inside Kaelia sparked, pushing the pain away. Anger.

  She would right all the wrongs, free her grandmother’s spirit, and find her mother. She would do it all even if it meant taking The Salloki down one by one with her bare hands. Night’s breath alerted her to unnoticed tears which had fallen with the surge of anger. Frustrated with her body’s deceit, Kaelia brushed them away. The tears turned to tiny crystals as a chill in the air caught them. Moonlight bounced off the tear-crystals, lighting them as they scattered into the stagnant pond. The murky depths of the water glowed with the same cool light as the moonbeams, and the water whirled, turning crystal clear. Kaelia squeezed out another teardrop, to test if the same would happen and flicked it at the water. Indeed, the tear turned into another crystal at the touch of the night air and fell into the pond, rippling it again. Then, the ripples stopped and through the clear water, an image appeared.

  The water became a window to the small clearing in the woods where Kaelia had last bid goodbye to the Vallesm. The image closed in on the wolf, laying frighteningly still, its body emaciated, fur lacklustre. A ghost of a howl teased Kaelia’s tortured mind, fresh tears tumbled freely and, this time, dripped straight into the pool from her eyes and created ripples, fragmenting the image.

  ‘I am coming!’ Another crack inched its way through Kaelia’s heart, and the water swirled to black, obliterating the image of the Vallesm.

  A teeth-jarring sound of stone scraping against stone shocked Kaelia. The wall of the water feature shook, throwing Kaelia from it onto the ground. Terrified, she scrabbled backwards and clambered to her feet. Fear widened her eyes. Had The Salloki found her and breached the sphere of protection surrounding Mortiswood Academy? In disbelief, Kaelia watched the stone statue come alive. Its head twisted towards her, the movement grinding the stone. Clamping her hands over her ears, Kaelia edged back from the water feature, stumbling into the herbs and plants.

  The statue lifted a heavy leg up and over the wall. Water sloshed over the edge of the pool, suffocating the fragrant plants with a stagnant rain. Kaelia scanned the area, fearing to find a monster sent by The Salloki. The ground trembled with the statue’s weight as first one foot then the other hit the cobbles. Its arms screamed, lowering from their life-long pose, and stretched outwards, reaching for Kaelia.

  Kaelia swallowed a lump of nerves that had lodged in her throat. Surely someone must have heard the ear-splitting stone scraping other than her? The ground quaked with each heavy footstep the statue took forward. Realising she was alone; Kaelia took aim and fired several bolts in fast succession at the moving statue.

  ‘No!’ Fear froze Kaelia. The bolts created no more than friction sparks upon impact with the stone.

  Blindly, Kaelia stumbled, desperate to escape. The towering statue relentlessly plodded on. Kaelia’s foot caught in a small shrub and she couldn’t wriggle it free. The more she struggled, the tighter the plants wound around her foot. The statue’s fingers grated as it reached for Kaelia. Kaelia tugged at her foot, the plants took on a life of their own, winding up her calf, tethering her to the ground. Desperately, Kaelia fired a twist of ice-blue light at the statue but, once again, her light failed to have any impact.

  Stone fingers inched closer to Kaelia’s head, grazing her hair as she fired at the shrub and managed to free her foot. With an unexpected spurt of movement, the fingers grabbed Kaelia’s hair, tangling painfully. Kaelia wailed as the heavy fingers crunched together, yanking her hair so hard her eyes watered. She kicked out, not even reaching striking distance of the statue for the length its long arms held her away from its body.

  ‘Let her go!’ Calix tumbled into view, clutching a book to his chest, a drawstring bag dangling from the crook of one elbow. He tripped over the cobbles, dropping the book which slid out of grasp.

  ‘Calix!’ Kaelia grabbed onto her hair as the statue
slowly lifted her up. ‘Get out of here, I can’t stop it!’ She screamed, her scalp erupting into a cap of pain, her feet a fair distance off the ground.

  Calix scrabbled on the floor, scooping the book back up before hurrying to Kaelia. The statue cast a foreboding shadow over him and he trembled.

  ‘Calix!’ Kaelia called again. ‘Snap out of it!’ Strands of her hair ripped from her scalp, making her cry.

  Calix shook his head and opened the book, tearing up page after page until he found what he was looking for. Bending down, Calix laid the book on the ground so he could still read it, reached into his bag and pulled out a jar. He unscrewed the jar’s lid, setting both beside the book. Next, he drew out a raven’s feather along with some twisted, dried sticks and dropped them in the jar. Calix quickly resealed the lid, read a few lines from the book, unscrewed the jar again, and forcibly threw it against the statue’s back.

  ‘It’s not working!’ Calix pulled at his own hair. ‘That potion should’ve worked on a Gargonite!’

  Kaelia screamed again, tears and white spots of pain blurring her vision. ‘Do something!’ Swinging her arms, she managed to grab onto the stone fingers and let her arms take her weight to alleviate the pull on her hair.

  An unmistakable tinkle of laughter danced around them. Calix jumped to his feet. ‘Cadence, is that you? Of course it is,’ he answered his own question, ‘the statue is made from stone and stone comes from the earth so you can bend it to do your bidding. It’s not a Gargonite.’ He slapped his forehead. ‘I’m such a plank.’

  Cadence’s chestnut-haired head emerged from from behind the water feature. She walked slowly towards to Calix, deliberately taking her time. A sneer lifted the right corner of her mouth, her eyes resembled the blank stone of the stone woman and her hand was raised in the same grasping gesture the statue held Kaelia in.

  Kaelia realising, at the same as Calix, that Cadence was controlling the stone woman, swore at her. ‘Put me down, Cadence. You’ve had a problem with me since I arrived and I’m getting sick of it.’