Karen Wrighton - Ice and Fyre

S ine Tempore, Rose spoke the incantation without hesitation .

The magic she cast was not learned at the Oratory. The words leapt from her lips spontaneously, without conscious thought. The spell belonged to Elder. Rose cast the charm without potens action or ring. It was magic in its purest form, the sorcery of the ancients .

Clasped in her hands, the Elder Witchs green gemstone burst into light as a glowing bubble of energy spread around Rose and the others, enveloping them in its emerald glow .

Time stilled. Ash and El-on-ah stood like living statues, motionless, unblinking, paralysed at the moment. The crimson streak of potens energy from El-on-ahs descent spell hung in the air, impotent, a fiery rainbow - frozen in time .

Rose regarded the scene through a finely jewelled curtain as droplets of sea mist floated, suspended in the air, drifting in time and space. The roar of the waves faded into the distance as if she had slammed an airtight door on the outside world. Rose had stalled time .

Setting Elders stone on the ground, Rose approached El-on-ah who was frozen in the act of casting the descent, one arm outstretched towards Ash. This was not the first time El-on-ah had attempted to dispatch Rose in this way. The last time Arjan intervened and took the full blast of the spell. Then, in the commotion, El-on-ah had escaped. This time, she will not .

Taking hold of El-on-ahs hand, Rose pulled the potens ring from her finger and gazed into the womans face .

I should hate you for what you did to Arjan, and what you are attempting to do now, Roses breath misted in the cold air, forming tiny ice crystals floating around her like fine glitter. She sighed, However, I am beginning to understand your motives only too well. Maybe in another time we could have been allies .

Rose removed El-on-ahs dragon leather belt, coiling it tightly around the womans thin wrists, securing the restraint with a wicker loop. It seems knot tying is another skill I have inherited from Elder .

Returning to Ash, Rose lifted Elders crystal from the ground and turned to face El-on-ah. When restoring time, she would have less than a second in which to act .

Sileo tempus, Rose spoke the charm, the crystal clenched in her hands as she lunged forward, pushing Ash to the ground at the very moment El-on-ahs fiery bolt of energy exploded at the spot they were standing an instant before. Sand and shingle shot into the air and showered them with tiny pieces of shrapnel, stinging their skin like a cascade of icy needles .

Rose, what how? In a daze, Ash brushed the sandy grit from his face as he glanced over to where El-on-ah was standing. The Bloods face was a picture of confusion as she frantically struggled against her bonds. Ashs mouth fell open, how the heck did you do that ?

A little charm I picked up from Elder, said Rose, I inserted a tiny stitch in time, stalling it for a few seconds while I immobilised our uninvited guest. Then, I merely unpicked it .

If you value your people Lady Rose, El-on-ah lifted her chin, you should stow your pride and surrender to Lord Ka before it is too late .

Says the lady with bound hands and no potens ring, Ash smiled wryly as he got to his feet and shook the remaining sand from his clothes. If I were you El-on-ah, I would think carefully before threatening an Ascendant wearing a potens ring and holding some kind of kick-ass time-shifting crystal .

I was not addressing you, Lord Ash. El-on-ah glared at Rose, Lord Ka intends to use fractionation venom. Even Lord Eldwyn could not prevent Ka from obliterating a whole race of Whytes. You are no Lord Eldwyn Rose, do you really imagine you and your insignificant band of vigilantes will fare any better ?

I have no intention of discussing my plans with you El-on-ah, said Rose, as Ash pulled her to her feet, and I am sure you understand why you would be the last person I would ever take advice from. However, Lord Dux will undoubtedly wish to talk with you at some point. So, if I were you I would save your breath until then .

They were interrupted by the sound of approaching feet crunching through the snow. Auriel and Lee came hurrying towards them, their faces flushed .

Thank goodness youre okay Rose, Auriel said panting breathlessly, we went to your room and saw you had gone and then we heard the explosion. We thought Is that El-on-ah? How on earth

This is very worrying, said Lee, the chances of her finding us by accident are small - less than one million seven hundred and fifty thousand to one. A logical conclusion is we have been betrayed .

I dont think Rose needs to use mathematics to work that one out, said Ash, though there is still a chance that she could have stumbled upon us, even if it is a small one. She could have followed us here maybe ?

There will be time to discuss that later, said Rose, now, we have more pressing things to attend to. Ash, would you escort El-on-ah to Lord Dux, she turned to Lee and Auriel, and Id like you both to accompany him .

No, said Ash, I will not risk leaving you here alone. El-on-ah may have accomplices .

Ash, If there were anyone else, we would be too busy to have this conversation. Rose rested a hand on his arm, dropping her voice to a whisper. There is something important that I must do, and you know that I cannot do this with El-on-ah here. We cannot risk sending Auriel and Lee alone with El-on-ah. She is proving a rather too resourceful an adversary - dont you agree ?

Okay, Ash shrugged his shoulders, but as soon as she is secure, Im coming back for you .

There will be no need, I will be right behind you. Trust Eldwyn Ash, it is written that we will get through this. I believe that our time will come

I hope so Rose, Ash smiled wistfully, I really do hope so .

It is not me that you should be worried about, El-on-ah flinched as Ash took her arm, Lord Ka has an army of Afreet, and when I dont return he will know exactly where to look for you .

Then we must be sure to arrange a suitable welcome for him. Said Rose .

R ose looked on as Ash and the others disappeared into the distance. Soon, all that remained of their presence was a trail of footprints in the snow. The salty morning breeze dampened her face as Rose turned towards Knucker Bay and walked down to the shore. Fingering Elders crystal, she felt its cold hardness as she placed it down on a flat rock beside the edge of the shoreline .

As dawn approached, Rose stood back, looking out over the Bay. The Lights of the North had faded becoming faint wisps, smudges of vermilion and gold against a purple sky. Her eyes brimmed as she dropped her gaze to focus on Elders crystal.