Page 10 of Swords and Curses

"Fuck the Vanes." Eldon offered her his hand. "We don't need a car… They will never know that we are gone."

Rosa took his hand. "I've no idea about what you're talking about, but I trust you."

Eldon led her out of the pergola and onto the shoreline.

"Yes, here," he muttered as he slowed near a pile of rocks. "This one will do nicely."

"One of what?" Rosa asked curiously.

"Think of ley lines as backdoors, Rhosyn. If you have the right backdoor established, you could cross into it from just about anywhere in the world."

"You built your backdoor to a pub!" She roared with laughter. "You really are my cousin."

"Don't let go of me," Eldon instructed. The hair on Rosa's body rose as he lifted his right hand and sketched an invisible symbol in the air. "Now walk."

The lake shoreline shimmered like heat waves, and they stepped through, suddenly standing in a grassy laneway.

"Where are we?" Rosa asked, pulling up the hood of her coat to keep the drizzling rain off her head.

"Glastonbury," Eldon announced and strode out of the lane and through the streets. They passed St. Benedict's cathedral, and Eldon stopped in front of a pub calledThe Lancelot.

"Considering who you are, isn't this place a bit wanky for you?" Rosa said, sitting down in a booth with their pints.

"Yes and no. Much happened in this place and most of the wank is the result of the glorious lies I created, so I feel rather justified that it worked," Eldon replied. "Cheers to lies well crafted." Rosa clinked her glass against his before relishing the bitter tang of stout on her tongue.

"What else is different about this place? It can't be the nostalgia."

"Most of Glastonbury is a magically dead zone, which means if the Autumn Queen is trying to spy on us, she won't be able to."

"If magic doesn't work here, how come your backdoor does?" Rosa challenged.

"It is a great secret only known to great wizards," Eldon exclaimed, making Rosa giggle. "Seriously though, I was the onethat broke the magic in this place. Whatever magic remains here is what I have sewn back into it. This place holds my power in the very earth."

"Like a reserve?"

"I have never considered it that way, but yes, a reserve."

"The Autumn Queen can't find us, so I suppose that means Eli can't either?" Rosa raised a brow at him.

"Who knows what that man could do if he put his mind to it?" Eldon said dismissively. "You can't have any privacy at Gwaed Lyn."

"I know, but he's pretty good at giving it to you. It must be hard for you to be back there after so long. I was away in London for almost twenty years doing school and degrees, finding any excuse to do more,anythingto prevent going back there," Rosa admitted.

"And now you are the lady of the house." Eldon grinned over the rim of his glass. "It took you no time at all."

"According to your father, I was the lady of the house by the time I was eight," Rosa said. "Now that I have my memories back, Gwaed Lyn feels better, like home. I terrorized Eli as a child, but he was very gracious about it."

"He would've loved every minute of it. You are the spitting image of Deryn, and she always wanted a girl," Eldon replied. "He would have doted on you. It's probably why he kept paying for whatever you felt like studying."

"I don't know about doted, but I have almost as many memories of him as I do of my real father."

"You love him."

"I love all of the boys in their way. Saul's the fun, annoying little brother I never had, and Bal… He's…" Rosa fumbled, blushing and grinning.

Eldon propped his chin on his hand and fluttered his long, dark lashes at her.

"Tall, dark, and dreamy?"

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