The Assassin's Destiny (Isle of Dreams) (12 page)

‘Mage De Winter has a certain
reputation.  I don’t think there is a warrior in the Valley that would
willingly cross him.’

Mistral threw her hands up in
exasperation, ‘Are you all blind?  He’s the kindest, most generous, honest
and … well, most perfect person I’ve ever met!  There was no need for them
all to take the first Contracts they could just to avoid him!’

Phantom sighed and shook his
head, muttered something unintelligible under his breath that sounded like
‘deluded’ to Mistral.

‘I know he’s changed since he met
you Mistral, but to others he is still the man he was.  Based purely on
the strength of the way he feels about the others felt it was safest to put a
bit of distance between them and your Mage for a while.’

Mistral pouted angrily and threw
the chicken bone onto the plate, ‘Where have they gone?’

‘Saul and Cain have taken a
bodyguarding Contract for a Council official; Grendel has gone south to round
up a loose herd of bonacon and Brutus and Xerxes have taken a Contract to clear
out a nest of knuckers in the southern farmlands.’

Mistral shook her head in
disbelief at the list of low-grade Contracts Phantasm reeled off.  Had her
brothers really been that desperate to get away from Fabian?

‘I think that you have all
seriously misunderstood Fabian,’ she snapped, ignoring Phantom’s incredulous
snort which he quickly tried to disguise as a sneeze.

‘So, we all have a Contract
together – excited?’  Phantasm enquired brightly in an abrupt change of
subject.

‘Ecstatic.’  Mistral
muttered sarcastically.  ‘However, that does remind me that I am supposed
to be having lunch with Fabian and practising my aura reading skills, so, get
your swords ready in case I offend anyone –’

Randomly focussing on one of the
tavern’s other occupants Mistral freed her mind of her irritation at her
brothers’ misconception of Fabian and forced her attention to the matter at
hand. 

By the time she had read each
warrior in the bar in turn, Fabian had arrived and sat down beside her with a
murmured apology for his lateness.

Mistral shot him a reproving look
but didn’t say anything.

‘Well, no-one has leapt to their
feet and challenged you so far,’ said Phantom, looking around
optimistically.  

‘No, I agree, however the
delegates may well be expecting something like this, so we need to try on
someone more suspicious.’  Phantasm narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. 
‘Can you talk and read someone at the same time?’  he asked suddenly.

Mistral shrugged, ‘Never tried.’

‘Well try now.’  Phantasm
urged through clenched teeth.

‘Fine!’ she snapped, glaring at
him.  ‘Since we seem to be having an open and frank conversation this
lunchtime did I ever tell you that whilst I value your friendship I am becoming
heartily sick of you both swanning off to Mycroft’s tower room to warm your toes
in front of his fire every five minutes instead of spending time with me – who
is, I might remind you – meant to be your friend and, oh my Phantasm! 
Does that make you feel guilty!’

Phantasm scowled, ‘You’ve proved
your point.  There was no visible indication that you were reading my
aura.’

‘Yes, but Mistral knows you
really well … how about someone that she doesn’t?’

‘Phantom’s right.’  Mistral
agreed with a sigh.  ‘The more I know someone the easier it is to read
their aura; Fabian’s is almost always visible to me now.’

Fabian glanced at her and she
smiled apologetically back but he merely looked amused.  Only he would
find the idea of his emotions being constantly on display humorous.

‘So, we need to try someone
else.’  Phantasm cast his eyes broodingly around the room before finally
alighting on the perpetually flushed features of the proprietor. 
‘Floris!’ he exclaimed happily and the bartender looked up.  ‘Can we have
another round of drinks over here please?’

‘I’ll fetch them.’  Mistral
gave a resigned sigh at being forced into Phantasm’s ridiculous charade.

The twins and Fabian watched with
undisguised interest while she chatted with Floris.  He gave his usual
monosyllabic responses while he drew the tankards and placed them on the
bar.  Thanking him brightly, Mistral dropped a handful of bronze coins
down and carried the tray back over to the table.

‘Is he looking at me
suspiciously?’  Mistral asked, keeping her back to the bar.

Phantom shot a surreptitious glance
at the bar where Floris was idly rubbing glasses with a dirty looking cloth,
‘No.  Looks like you did it!’

‘Yes, I think we can consider the
experiment a success.’  Phantasm said with a satisfied nod.

‘Well done.’  Fabian smiled
at her.  ‘And now, would you still care to join me for lunch or have you
already eaten?’ 

‘Please!’  Mistral responded
quickly.  ‘Phantasm ate most of that platter and I’m still starving. 
I suppose it’s because I haven’t eaten for two days.’

Mistral felt the twins stir uncomfortably. 
They shared a look then Phantom turned to address Fabian, his expression
contrite.

‘Mage De Winter, I must sincerely
apologise for failing to keep Mistral from taking that Contract.’

‘Oh for crying out loud Phantom,
I’m not eight years old!  Just let me accept responsibility for my own
actions will you?’

Mistral glared angrily at Phantom
who glared stonily back, their truce apparently over. 

‘Mistral.’  Fabian murmured
softly to her.  ‘Please could you find a quiet table and order something for
us to eat?  I just need to have a word with the twins.’

Shaking her head angrily Mistral
rose to her feet and stalked over to the bar.  Heaving a deep sigh,
Prospero lumbered to his feet and padded obediently after her. 

Mistral ordered bowls of venison
stew and stomped over to a small table at the back of the tavern.  She
threw herself gracelessly onto one of the chairs and glared angrily at the
twins, both talking intently with Fabian with identical expressions of
sincerest regret etched on their perfect faces. 

Floris bought the two bowls of
stew to her table and Fabian ended his conversation with the twins. 
Nodding tersely to each of them in turn he rose to his feet and walked towards
Mistral, a pensive expression on his face.  He took the seat opposite her
and immediately began to eat his stew, gazing broodingly into the middle
distance somewhere over Mistral’s left shoulder.  She looked at him
expectantly for a few seconds, waiting for him to speak to her, but he appeared
to be completely absorbed in his own thoughts.  His aura, now a constant
addition to her view of him, revealed only a halo of deepest royal blue. 
He was utterly focussed on something that obviously wasn’t her. 

Raising an eyebrow in irritation
Mistral bent over her bowl of stew and started to eat but found her appetite
had suddenly vanished.  Pushing her bowl of stew away she rested her chin
in her hand and began to drum the table with her fingers, staring moodily at
her untouched tankard of ale.  After a few moments Fabian finally appeared
to notice her agitated behaviour.

‘If you’re not hungry we can
prepare and leave straight away,’ he said distractedly.  

Mistral looked at him and could
tell that his attention was still not fully on her, ‘I thought we weren’t
leaving until the morning,’ she said, a slightly petulant tone creeping into
her voice.  

‘It would be a better use of our
time to travel home today and prepare for the journey – if you are feeling up
to travelling, of course.’

Mistral looked up quickly, her
face breaking into a wide grin, ‘Of course I’m up to it!’

Fabian nodded, ‘Good, because it
will make our journey to Holdridge shorter.  I’ve asked the twins to be
ready to leave with us in an hour.’

Mistral stared at him in
disbelief, the smile freezing on her face, ‘The twins are coming?’

Fabian frowned and finally looked
directly at her but his black eyes seemed flat and distant, ‘Yes.  Is that
a problem?’

Mistral didn’t reply.  What
could she say?  Yes it was a problem?  The sound of Phantom breathing
was enough to make her want to kill him and all she really wanted was some time
alone with Fabian. 

Fabian exhaled noisily and a
shadow of irritation crossed his face, ‘We have a tight schedule to work to
Mistral.  It would be churlish to expect them to have to ride out to our
house before dawn tomorrow just so that we could leave on time!’

Mistral stared at him wordlessly,
stung by the sharp tone of his voice.  Inexplicably, she suddenly felt
like crying.  To hide the tears pricking at her eyes she grabbed her
tankard and took a huge gulp, hiccupping as the ale hit the back of her throat.

Was this how Fabian was going to
be?  Planning with the twins behind her back, ignoring her, then
thoughtlessly throwing away what precious little time alone together they
had? 

Feeling the trickle of hot tears
on her cheeks Mistral tried to hide her sudden anguish behind her half-empty
tankard. 

‘Are you trying to drown yourself
in ale?’  Fabian finally asked in an exasperated voice.

Mistral abruptly banged the
tankard down onto the table and glared angrily at him, her tears falling freely
while she fought hard to control the urge to punch him for being so
insensitive. 

Fabian was instantly
distraught.  Reaching out to grasp her hands in his he raised them to his
lips and kissed them gently. 

‘Please forgive me Mistral. 
I am too used to working alone.  It’s different co-ordinating a group of
warriors … and this Contract … the meeting the foreign Mages are here to
attend, it’s vital to the future of the Isle.’

Mistral choked back a sob, ‘I
don’t give a stuff about the Isle!  Only about you.’

Fabian suddenly smiled and leaned
across the table to gently wipe the tears from her cheeks, ‘I don’t deserve
your love.’

A thousand angry responses rose
to Mistral’s lips and died instantly as Fabian suddenly slid his hands around
her face and kissed her passionately. 

‘We will have a lifetime of
nights alone together, I promise,’ he whispered as he released her. 
‘Please let me make it up to you.’

Mistral gazed at him for a long
moment before the ghost of a smile touched the corners of her mouth, ‘You know
the deal when you’ve done something wrong.’    

Fabian sighed heavily.

‘I hope you are not always going
to respond in that way when I suggest that you spend the night with me,’ she
retorted.

Fabian grinned roguishly and
Mistral’s heart faltered.

‘I will respond in any way you
desire,’ he promised, running his fingers lightly across the palm of her hand.

‘I suppose you want me to pack
your saddlebags for you and grab your Blackheart Wolverine skin from your room
too do you Mistral?’  Phantom called in a peeved voice, cruelly shattering
the hazy fantasy Mistral was immersed in. 

Mistral glared at him.  His
timing was so abysmal it was almost like he had a sixth sense telling him when
to interrupt.

Smiling at her expression Fabian
turned and spoke quietly to the twins over his shoulder, ‘Yes please
Phantom.  That would be most considerate of you.  We will meet you at
the stables in an hour.’

‘I will kill him one day.’
 Mistral vowed under her breath, watching the twins leave the bar.

‘I think you would miss him if
you did.’

‘Huh, only because it would mean
that I no longer had the heart-warming prospect of planning how to kill him.’
 

Fabian laughed and rose from his
chair, holding his hand out for her to take, ‘We had better start preparing the
horses.’

Rising from her chair, Mistral
slipped one hand into his and trailed the other across the soft fur of
Prospero’s head as he walked by her side across the tavern. 

‘Are you going to tell me what
you and the twins were talking about?’  she asked suddenly. 

‘No.’  Fabian turned to
smile at her.  ‘Because to repeat their abject apologies for failing so
miserably at deterring your inherently wilful, reckless nature would only embarrass
them.  However, shall we just say that I am satisfied that they are
genuinely remorseful and will be keeping a closer eye on you from now on.’

Mistral heaved a sigh, ‘How will
I ever manage to have fun again I wonder?’ 

‘We’ll find a way.’  

Fabian opened the door of the bar
and stepping aside to allow her to leave before him.  Throwing him a
scorching look Mistral walked out into the village square and breathed in a
deep breath of sun-warmed air.  She paused and looked over at the Ri herd
grazing in the paddock where spring was finally making her presence felt. 
Clusters of pale flowers were blooming among the thickening grass and the
horses’ coats were beginning to shine again. 

Mistral felt Fabian’s arms wrap
around her and leaned back against him to watch Cirrus and Spirit grazing
calmly near to one another.  Mistral smiled at the pretty picture they
made, knowing how deceiving looks could be. 

‘Are you going to try and catch
them or shall I?’ 

Fabian sighed.  His mare was
as difficult to catch as Cirrus. 

‘It’s fortunate that we have an
hour before we leave.’  Fabian released her and strode over to collect two
lead ropes from the paddock fence.

‘Yes, because we’re going no need
it.’  Mistral muttered and followed him.

After a few false starts Fabian
and Mistral eventually caught their horses by deploying the simple but
effective tactic of catching each other’s horse instead of their own.  The
twins’ more biddable horses simply followed them out of the paddock without
needing to be led.  Once out of the paddock the geldings walked calmly
across the village square to the stableblock, heading obediently for their
usual stalls.

Mistral shot the quiet pair a
disgusted look and shook her head, ‘Where’s the challenge?’