The Seer (46 page)

‘And break
it.’  Phantom added quietly. 

Gleacher,
Fabian and Mistral left the Valley just after noon.  The ride to the small
west coast port would take them until early evening.  They would be taking
the smaller of the Ri’s two ships, though it would still be large enough to
transport the unicorn herd on the return journey. 

The Contract
specifications were simple; they were to round-up and bring back a unicorn herd
consisting of eight mares and one stallion.  The elderly Mage who owned
the herd wanted to see his life’s work safely rehomed before he died. 
Mistral knew from the twins that Mage Grapple had used their gift to persuade
the Mage to accept an offer far less than they were actually worth and felt
ashamed his deception.  But when she said as much to Fabian, his reply had
surprised her.

‘The price is
immaterial.  The Mage is due to die soon, what need has he of money? 
The real question is this:  what would happen to the herd if they were not
given sanctuary on the Isle?’

‘Er, well, I
suppose they would run wild –’

‘Temporarily. 
Left untended they herd would soon roam in search of fresh pasture, inevitably
stumbling into the path of humans.  If they weren’t hunted to extinction,
they would be caught and treated, in ignorance, like a domestic horse. 
And that would be fatal for the unicorn herd.’

‘So, they’re a
totally different breed then?’  Mistral asked curiously.  ‘No
similarities at all?’

‘Unicorns are
fabled beasts Mistral, not horses.  They may be virtually
indistinguishable in shape and eating habits, save for the spiral horn; but
their natures are completely different.  Horses are biddable creatures,
aside from yours and mine,’ he added with a smile.  ‘But unicorns are the
epitome of free-spirited creatures.  A herd placed in captivity is one
that will slowly wither and die.  They are incapable of accepting a
master, no matter how kind or cruel.’

Mistral
listened carefully to Fabian’s words but couldn’t completely fight back the
niggling desire to at least attempt to tame such a challenging sounding
animal.  A unicorn!  Imagine
riding
one ... ‘Um, the twins
told me the horn is used in potion making and has considerable value.’

Fabian
laughed, ‘Considerable is an underestimation!  An entire unicorn horn is
worth upwards of a thousand gold coins.  Powdered horn is sold in incremental
weights, usually starting at a hundred gold coins for the smallest amount.’

‘Really? 
Is that why the Mage kept them then?  To harvest the horns and sell them?’

Fabian shook
his head, ‘No, he was a genuine lover of the breed.  To sever the horn
from a living unicorn is fatal.  He is one of those rare living beings
motivated by appreciation of beauty rather than financial reward.’

Mistral
couldn’t help but notice his black glaze flicking over to Gleacher as he spoke,
confirming her suspicion that he would be taking the opportunity the voyage
presented to challenge him about his part in Malachi’s potion smuggling
scheme. 

They reached
the small port at sunset.  Dismounting on the stone quayside Mistral
looked at the smaller of the Ri’s two ships.  Gazing up at the uniformly
black banner of the Ri fluttering at the top of the single mast she couldn’t
help but compare it to Mage Grapple’s imposing warship.  She hid a smile
at the bittersweet memory of the journey; she had already fallen in love with Fabian
by then but had been too stubborn to admit it to herself, never mind to
him.  How different this journey would be!  The ship that would carry
them was infinitely less grand, at least half the size and boasting only one
mast; but this time she would be spending the night wrapped in the arms of her
Mage instead of just his cloak.

Leaving
Gleacher on the quayside issuing orders to the crew, Mistral led Cirrus up the
ramp and into the dark belly of the ship’s hold, following Fabian and Spirit along
the empty rows of stalls. 

‘The motion
will be less severe for them in the centre.’  Fabian turned to give her a
long look over the partition between the stalls.  ‘But I think you’ve
heard me say that before.’ 

She met his
black gaze and bit her lip.  He was thinking the same as her ...  she
stared back, feeling a flame flare in her stomach. 

‘We’ve placed
extra buckets of water beside each stall in case of fire.’

Mistral spun
around to meet the politely helpful gaze of one of the crew members, ‘What?’ 
she instantly blushed.  Was he mocking the way she’d been looking at
Fabian?

‘Unicorn
hooves cause sparks,’ he explained with a nod towards the leather buckets of
water lined along the narrow walkways between the stalls.  ‘They aren’t
shod with iron like horses because they don’t need to be, but their hooves are
made of some weird stuff that can cause fires real easy.’

‘Brimstone.’
 Fabian said quietly.  ‘But they’re not made of it, merely have a
high content.  It’s a self defence mechanism.’

Mistral looked
impressed, ‘A horn at the front and hooves that leave fire in their wake,
that’s some creature!’

‘It’s a fire
hazard, that’s what it is,’ the crew member muttered then then turned to
Fabian, ‘If you’re ready Mage De Winter, Master Shacklock said to show you to
your quarters then he’s invited you both to eat with him in the galley.’

‘We’re
ready.’  Fabian gave Spirit a final pat before taking Mistral’s hand and
following the sailor along the walkway to a ladder leading to the upper decks.

The steep-sides
of the wooden ship narrowed considerably at the next deck.  They walked in
single file along a cramped corridor, passing several closed doors before the
sailor halted in front a door set facing them.

‘These are
your quarters.  We’re to set sail immediately then Master Shacklock will
meet you for dinner.  He says you already know where the galley is Mage De
Winter.’

Fabian gave a
half-smile and nodded.  Mistral guessed that he’d probably travelled on
the ship more times than the sailor had.  Opening the door, Fabian stepped
back to allow Mistral to step past him into the strangest room she’d ever
seen.  They had been allocated the cabin set in the bow of the ship. 
The bed took up most of the space and had been designed to fit neatly into the prow,
giving the bed a curiously triangular shape.  Brass framed portholes set
in the ship’s side shed a soft light over the varnished wooden interior, giving
the cabin a deliciously cosy feel.  The ship lurched abruptly, throwing
Mistral off balance and into Fabian.

He caught her
in his arms and held her tightly against him.  Tilting his head to regard
her with his fathomless black gaze, ‘I am filled with a sense of déjà vu.’

Mistral gazed
back, filled with a sudden sadness.  What if he’d never let go of her the
first time she’d fallen into his arms, how much would be different now? 
Saul would still be alive for a start … but she wouldn’t have the Sight, or
know her true identity.  She tore her gaze away to look around the cabin,
her eyes finally resting on the bed.  It really was much larger than was
strictly necessary.  ‘How long is our voyage going to take?’

‘A couple of
days, if the winds are fair.’

She looked at
the bed again, ‘So we’re going to be sleeping on board for at least two nights
then.’

‘Who said
anything about sleeping?’  Fabian growled and bent his head to kiss her.

They met
Gleacher in the galley a short while later.  Sitting down to a meal
comprising solely of fish Mistral felt her appetite instantly vanish.  She
tried a couple of forkfuls but quickly gave up.  Filled with longing
thoughts of roasted boar that the plate of fish before her could never satisfy,
she pushed her plate away and listened instead to the conversation Fabian and
Gleacher were having about this year’s batch of apprentices.  The first
years who had been unfortunate enough to miss their Qualification due to the
Divinus’ funeral had finally Qualified, although none had been invited onto a
second year.  When Fabian politely enquired about their Qualification
ceremony Gleacher struggled to conceal his disdain for the forty minute long
speech Mycroft Casterton had delivered on the qualities of a warrior. 
Mistral had to smother a laugh, imagining him waffling away while he warmed
himself in front of the fire in the Main Hall, revelling in his newly appointed
status as the temporary Divinus.  What Mycroft knew about being a warrior
could be written on a spriggan’s fingernail.  He held a position in the
Magnate based purely on his extensive knowledge on Council politics, not experience
in the field. 

Mistral gave
up on their conversation when they moved onto discussing a new policy for
Contract regulation and gazed instead out of one of the portholes, watching the
moonlit sea rising and falling in time with the smooth roll of the ship. 
Lulled by the soothing motion, her eyes began to droop and before she knew it
Fabian was rousing her from a pleasant doze by speaking softly in her ear.

‘I’m so sorry
Mistral.  I forget how tired you become now.’

Taking her by
the hand he led her away from the galley and back to their cabin where they
quickly undressed and slid beneath the cool sheets of the huge bed. 
Curling up contentedly in the crook of Fabian’s arm Mistral watched the
moonlight dancing over the cabin and smiled. 

‘I know what
you are thinking.’  Fabian murmured softly. 

‘Do
you?’  She lifted her head to look at him in the half-light.

‘You’re
remembering the night we spent together on the deck of Eximius’ ship.’

‘And how could
you possibly know that?’

‘Because I am
too.’

Mistral laid
her head back onto him with a sigh, ‘You’re right, of course.  I was
wondering how much suffering I would have saved us both if I hadn’t been so
stubborn and just admitted how I felt, there and then.’

‘None.’
 Fabian stroked her hair.  ‘Even if we had admitted our feelings
then, I would have been consumed by guilt for the rest of my life for knowing
that I had selfishly robbed you of your future.  You were destined to be
more than just mine.’

‘I know which
destiny I prefer.’

Fabian smiled,
‘As do I.  I knew the moment you stood shouting at me in the meadows that
I had found someone strong enough not to judge or revile me for the life I had
led.’

Mistral pulled
a face, ‘Me shouting.  You always remember my finer moments don’t you?’

He laughed
softly, a comforting rumbling deep within his chest, ‘But it was one of your
finer moments Mistral.  It was the day I realised that I had found the
reason for my existence.  I knew you were the only one capable of filling
the void that existed inside me.’  Fabian rolled over to look at her with
eyes blacker than the night sea.  ‘You gave me back my soul on that
day.’ 

With no words
to express the emotions his words evoked, Mistral gazed at him silently,
letting her eyes speak the love no whispered endearments ever could.  They
lay in tranquil silence for a while, listening to the gentle sound of waves and
the distant creak of the sails.  Mistral was beginning to drift into sleep
when Fabian spoke again, his soft voice seeming to come to her from a long way
off. 

‘It was on
Eximius’ ship that I knew the rest of my life was yours, and that I was
prepared to do anything to make you feel the same way.’  Fabian paused and
brushed a hand over her waist.  ‘I was prepared for your resistance, your
anger, but I was completely unprepared for was how strongly I would want to
protect the infuriatingly independent and wilful creature that you are, and now
the life that grows within you.’ 

‘Double the
trouble?’  

‘Oh no,’ he
disagreed softly.  ‘Double the joy.’

Mistral smiled
and gazed out of a porthole at the star-filled sky, watching it vanish into the
black sea and reappear again with the rhythmical rise and fall of the
ship.  They lay in peaceful silence.  Her thoughts drifted to their
destination, feeling excitement at the prospect of rounding up a herd of
unicorns, and the lesser thrill of reading a Rochforte.  She sat up
suddenly.  ‘The Rochfortes speak French, don’t they?’

Fabian
regarded her from beneath half-closed eyes, ‘It is usual, considering that they
are French.’

Mistral gave
him a sharp look, ‘Don’t be obtuse Fabian!  How can I tell you their
thoughts if I don’t understand the language they’re thinking in?’

Fabian raised
his eyebrows lazily, ‘I can translate, however Lady De Winter, it’s probably
time you began to learn some French,’ smiling, he pulled her back into his
arms, murmuring softly to her in a voice of brushed silk words of love in a
language she had no knowledge of, but she didn’t interrupt him to ask their
meaning.  He could have been describing how to build the ship they were
sailing in for all she cared; to lie cradled in his arms and listen to his
voice filled her with more happiness than she ever dreamed possible.

‘Mon amour
pour toi est eternal, mon destin.  Mon coeur s’ouve a tu voix –’

As the lure of
sleep began to pull at her once more, Mistral reflected dreamily that her
training had definitely taken a more cultural turn.  Not only had she been
to the ballet, but now she was learning French.

‘Mistral, wake
up.  I need to talk to you.’

Mistral didn’t
open her eyes.  ‘What about,’ she mumbled sleepily. 

‘Look at me
please.  I need to know you are awake.’

Mistral opened
her eyes to glare reproachfully at Fabian only to be blinded by sunlight. 
The portholes in the cabin were set at just the right height to capture the
sunrise, filling the cabin with brilliant light.  Mistral was instantly
wide-awake.  How could anyone sleep in such a bright room?

‘I’m awake,’
she sat up and yawned, stretching her arms above her head before running a hand
through her hair to shake out the tangles.