‘Er, thank you,’ she mumbled, hoping he hadn’t noticed her glaring death threats at the twins.
‘You are Ri?’ he enquired, the rich timbre of his voice elongating the word into a vibrating sibilant sound.
‘Yes.’ Mistral replied cautiously then realised that one of the dryads was stood beside him, recording the winner’s details onto a piece of parchment.
‘Name?’ the dryad asked sharply.
‘Mistral … er… De Winter,’ she finished, feeling self-conscious about using her full name for the first time.
She saw interest flare in Bryden Wolfsnare’s eyes. His gaze roved over her face and then travelled down to her left hand, widening briefly when he saw the gold ring on her finger.
‘You are wed to the Mage De Winter?’
Mistral nodded mutely, not certain of what reaction this piece of news would illicit at an event where all Mages were banned.
He continued to study her for a moment then nodded. Giving Cirrus a cursory pat he strode away to speak with Cain and the two sylvads.
Brutus, Xerxes and Saul rode up to her, all three had bruises and cuts on their faces.
‘Damn that was good!’ Xerxes exclaimed, slapping his exhausted horse exuberantly on the neck.
Mistral watched the tired horse flinch under his master’s over enthusiastic praise and forced a smile. She was still seething with the twins but didn’t want to ruin her brothers’ enjoyment of the race.
‘Where did you finish?’
‘In the bunch of sylvads behind you. Damn, they were sly gits! Kept lobbing stones at us! My face feels like I’ve done ten rounds!’
‘You do look pretty beat up.’ Mistral agreed. ‘It’s a good job the nymphs are working for coin because I don’t think you’d have much success otherwise.’
Xerxes scowled and muttered something uncomplimentary about nymphs that made Brutus laugh.
‘Well ridden Mistral.’ Saul smiled, his brown eyes shining with excitement from the race.
‘Thanks.’
‘What was with the victory slow down?’ Brutus asked breathlessly. ‘Were you just feeling so over confident that you thought you’d walk over the finish line?’
‘Damned twins meddling in my head!’ Mistral scowled. ‘I don’t know what they were playing at but I’m going to kill them anyway! I nearly let Cain ride past me!’
‘I know!’ Cain said, walking over leading his exhausted horse. ‘I couldn’t believe it!’
Mistral narrowed her eyes, ‘Did you pay them to do that?’
‘No! But it would have been a good idea,’ he added thoughtfully.
‘Then why did they do it?’
‘I don’t think they want you in the finals.’ Cain shrugged. ‘That’s the event with the most fatalities.’
‘Any in this one?’ Xerxes suddenly asked, reaching quickly for the parchment in his top pocket. ‘Only I gave one of the goblins ridiculous odds on that last night.’
‘Actually, the goblins were the fatalities. Two of them got trampled in the enclosure and another stabbed one of his kinsmen during the struggle to get on their ponies. He claims it was a mistake but you never know with goblins.’
The sound of Phantasm’s cool voice made Mistral turn sharply. He was leaning casually against one of the wooden stakes, his green gaze meeting hers with no trace of shame in them whatsoever.
She glowered at him for moment then drew in a huge breath in preparation to deliver her angry tirade.
‘You can stop right there Mistral.’ Phantasm said calmly. ‘I’m not going to apologise to you. I promised Mage Grapple, Master Sphinx and Mage De Winter that I would stop you from voluntarily getting into any life-threatening situations. All I have done today is stay true to my word.’
Mistral slid from Cirrus’ back and stalked over to him, pressing her scowling face into his, ‘Don’t meddle in my head again … ever!’ She hissed then abruptly snatched Prospero’s rope from his hands. ‘I don’t want anything to do with you or your wretched brother for the rest of the day!’
Phantasm sighed and watched the newly liberated Prospero jumping up excitedly while she dragged a tired looking Cirrus back towards the tent.
‘I’ll go.’ Saul urged his horse after her before anyone could respond.
Cain watched Saul catch her up and slip from his horse’s back to walk beside her. He turned to Phantasm with a frown, ‘I think I’ll go after them.’
‘Leave them Cain.’ Phantasm muttered wearily. ‘He needs telling. Perhaps if she takes out her bad mood on him he’ll finally get the message.’
Propositions
Saul walked quietly beside Mistral, glancing at her familiar furious expression he half-smiled, ‘You know the twins were only trying to protect you, don’t you.’
Mistral didn’t look at him and snorted angrily.
‘Don’t make this any harder for them than it already is Mistral. Being your guardian angels is a thankless task. Anyway, forget them. You rode really well today. Can’t you just be pleased about winning?’
‘I suppose.’
‘And there’s the unarmed event after lunch.’ Saul continued, smiling enticingly.
Mistral sighed and returned his smile with a half-hearted effort, ‘You’re right. Why spoil a good day being angry with those two? I’m sure I’ll feel better once I’ve beaten a few of those annoying sylvads up, oh, are the nymphs fighting?’ she asked hopefully.
‘I doubt it!’ Saul laughed. ‘Although I think it would make Xerxes’ day if they re-enacted their fight with the dryads last night.’
They had reached the tent and turned their horses out into the makeshift enclosure. The horses wandered away with less than their usual enthusiasm and begin to pick disinterestedly at the grass.
Saul and Mistral leaned against the fence and watched the horses grazing in companionable silence. Mistral felt the adrenalin of the race and her fury at the twins fading away, leaving in its wake the familiar dull ache of her endless longing. Saul heard her deep sigh and turned to look at her.
‘If you were mine, I would never leave you.’
Mistral felt the breath freeze in her lungs. No, no, no. Not now. This is over ... ‘I’m not having this conversation with you Saul.’
‘Hear me out Mistral.’ Saul laid a hand over her arm to stop her from leaving.
Mistral stared pointedly at his hand on her arm then at him, ‘No brother.’
Saul’s eyes were soft, imploring, ‘Please, just listen to me Mistral. I know you don’t love me the way I love you, but I would look after you. I wouldn’t leave you alone and miserable like he has. I would respect you, honour you –’
Mistral yanked her arm away but continued to glare at him, stung into arguing by his unfair judgements, ‘How dare you criticise Fabian? And what the hell would you do that would be so different! You’re a warrior too Saul! Wouldn’t you take any more mercenary Contracts?’
Saul held her gaze firmly, ‘We could do them together.’
Mistral stared at him, shaking her head in disbelief, ‘I’m married Saul!’
‘You could leave him. Your marriage isn’t legal.’
Mistral felt her stomach twist at the thought of leaving Fabian then plummet sickeningly… not legal?
‘What did you just say?’
‘You’re not legally married. It’s never been consummated.’
Mistral gaped at him, too angry to be embarrassed, ‘And how the hell would you know that?’
Saul shrugged, ‘You haven’t got the Sight.’
Mistral inhaled sharply, ‘Not that it’s any of your damned business, but have you ever stopped to consider if that’s precisely why I haven’t got the Sight?’
He regarded her for a moment then shook his head, ‘You’re lying.’
‘And you are well and truly over-stepping the mark!’ Mistral seethed. ‘I’m sorry if I ever gave you the wrong idea and I swear to you that I never, ever wanted to hurt you, but just drop it! Please!’
Saul g
azed steadily at her, ‘I wouldn’t force you to embrace a gift anyone can see you don’t want. I wouldn’t imprison your soul Mistral. We could have the life you’ve always wanted, work Contracts, hunt, travel –’
Mistral closed her eyes and was abruptly filled with a powerful yearning for the life Saul was describing. He was right. It was exactly the life she wanted. But it was Fabian she wanted it with, not Saul. Never Saul.
Opening her eyes slowly, Mistral met his brown gaze and shook her head, not trusting herself to speak for fear that she would cry.
‘I would make you happy.’ Saul promised softly and reached out to touch her face.
Mistral felt his fingers graze against her skin the way Fabian’s had done a hundred times and flinched away, her eyes suddenly blazing.
‘Don’t touch me!’
He dropped his hand and let it hang uselessly by his side, his expression hurt.
‘Just go Saul.’ Mistral muttered, turning away to hide the tears welling in her eyes. ‘Please.’
‘I love you Mistral.’
She kept her face turned, listening to the sound of his footsteps fade before giving in to her tears.
Saul was wrong, he wouldn’t make her happy. But she knew that if she gave him the slightest chance he would try and try until he destroyed himself with misery because she could never feel anything more for him but the bond of a Ri brother. She longed desperately for Fabian, cursing herself for being weak and allowing the twins to persuade her to come to the festival, taking her away from the Divinus and the connection he provided with her Mage.
Mistral leaned against the wooden rail and rested her head against her arms, letting her tears dry while she decided what to do. Staying for the duration of the festival was out of the question. The atmosphere between her and Saul would be unbearable. She eyed Cirrus speculatively. He was exhausted and would need time to recover. Nodding to herself Mistral stood up. She had made her decision. She would stay for the next event and wait until her brothers had fallen asleep for the night then she would leave and head back to the Valley.
Lunch was a stilted affair with Xerxes and Brutus being overly talkative to cover the obvious awkwardness between Mistral and Saul. The twins kept a watchful eye on her while she fed her meal to Prospero and lavished love on him.
‘Do you think he got the message?’ Phantom murmured.
Phantasm eyed Saul’s wooden expression, ‘Loud and painfully clear.’
‘It’s going to be a long couple of days then.’
Phantasm gazed thoughtfully at Mistral, ‘I don’t know about that brother. I have the strongest feeling that we should pack.’
After lunch they all returned to the Arena. It had been cleared after the feast, the cooking pits filled and levelled ready for the bouts that would take place there. Mistral waited quietly whilst her brothers talked strategies and discussed the suspected weak points of their opponents. She had no intention of fighting and had made her mind up to lose her first bout and then slip away quietly and pack ready to leave.
The sense of anticipation amongst the competitors heightened with the arrival of Bryden Wolfsnare. Walking proudly to the centre of the Arena he halted and turned in a slow circle, his arms outstretched, gaining everyone’s attention before delivering another speech. Mistral didn’t even bother to listen to the words but stared listlessly at the ground, wishing the next few hours away so that she could escape and get back to the Valley to hear Fabian’s thoughts again. She clung desperately to that comforting thought, like a drowning man clings to a floating log. Everything would be alright again once she heard the Divinus voice Fabian’s mind to her. A sudden stab of fear pierced her … what if there was nothing? What if the Divinus heard not the living Fabian but the echo of his shade?
She bowed her head and fought to control the panic that rose up inside her, the wild urge to take a horse, any horse that could actually move and leave the Vale at once …
‘Mistral?’
Phantom’s voice calling her name made her look up.
‘You’ve been called to compete.’
She nodded wordlessly and walked into the Arena, noting dully that she had been pitted against one of the amazons.
Oh well, she thought vaguely. At least it’ll be over quickly …
A voice shouted and the amazon lunged at her. Mistral barely bothered to react, allowing herself to be knocked to the ground with a bone-crushing force, her mind filled only with thoughts of her Mage.
The Amazon snarled in disgust and circled her, hunched forwards with her hands curled into claws while she waited for Mistral to get up.
Mistral lay on the hard ground, staring up at the deep blue sky above her head, wondering if the same piece of blue stretched above Fabian too.
‘Fight damn you!’ the amazon shrieked.
Heaving a sigh, Mistral rolled over and stood upright, waiting submissively for the amazon to launch at her again.
‘You do our sex no favours!’ the amazon growled and glared angrily at Mistral’s defeated expression.
Mistral raised an eyebrow in brief agreement. She had to admit it was a poor show, but her fight had gone.
She sighed wearily, ‘Please … just finish it.’
‘No!’
Mistral gazed at the warlike woman, at her long limbs and angry face and suddenly smiled. She saw so much of herself in that anger, the disbelief that her opponent refused to fight. A spark of life flared inside her. She ran her eyes over the figure before her, noting again the one weak spot she had previously identified. She suddenly grinned at her opponent and beckoned her forward with a crooked finger.
‘Come on then –’
With a snarl the amazon lunged, reaching out with her long arms. Mistral ducked beneath her grasp and twisted sharply to drive her shin with all of her force into the amazon’s long thigh. A loud gasp of pain escaped her. She glared at Mistral for a split-second then buckled beneath the strength of the kick, her deadened leg unable to bear any weight. Mistral stepped back and allowed her to sink with almost feline grace to the floor.
‘Winner!’
Bryden Wolfsnare stepped over the fallen amazon to raise Mistral’s hand in the air. Instead of grinning triumphantly she grimaced, realising that she would have to stay on and fight again.
She battled half-heartedly through two more bouts before inevitably meeting Grendel.
Smiling up at her massive brother, Mistral didn’t even bother to retaliate when he stepped forward and grabbed her around the waist. She sighed as he raised her above his head, hoping it wouldn’t hurt too much. With a loud roar he dropped her unceremoniously onto the ground at his feet.
‘Sorry,’ he muttered, reaching out a hand.
‘Think nothing of it,’ she murmured, stepping back to allow Bryden to raise Grendel’s arm in recognition of his win.
Mistral walked slowly back to the edge of the Arena to join her brothers, most nursing various injuries and complaining about the rules. Ignoring their invitation to join in with their whinging she looked instead at the twins.
‘I’d really like to get cleaned up please.’
They nodded and fell in step beside her to walk back towards the tent.
‘Bad luck.’ Phantom offered in a conciliatory tone.
‘Grendel deserves to win this event. Luck didn’t come into it.’ Mistral demurred automatically, her mind already on the journey home.
‘Brutus fought well.’ Phantasm said conversationally.
‘Yes, didn’t he.’ Mistral agreed distractedly, not noticing the silence that followed her comment.
‘Mistral, Brutus fought terribly, he went out in the first round!’
Damn. ‘I meant he fought well during the time he was actually fighting,’ she amended quickly.
Another silence fell but Mistral barely noticed, she was deciding whether to travel through The Emerald Forests and hunt or taker the faster journey over the grasslands and live on the odd rabbit that Prospero bought down –
&nbs
p; ‘Which way shall we go?’ Phantom asked lightly.
‘Grasslands.’ Mistral responded promptly then pulled up short and turned to stare at him.
‘Good, I hate riding through The Emerald Forests. It’s so damned wet all the time.’ Phantom smiled at her startled expression.
‘Er – I was just –’
‘Planning which way to go back to the Valley after your fall out with Saul and your subsequent desperate need to hear the mind of your Mage. We know.’
Mistral stared at them aghast, ‘Was it that obvious what Saul was going to do?’
‘To everyone but you, I think.’ Phantasm said with a sigh. ‘What did he say?’
‘He … he said I should leave Fabian for him … that my marriage wasn’t even legal … because… because – ’
Mistral faltered and choked back tears, unable to even frame the words that Saul had said.
‘Mistral.’ Phantasm said softly. ‘Was marriage ever an important concept to you?’
‘No!’
‘And what does it mean to you now?’
Mistral thought about the weight of the ring on her finger, the unwanted title foisted upon her, the unasked for money in the Council vaults … but Fabian, her husband, he meant everything to her.
‘It means Fabian,’ she muttered, wiping the tears from her eyes with her shirt sleeve.
‘Well, he was always yours and no ceremony could ever change that. So please, just discount whatever Saul said to you in a quite frankly desperate attempt to get what he wants and focus on the important matter in hand.’
‘Which is?’
‘Grasslands or Forest?’
‘I already said!’ she snapped. ‘Grasslands!’
‘Oh yes, so you did, good. Did I mention that I hate The Emerald Forests?’ Phantasm smiled and linked his arm through hers.
She leaned her head against his shoulder while they walked, ‘Tell me, please … that it’ll all be alright.’
‘I can’t, sorry. But I can tell you this.’ Phantasm paused and turned to look at her.
‘What?’
The Assassin's Destiny (Isle of Dreams) Page 40