Mistral and the twins reined to a halt and quickly took aim at the three deer bounding towards them.
‘The buck!’ Phantom called out.
They immediately adjusted their aims to centre on the neck and chest of the galloping beast. With a snapping sound and a high-pitched whistle they all fired their crossbows. Bolts flew through the air and plunged straight into the buck with a series of dull thuds. Phantasm turned to Mistral and grinned when the buck stumbled and fell to the ground.
‘Venison tonight!’
Xerxes and Brutus reached the stricken deer first and leapt off their horses. Brutus quickly grabbed the beast by the antlers and twisted sharply to break its neck.
‘Nice shot!’ he called out appreciatively to Mistral and the twins when they cantered over.
‘Phantom’s call,’ said Mistral then shrugged. ‘Personally, I was going to try for all three.’
‘Of course you were,’ said Phantom sarcastically.
They stood together admiring their kill in happy silence for a few seconds before Phantasm spoke, breaking them out of their proud reveries.
‘Not meaning to be the dark voice of reason, but just how are we going to shift that?’
They all looked at him for a moment before turning their attention back to the buck. Phantasm was right, it was huge.
‘I think our Training Lieutenants could help here,’ said Xerxes with a grin.
The two Lieutenants were unusually amenable to the idea of dragging the deer jointly behind their two horses, prompting Mistral to begin a serious conversation with Cain about how to keep drugging them when they returned to the Valley, but the mischievous apprentice was strangely reluctant.
‘No Mistral, I’m not going to risk being expelled for drugging our Training Lieutenants!’ he said firmly and kicked his horse into a trot to pull away from her and end their discussion.
They camped early that night within sight of The Emerald Forests. Bali had assumed the role of some sort of leader in the absence of any coherent direction from the two Lieutenants. The other apprentices seemed happy enough with his guidance but Mistral looked sulky whenever he turned to offer a quietly spoken suggestion.
‘Who died and made him our leader?’ she demanded in a low voice to Phantasm while they made preparations for camp.
‘The Lieutenants, practically,’ said Phantasm mildly.
They both turned and looked to where Caleb and Cyrus were slowly dismounting from their horses, both still looking slightly dazed and confused.
‘Bali is an experienced hunter and tracker Mistral, he knows what he’s doing,’ continued Phantasm in a quiet voice.
‘Huh,’ snorted Mistral. ‘I think we should have ridden on and made it to the forests. We could start hunting the goblins straight away then.’
‘What, in the dark?’ Phantasm demanded in a cutting tone.
Mistral looked as though she were about to continue arguing but was interrupted by the arrival of Phantom to ask for help with skinning and jointing the huge buck they’d brought down. Shooting Phantasm a final dark look, Mistral followed Phantom over to where Xerxes and Brutus were making a start on the deer.
Bali was not keen to light a fire within sight of The Emerald Forests in case it drew the attention of the goblins but he was unanimously overruled by the other apprentices.
‘I’m not eating raw venison!’ Brutus announced with a grimace.
‘We’ll need the light of the fire to play cards!’ Xerxes argued.
‘And for heat,’ added Phantom.
In the end Bali agreed to a fire so long as there was always one apprentice on lookout duty. Grendel opted to take the first shift and lumbered off to sit quietly as short distance away, looking out towards the looming forest.
They ate roasted venison and played cards again until late into the night. Caleb and Barak needed no additional assistance in falling asleep early and Cain was starting to look slightly worried by the lasting effects of the previous night’s dose of valeriana and white poppy mix.
‘I think I definitely overdid it,’ he muttered, gazing at the snoring bulk of the two Lieutenants.
‘Never mind,’ said Phantom brightly. ‘At least they’re leaving us alone.’
‘Hmm, but to be on the safe side I think I’ll dilute the rest in a gourd of wine for the return trip. Maybe the liquor added too much to the overall result.’ Cain murmured thoughtfully. He tipped the contents of the small glass bottle from his pocket into a full skin of wine and stored it carefully back into his saddlebag.
Mistral took the second shift from Grendel. Wrapping herself warmly in her thick cloak she tucked her arms around her knees and stared out at the dark mass of trees across the moonlit grassland. Lost in thoughts about the coming day, Mistral didn’t notice she had company until the sound of someone sitting down lightly made her look round.
Phantom wordlessly handed her a skin of wine and gazed at the shadowy forests. They sat together in comfortable silence, sharing the wine and listening to the muted laughter and chatter from the other apprentices playing cards around the fire.
‘Is Columbine still being a miserable cow? Mistral asked, casting a glance over her shoulder at the camp.
‘You mean more than usual? Then the answer is yes, she went to sleep as soon as we’d made camp. I don’t think she’s going to be much use tomorrow.’
‘All good news,’ said Mistral happily. ‘More goblins for us!’
Phantasm joined them after a short while and the three of them sat together talking easily about the forthcoming goblin hunt until Saul came to relieve them from lookout duty at midnight.
Cyrus and Caleb were back to their usual surly selves by the morning, barking orders and throwing their weight around as though they hadn’t just spent the previous day in a useless daze. Cain had chosen the wrong morning to have a hangover and overslept, providing Caleb with a perfect target for his bad-temper.
‘Cain! Why aren’t you up and ready yet? Put that fire out! Who said you could have a fire this close to our quarry?’
Cain leapt out of his cloak and scurried around under Caleb’s wrathful gaze, frantically dousing the fire and tidying up. He stuffed his cloak hastily into his saddlebag and jumped when Cyrus let out an angry shout.
‘Is that a gourd of wine?’ he demanded, reaching across to grab the skin of wine sticking out from Cain’s messily packed saddlebag.
‘No, no, it’s just water,’ said Cain, quickly arranging his expression into one of wide-eyed innocence.
‘A likely story!’ Cyrus sneered, pulling the stopper on the skin and sniffing the contents experimentally. ‘Just as I though! Wine! I think you’ll find yourself in trouble with Master Sphinx when we get back to the Valley! You were all forbidden from bringing wine with you on this Contract.’
‘Sorry Cyrus,’ Cain said, looking chastened. ‘It won’t happen again.’ he reached out to take back the gourd.
‘I don’t think so!’ Cyrus jeered, holding the gourd out of Cain’s reach. ‘You can watch your wine being enjoyed by people who’ve actually earned the right to drink it!’
Laughing nastily he tipped the gourd up and took a long drink before passing it over to Caleb, who finished the rest in one long swallow.
There was a stilted silence while all the apprentices turned to watch the wine mixed with Cain’s potent drug immediately begin to take hold on the Training Lieutenants.
‘Oh no,’ Phantasm moaned, watching the glassy-eyed pair start to sway.
‘Well that’s our Training Lieutenants out for the day,’ said Cain matter-of-factly when Caleb and Cyrus both toppled heavily to the ground, already emitting loud snores.
‘Briefing in five minutes,’ Bali called out calmly and stepped over Caleb carrying his horse’s saddle.
‘Relax,’ murmured Phantom, smiling at Mistral grinding her teeth together. ‘We have to go in there with some sort of plan, other than your grand idea of bursting into the forests with a dagger clenched between your teeth a
nd waving a sword around!’
Mistral sat with her arms folded staring sulkily into space while Bali outlined a simple plan for the day. Everyone agreed not to take their horses into The Emerald Forests; they would only risk them becoming injured when the goblins attacked. Columbine was nominated to stay and guard them and the slumbering Lieutenants. To everyone’s surprise Konrad requested to also stay on guard duty. Phantasm shot Phantom a significant look but didn’t say anything.
Bali and Xerxes were the best trackers and were the obvious choices to go on ahead to establish the goblins’ movements. They would then ride back to report their findings, leaving their horses so that they could then all go in on foot hunt down the band together.
‘When it comes to the fight I suggest that we pair up. My tribe had a few skirmishes with goblins and they always fought dirty, usually attacking in groups.’
Everyone nodded and immediately began to divide into pairs. Grendel was happy to fight on his own, Brutus and Cain agreed to join forces, the twins didn’t even need to discuss it which just left Saul partnering Mistral.
‘Ready Xerxes?’ Bali asked quietly.
Xerxes nodded and strode over to untether his horse. Swinging himself up into the saddle he gathered up the reins and pulled his horse around to face the other apprentices.
‘Don’t forget the small matter of our sweepstake!’ he reminded them all with a grin.
‘See you in a bit ... and don’t take too long about it either!’ Brutus called after his brother.
Xerxes waved over his shoulder as he and Bali rode away across the grassland towards The Emerald Forests. The remaining apprentices now had time on their hands to kill and began to tidy the camp up, cleaning tack and checking their armour and weapons were ready for the day.
Already prepared, Mistral and Saul stood looking dispassionately at the snoring Lieutenants, discussing the many times the pair had made their lives a misery with their bullying.
‘It’s so tempting to do something to them,’ Mistral murmured, tilting her head on one said and studying Caleb’s face. He was snoring loudly with his mouth hanging slackly open.
‘What? You mean something more than putting them in a drug induced stupor for two days solid?’ Saul asked.
‘He made me muck out the pigsty for fighting with Columbine. Surely that’s worth more than a couple of days sleep!’
‘Talking of Columbine, d’you reckon Konrad’s taken a shine to her?’ Saul said, raising his eyebrows.
Mistral grimaced, ‘Please, I’ve just had my breakfast.’
Saul laughed, ‘He’s an odd one that Konrad. Bali shares a room with him and reckons he’s hardly ever there, even to sleep.’
‘Where does he sleep then?’ Mitral asked with a frown.
Saul shrugged, ‘I don’t think he does. He’s got drow blood in him and they’re very strange creatures.’
Mistral nodded, ‘Phantasm said pretty much the same, in fact he actually told me to steer clear of him.’
‘Warning you off us all was he?’ Saul asked with a grin.
‘Hmm, something about you all being a bunch of thieves and assassins.’ Mistral laughed and moved quickly out of the way as Saul made to punch her lightly on the arm.
‘I sincerely hope you’re going to be hitting harder than that when we’re fighting those goblins!’
‘Without a doubt! I wish they’d hurry up and get back. This waiting is killing me.’
It was another two hours before Xerxes and Bali rode back to their camp and by then Mistral was almost beside herself with impatience. The rest of the apprentices had settled down to a subdued game of knucklebones to pass the time but the sight of the two apprentices galloping towards them caused their spirits to suddenly soar.
‘Finally!’ Saul said excitedly to Mistral. ‘Now we can get on with our first Contract!’
Bali was typically composed whilst Xerxes was just as typically breathless with excitement. He threw himself from his horse and strode over to where the apprentices were all gathered, waiting expectantly.
‘Easy trail,’ he announced confidently. ‘Bali reckons there are about twenty of them … maybe more. But nothing we can’t handle!’
There was a sudden flurry of activity while everyone quickly strapped on armour and weapons. Filled with nervous energy, Mistral paced impatiently and watched Saul check and then re-check his armour for the third time.
‘Oh for crying out loud! Will you get a move on!’
‘Mistral, calm down. It’s not as though the goblins are going to run away,’ Saul said with a final tug at one his armour straps.
They began to walk towards The Emerald Forests with Bali striding ahead of them. When they drew nearer to the treeline it was easy to see how the forest had gained its name. Although it was still too early for the spring buds to have begun to burst into leaf, wherever they looked was a vibrant shade of green. Thick, spongy moss covered the ground, swathing the tree trunks and hanging in winding strands from the bare tree branches. The air was damp and filled with the steady sound of dripping water.
‘Nice,’ murmured Phantom, wiping moisture from his face when they entered the forests beneath a hanging canopy of moss.
‘That’s what made them so easy to track,’ explained Bali in a quiet voice. ‘The moss holds the imprint of feet perfectly.’
They moved deeper into the greenish gloom of the forests, following Bali’s cautious lead. Even with no foliage on the trees few rays of light made it through the tangle of branches overhead and it soon grew unnaturally dark.
‘Do you want to hold my hand?’ Saul whispered with a grin when he caught her looking around edgily.
Mistral threw him a scathing look and walked on, but in truth the forests unnerved her a little. It was too quiet. The moss created a strangely enclosed feel to the forests, making her feel trapped ... claustrophobic even.
To stave off the panic slowly creeping up on her, Mistral concentrated on studying the spongy clumps of moss on the ground, looking for the tracks that Bali and Xerxes had found earlier. It didn’t take her long to spot several small boot prints, perfectly captured in the wet moss. She could instantly see what Xerxes meant by it being an easy trail.
‘Look,’ she muttered to Saul and pointed to the flattened out areas of moss. ‘Those goblins have left a trail the Divinus could follow and he’s blind!’
Saul laughed softly and looked around at the surrounding trees, pausing to run his fingers over the exposed bark of the nearest one, ‘They’re obviously not used to living in woodlands. The trees have been scuffed by something, a backpack maybe.’
‘Or the body of one of their victims,’ Xerxes growled over his shoulder.
Bali signalled sharply for silence. Rolling her eyes at Bali’s back once it was turned, Mistral and Saul moved on in silence again.
They left the denser forest and stepped onto a clear path that wound its way through the tree trunks. Continuing at the same careful pace they trekked further into the heart of the forests for another hour; the tension mounting with every minute that passed until Bali suddenly raised his hand and signalled for them to halt.
‘They’re here!’ he hissed and drew his sword.
Mistral and Saul both looked around eagerly, their eyes raking the walls of green moss covered trees on either side of the path.
‘Where?’ Mistral demanded in an urgent whisper, turning in a slow circle with Saul at her back; she could see nothing.
The tense silence was abruptly broken by a hoarse yell and suddenly every tree around them was alive with dark objects swarming along the branches and down the trunks.
‘From above!’ Bali shouted as goblins leapt down from the branches, landing with muted thuds on the mossy ground.
Mistral quickly assessed the goblins now surrounding her and Saul. Dressed in coarse woollen shirts and leather trousers, the goblins were short but had broad shoulders and long muscular arms. Returning the snarl of the goblin nearest to her, Mistral reached for her sw
ords and was suddenly knocked to the ground by something heavy dropping down on her.
Suddenly Mistral was rolling on the wet forest floor, brawling with two goblins. Training drills went out of the window as Mistral resorted instinctively to the rough skills she’d learned in Nevelte; biting, kicking and punching at the goblins trying to force their long fingers around her throat.
‘I got your back!’ Saul yelled.
She felt one of the goblins lift from her and immediately groped for her dagger. Yanking it from her belt she thrust it awkwardly into the goblin pinning her to the ground.
The goblin shrieked and suddenly the pressure on her throat was gone. Mistral kicked the goblin’s body off and leapt to her feet. At once two more goblins sprang at her. She fought them off, slashing mercilessly into their leathery skin until her hand was slick with blood and they finally stumbled and didn’t get up again. Mistral shoved her dagger back into her belt and drew her sword. Stepping over the two fallen goblins she joined Saul to fight back to back with him. She could hear the sounds of fighting all around her; shouted warnings and the occasional wild laugh mingling with the goblins’ shrieks.
The goblins fought savagely but apart from a handful that had swords, they were mostly unarmed and no match for the sharp swords of the apprentices. When Saul and Mistral had turned fully in a circle twice and seen nothing to attack, they slowly lowered their swords and stepped apart.
‘It’s over,’ Saul said, sounding almost disappointed.
‘Damn! That was fun!’ Xerxes exclaimed, wiping his sword clean on mossy tree trunk. ‘Are there any more?’ he asked, looking around hopefully.
Bali was walking quickly amongst the heaped goblin bodies, occasionally thrusting his sword in to ensure that they were dead.
‘No. There are twenty five here, which is enough of the band to ensure that any survivors won’t be causing a problem anymore.’
‘How many did you get Grendel?’ Xerxes called to the massive apprentice throwing three more dead goblins onto the pile at Bali’s feet.
‘Five,’ Grendel grunted.
Xerxes let out a low whistle, ‘Beats my tally ... Mistral?’
The Assassin's Tale (Isle of Dreams) Page 11