Mistral smirked and wheeled Cirrus around towards the treeline, ‘I’ll hunt,’ she announced and immediately kicked Cirrus into a canter, riding swiftly away from them.
‘What was that all about?’ asked Phantom once she had vanished into the depths of the forests.
Phantasm lifted the saddle from Jupiter’s back and dropped it onto the ground beside him, ‘I think we touched a nerve somewhere,’ he said thoughtfully.
Phantom nodded in agreement, ‘Yes, but which bit? Was it the bit about the boy who asked her out or not believing in love, or the Contract or what?’
Phantasm shook his head and looked reproachfully at his twin, ‘Oh come on, it was obvious –’
The sound of hoof beats cut across their conversation, drawing their attention instantly to a figure approaching quickly on horseback.
‘I don’t believe it,’ murmured Phantom.
‘Believe it brother, this means trouble,’ said Phantasm grimly staring with narrowed eyes at the rider.
Fabian De Winter reined his horse in sharply and looked down at the twins.
‘Your presence here is unadvisable, Mage De Winter,’ Phantasm spoke in a quiet voice, but his face was tense.
Fabian De Winter’s horse snorted and pawed the ground impatiently. He sat astride as easily as though the horse were a statue and continued to look at the twins, his expression unreadable. After another second of silence broken only by the nervous fidgeting of the palomino, he swung a leg over the back of the saddle and dismounted lightly. Holding the horse’s bridle with one hand, Fabian began stroking its neck, talking in low soothing tones. After a few moments the horse dipped its head and began to nibble at the sparse grass.
Fabian turned and spoke directly to the twins for the first time.
‘It would be irresponsible of me to let you travel alone. I cannot have your deaths on my conscience.’
‘Thank you for that ringing vote of confidence,’ said Phantasm in a sarcastic tone.
‘But we feel we would have more chance of succeeding without you,’ finished Phantom in a hard voice.
Fabian’s face took on a stubborn look, he opened his mouth to argue but anything he was about to say was drowned out by the sound of galloping hoof beats coming straight for them. All three turned to face the direction from which they were coming. Fabian’s horse neighed loudly and began to paw the ground again.
Mistral was riding Cirrus at a breakneck gallop across the wide clearing. She was heading straight for them and made no effort to check Cirrus’ wild pace as she drew nearer. The twins could see quite clearly that she was utterly furious and took a small step away from Fabian, instinctively trying to distance themselves from the object of her wrath.
At the very last minute Cirrus seemed to slow with no visible command from Mistral and cantered around them in a circle, finally slowing to a trot and then a walk. Leaving Cirrus blowing heavily and looking very pleased with himself Mistral strode angrily over to Fabian, not stopping until she was stood directly in front of him, too close for comfort. He was taller than her, making her look up, but the fury resonating from every inch of her body made her look much more intimidating.
‘Just what do you think you are doing?’ she demanded.
Anger abruptly suffused Fabian’s pale face, his black eyes flashed as he snapped back, ‘Saving your lives! For which you should be grateful, not angry, so just grow up and stop behaving like a child.’
Phantasm and Phantom cringed and took another tiny step backwards as Mistral seemed to swell with rage.
‘Child?’ Mistral repeated. ‘A child that you are quite happy to have sent on this farce of a Contract,’ her voice rose, shaking with anger; she pressed her face closer to his, ‘just so that you can chase after another man’s wife!’
Fabian blanched. What little colour the anger had brought to his face drained away. He stared at her speechlessly.
‘I read your aura,’ Mistral snapped contemptuously. ‘It reeks of love! What do you think will happen? Do you think she will clap eyes on you again, renounce her husband, and fall into your arms swooning with relief at being rescued?’
Phantasm and Phantom winced. Fabian looked as though Mistral had slapped him and Mistral looked as though she wanted to slap him. Suddenly his face sagged and he dropped his head into his hands.
‘What have I done?’ he moaned.
Mistral gave him a disgusted look and spat on the ground at his feet before storming off to start making a fire.
There was a thunderstruck few seconds in which Phantasm and Phantom realised that, once again, Mistral had thrown a strop and left them to clear up the aftermath. They sighed simultaneously.
‘Would you care for something to drink, Mage De Winter?’ asked Phantom politely.
‘I’ll get the horses,’ muttered Phantasm and hurried off to catch Fabian’s forgotten palomino, now frolicking excitedly around a supremely disinterested Cirrus.
They camped in virtual silence that night. Mistral maintained a furious, stony expression that discouraged the twins from trying to coax her into a better frame of mind. Fabian De Winter sat on his own, a short distance away from the others. He had not spoken all evening and sat with his shoulders hunched and his face turned away from them. Occasionally he would turn to them with an expression on his face as though he was about to speak, but no words ever came out. Eventually he rolled himself up in his heavy travelling cloak and appeared to go to sleep.
The twins played knucklebones, but even they were subdued. They couldn’t hide their relief when Mistral muttered that she was going to bed and left them alone.
Phantasm waited until she was safely bundled in her cloak then raised his eyebrows meaningfully at his brother.
‘Hmm,’ responded Phantom, ‘I think so too.’
‘Oh dear,’ sighed Phantasm.
‘Quite,’ agreed Phantom with a knowing nod of his head.
Blackheart Wolverines
They rose at dawn the next morning, the cool blue light filtering down through the trees reminded Mistral of the times she had slept in The Velvet Forests. The villagers
never went near the forests after nightfall, believing them to be haunted, but Mistral had never felt afraid when she was there. The sounds and smells always filled her with a sense of belonging she never felt when she was surrounded by people in the village. As she grew older Mistral had craved the peace and solitude of the forests more frequently and would sneak out after dark, taking an old blanket with her to spend the night curled up under the branches of one of the forest’s vast oak trees. Soothed by this peaceful memory, Mistral rose in a much better mood.
Phantasm and Phantom looked hopefully at her calm expression while they rolled up their travelling cloaks.
‘I still want to kill him,’ she said matter-of-factly.
‘Not a good joke to make in our profession,’ remarked Phantasm.
‘But we’re glad you’ve moved past the shouting phase,’ added Phantom.
Mistral smiled and hoisted Cirrus’ heavy saddle up on to her shoulder. The horses were tethered a little further away where there was more grass for them to graze on.
‘I know I went over the top a bit,’ she admitted grudgingly, ‘but he really, really irritates me. He’s just so ... arrogant!’ she scowled, warming to her theme. ‘Huh! Thinking we need his help! Mage Grapple will take one look at him with us and realise exactly who the information came from and we’ll have failed before we’ve even had the chance to try! In fact, he’s not just arrogant, he’s completely deluded –’
Phantasm and Phantom shared a knowing look and wisely said nothing while Mistral continued to list the many failings of Fabian De Winter.
Of Fabian there was no sign. Neither of the twins had heard him leave during the night and Mistral was all for saddling up and leaving before he reappeared.
‘No, this is not good,’ said Phantasm with a serious look on his face. ‘What if he’s decided to try and speak to Mage Grapple on his own?’<
br />
‘He could seriously endanger our Contract, not to mention Master Sphinx’s position in the Ri,’ said Phantom looking worried. ‘If Putreo gets proof of the Ri’s knowledge of this then he’ll order a full scale enquiry and Mage De Winter will be tried as a spy,’
‘Good,’ said Mistral savagely.
‘No, not good. Master Sphinx will be implicated too, which will make our whole Magnate look rotten and give the Mage Council a reason to bring the Ri under their control!’
‘We’ve got to stop him.’ Phantasm was already throwing a saddle cloth over Jupiter.
Before the sun had broken over the top of the green canopy of trees they were riding fast, heading south east towards the Amber River. The air was fresh and cool; it was difficult not to feel pleasure, galloping across the open countryside on such a glorious morning. Mistral leaned forward in the saddle, urging Cirrus to go faster, more for the joy of feeling the powerful horse respond than out of any great desire to catch up with Fabian. The wind whipped through her hair, making her eyes water and turning the passing landscape into a green blur. Mistral felt all her anger at Fabian slip away as the familiar exulting sensation of freedom filled her. Cirrus responded instinctively to the lift in her mood and tossed his head. She felt the muscles in his haunches bunch and release, pushing him on into a faster gallop.
The twins soon fell behind. Their slighter built horses couldn’t keep up with Cirrus. As the distance between them grew the noise of Cirrus’ thudding hooves became quieter, allowing a different sound to reach the twins that sent a chill of fear down their spines.
A single howl rose and fell off to a ringing silence.
Phantom shot an anxious glance over his shoulder and swore. They were being followed.
Seven Blackheart Wolverines were easing out from between the trees on their right, their huge forms slinking quietly as shadows to fan out across the clearing. Phantom stared in horror as more broke cover, loping over to join the rest of their pack until at least fifteen were spread out in a jagged arc. A massive shaggy coated Wolverine lifted his head and eagerly sniffed the breeze carrying the twins’ warm scent straight into his twitching black nostrils. With a low growl he crouched down, ready to spring.
‘They’re hunting us!’ Phantom gasped.
‘Let’s get out of here!’
The twins urged their horses on, leaning low over their necks and letting their reins loosen. Fear spurred the two horses on; their galloping hooves thundered over the dry ground and the air whipped around their riders, making them all but deaf and blind.
The huge Wolverine howled loudly, the others joining him in a bloodcurdling chorus that echoed off the trees and rebounded across the clearing. Then, as suddenly as it had started, the howling stopped and all the twins could hear was the pounding of hoof beats and the sobbing breath of their horses, fleeing for their lives.
Phantasm shot a look over his shoulder and nearly lost his seat with shock. The wolverines had fanned out into a V-shape, coming at the twins from both sides.
‘They’re trapping us in!’
‘We can’t outrun them,’ Phantom shouted, his face taut with fear.
They both knew that the wolverines would pull their horses down from behind – their only chance was to turn and fight.
‘We need Mistral!’ Phantom yelled desperately and hauled on the reins to bring his horse around and face the oncoming pack.
Phantasm wheeled Jupiter around and brought the panting horse to a halt beside his brother. They looked at each other for a moment, a mirror image reflected in each other’s eyes; two halves of the same whole. One soul in two bodies. Simultaneously closing their eyes they focused, beyond the pack of ravenous wolverines pounding towards them, reaching out with their conjoined minds to find the one they knew almost as well as their own.
Mistral…
Suddenly the wolverines were upon them, snapping and tearing at the terrified horses with razor sharp fangs. The horses reared and plunged, eyes rolling in terror; their flailing hooves keeping the wolverines at bay long enough for Phantom and Phantasm to draw their swords and began to fight. Yelps of pain sounded out as their swords found their marks. Phantom pulled Mars around to face the left flank of attacking wolverines and heard the sound of ripping cloth. Shock and surprise enveloped him when he looked down to see a Wolverine burying its teeth into his leg. Screaming with the sudden pain that burned up his leg, Phantom stabbed his sword down into the Wolverine, forcing it to let go. The Wolverine backed off and began to move around him in a slow circle, licking its blood-stained muzzle and eyeing him hungrily. Blood flowed from the gaping wound in Phantom’s leg. He glanced down at it and swore, knowing that he would soon be unable to fight; already his leg was growing numb. He switched his sword to his left hand to follow the Wolverine’s circling progress and forced his mind to cling to consciousness.
Phantasm was battling three large wolverines, two were snapping and harrying at his left and right flanks, drawing his sword blows, whilst the third circled around, waiting for the opportunity to spring and attack. As Phantasm continuously turned in the saddle, swinging his sword left and right to hold the two wolves at bay; the third saw his chance. The Wolverine crouched down, coiling its muscular body like a spring to launch itself at Phantasm’s briefly exposed chest and face. With a ferocious snarl the Wolverine smashing into Phantasm slamming both him and his horse to the ground. Winded and dazed, Phantasm struggled to free his sword arm from beneath the huge weight pinning him to the earth. Panic tore through him when he heard more snarling and high yelps of pain. He cried out aloud and redoubled his efforts to free his arm; he needed to get to his brother. Another second slipped by and it slowly began to dawn on Phantasm that the Wolverine holding him to the ground wasn’t moving. Straining to lift his head and look down at the huge creature sprawled across him he realised that it was dead. A gaping red hole that reached from under its muzzle to its chest was pouring blood onto the ground beneath them. Phantasm raised his head as much as he could and looked about frantically – how had Phantom saved him? Then he saw a sight that made him sag with relief.
Mistral. Her blood-spattered face a taut mask of concentration while she hacked her way through the pack with her double swords. Unable to shift the dead weight trapping him, Phantasm could only watch as she span her swords in figure of eights before driving both points down into the flanks of a snarling Wolverine. Shoving the beast away with her boot and yanking both swords out she turned and stepped swiftly to the right, immediately plunging one sword behind and to the left, driving it deeply into the chest of the Wolverine crouched ready to spring. The second sword she swung high above her head in a curving arc and brought it down, cutting forcefully into the neck of another Wolverine. It yelped once then slumped lifelessly to the ground. Mistral barely paused to tug her sword free and turned to face the next Wolverine.
Not one but three wolverines were circling her now, deploying the same tactics that had nearly been the end of Phantasm. Two lunged forward, snapping and snarling while the third circled, slinking close to the ground, its unblinking yellow eyes fixed on Mistral. As Mistral leaned into a crouch and dropped her weight onto her front foot, focussing all her attention on holding the two attacking wolverines at bay, the third Wolverine seized its opportunity.
Phantasm opened his mouth to shout a warning but his yell was drowned out by an ear-splitting snarl as the third Wolverine lunged at Mistral’s exposed back. With her weight already on her front foot, Mistral was caught off balance and fell forwards, landing heavily with both swords trapped beneath her.
Suddenly helpless against the Wolverine standing over her, Mistral felt no panic, only certainty. She could smell its hot breath, panting inches from her exposed neck and tensed, knowing the bite was coming. And then it was gone. Mistral immediately rolled and leapt to her feet, swiftly raising her swords she spun in a circle, looking for the Wolverine that had knocked her down – why hadn’t it killed her? Panicked that it had gone for t
he easy target of the helpless twins, she turned again and her gaze fell on a sight that made her stop and stare with disbelief.
Fabian De Winter was calmly cleaning his sword on the coat of a dead Wolverine. The bodies of the three wolverines that had attacked her lay sprawled on the ground near him. The rest of the pack had retreated, leaving them alone in the meadow once again. Mistral stared blankly at him, struggling to comprehend what had just happened. A second ago she had been knocked to the ground by a huge Wolverine intent on ripping her throat out and then suddenly all three wolverines were lying slain on the ground. By Fabian.
Sheathing his sword, Fabian looked up to see her staring at him with a frozen expression on her face and both swords hanging limply from her hands. He immediately strode over to her.
‘Where are you injured?’ Fabian demanded, placing both hands on her shoulders to look anxiously into her face.
His voice broke through the blank shock and she frowned sharply, abruptly furious that he assumed she would be injured. Preparing to deliver an angry retort she looked up to meet his intense stare and the words died on her lips.
Unsettled by her lack of response, Fabian’s voice took on an urgent tone, ‘Please tell me where you are injured!’ he cried, looking her up and down.
‘If it isn’t too much trouble, I could use some assistance,’ called Phantasm feebly from beneath the huge dead Wolverine still pinning him and Jupiter the ground. Phantom lay unmoving, a short distance away, his eyes were closed and his skin ashen.
‘Oh, don’t mind me,’ he murmured faintly. ‘Just bleeding to death here, you carry on checking the healthy one.’
Wordlessly Mistral shook her head to indicate that she was uninjured and Fabian dropped his hands from her shoulders, still frowning at her.
‘Are you sure you aren’t injured?’ he persisted in a quieter voice.
‘She’s fine – but I’m not!’ Phantasm called exasperatedly. ‘Can someone please get the big bad wolf off me before I get fleas?’
The Assassin's Tale (Isle of Dreams) Page 29