‘If you think I’m standing in the middle of The Velvet Forests serenading a pack of slavering wolverines while you crawl up behind them with a dagger clenched between your teeth then you’ve got another thing coming!’ Phantom exclaimed.
‘Anyway, that’s not how Elven Song works,’ said Phantasm quietly.
Mistral shrugged irritably, ‘Fine, so just what is Elven Song then?’
‘Elves have incredibly sensitive hearing. They can make and detect far higher and lower pitches of sound than any of the other Arcane races. They use that ability as a secret method of communication. I’m assuming that the wolverines have similarly sensitive hearing, if so the elves’ very high-pitched “song” would be utterly unbearable to them.’
‘Please tell me sylvads have this ability too,’ said Mistral with a hopeful look on her face.
Phantom shook his head, ‘We share many traits with elves but regrettably not that one.’
While the twins fell into a brooding silence Mistral looked around the room. The respective hunting parties were gathered together at different tables with their heads bent closely together, obviously planning the best, or least suicidal, method of hunting down a Blackheart Wolverine. Her gaze fell upon Saul and Cain. She couldn’t believe that Leo would send just two warriors out to hunt down one of the wolverines. It was almost as though he wanted to kill off his first years before they had been given a chance to Qualify.
Acting on a sudden impulse, Mistral rose to her feet and was walking across the room with a muttered, ‘Back in a minute –’ before the twins could stop her.
Sliding onto the bench next to Cain and ignoring his surprised exclamation, Mistral fixed Saul with a hard look.
‘Hunt with us,’ she muttered in a low undertone.
There was a brief silence while Saul and Cain looked around warily to see if anyone had heard her.
‘Do you think we can’t handle a wolverine?’ Saul demanded in a quiet hiss.
‘Look Saul, six of us couldn’t handle that damned pack last time, so no! I don’t think two of you stand a cat in hell’s chance! Don’t pull the proud warrior act with me! Haven’t we been in enough scrapes together to tell each other when something is just plain suicidal?’
Saul looked uncomfortable and avoided her piercing look, ‘Leo specifically said that we weren’t to join up –’
‘Leo isn’t the one going out there is he?’ Mistral argued back, her voice rising slightly and causing Xerxes to look over.
‘The Lieutenants have split the pack, Mistral, they’ll be scattered all over the place by now. We’ll be fine,’ Cain muttered quickly, casting another worried glance at the tables nearby. ‘Now go before anyone hears what you’re saying! We don’t want to fail Qualification because of you!’
Mistral glared at Saul for a long moment and he glared stubbornly back.
‘Suit yourself, but you can’t Qualify as a corpse!’ she snapped and abruptly strode back to resume her seat next to Phantasm.
‘Nice try,’ he murmured softly, making a show of repacking his saddlebag. ‘But I think you’re really going to have to let that one go for now.’
Mistral seethed in silence while the twins checked they had everything ready. She couldn’t believe Saul would be so pointlessly obstinate. So what if he felt a bit uncomfortable around her since confessing his feelings? Was that reason enough to deliberately put his life in danger by not accepting her offer?
‘Look Mistral,’ murmured Phantasm while he firmly secured the flap on his saddlebag. ‘I know you put the ‘S’ in stubborn, but you must realise that Saul has got some cause to feel like that. It took a lot for him to confess how he felt and he must have hoped that you would feel something back or I don’t think he would have put himself through it. And now you’re putting Mage De Winter in his face every five minutes. Surely you can see that this has been a hard knock to his pride.’
Mistral blinked, momentarily taken aback. She had been so wrapped up in the way she felt that she hadn’t stopped to consider what it must have been like for Saul to watch her and Fabian together.
‘Oh!’ she said softly.
‘Yes, “oh”. But what were you meant to do? Sneak around like Leo and Golden? That’s not your style and quite frankly, you’re not as good a liar as either of them so Saul would have seen through it right away and been even more hurt by the deception. You’ve done nothing wrong Mistral. He just needs time to get over it.’
‘I just wish they’d join us on the hunt that’s all. They’re going to get savaged by those dratted mutts!’
‘Look, we’ll keep an eye out for them, now subject closed. It’s time to go.’
The twins rose to their feet and picked up their saddlebags, swords and crossbows. After a final glance at Saul, who was deep in conversation with Cain again, Mistral shook her head angrily and reached out to grab her saddlebag from the table.
‘He can stick his damned pride!’ she fumed under her breath. ‘Come on then, let’s walk down to the stables, we can make a plan as we go –’
‘Ah, winging it again, just like old times,’ sighed Phantom happily and fell in step beside Mistral, walking between her and the row of tables to shield her from the searing gaze Saul threw her when they passed his table.
They saddled their horses in silence. Mistral was too infuriated by Saul’s stubbornness to think rationally and make a plan. All she wanted to do was ride out of the Valley before any of the other apprentices appeared. She forced herself to calm down and gently stroke Cirrus’ ears, persuading him to dip his head and allow her to slide his bridle on. Her head was still buzzing with angry thoughts when she finally led Cirrus from his stall and out into the grey December morning.
Phantasm and Phantom were already mounted and they all left the stableyard without seeing any of the other apprentices. Mistral urged Cirrus into a canter once they were on the path heading for the North Gate. The anger she had felt towards Saul was slowly turning to hurt. Had their friendship over the last year really meant so little to him?
They didn’t speak again until they had passed through the North Gate and were out into the open expanse of meadows. The ground was hard. The snow of a few weeks ago had vanished, but it was still bitterly cold. Mistral studied the sky carefully, trying to read the conditions for their night out in the open. The sky was covered in a grim blanket of grey cloud, making the landscape around them appear flat and one-dimensional. It was the kind of winter’s day where dawn blended seamlessly into dusk with no apparent increase in light between the two events. There was no wind, which was good for hunting but a bad omen for the weather. Mistral sighed as she realised that the conditions were perfect for snow.
Hearing her sigh, Phantasm gave her a questioning look.
‘It looks like snow,’ she said heavily. ‘We’re going to have to stay in the forests tonight for any sort of cover. If we go up onto the mountain in a snow storm we’ll never come down again.’
‘Oh, this just gets better and better,’ muttered Phantom and turned suddenly in the saddle to give his brother an accusatory look, as though the weather were his fault. ‘Why so quiet brother? You’ve hardly said a word since we left the Refectory!’
Phantasm glanced over at his brother and nodded briefly, ‘I’ve been doing some thinking –’
‘That makes a change,’ muttered Phantom sarcastically.
Mistral shot him a curious glance. It wasn’t like Phantom to argue with his brother.
Phantasm ignored his brother’s dig and continued in a calm voice, ‘And I think that Mistral is right, the weather looks like it’s going to close in so the forests are going to be our only option for the night, but it definitely won’t be our safest. The elves are still a factor we have to consider, plus I think that most of the others will draw the same conclusions that we have about Barak, Caleb and Cyrus not being bothered to split the pack. Which all adds up to us having to survive a snowy winter night in a forest occupied by elves sworn to kill us and a pack of wolv
erines with pretty much the same intentions.’
‘Doesn’t look good does it?’ Phantom said gloomily.
Mistral frowned pensively then a wide grin slowly spread across her face.
‘I really fail to see what there is to smile about here Mistral!’ Phantom said sharply. ‘We’re either going to be mauled to death, shot by elves or die of exposure on the mountain!’
‘Oh I don’t know,’ she said breezily. ‘Phantasm? Do you remember saying that I would hack my way through a forest of thorn bushes to get what I wanted?’
Phantasm looked at her in puzzlement, ‘Yes, of course I do. But what has that got to do with this?’
‘Well, I think it’s time I started to embrace the true concept of this damned Qualification Hunt! Brothers … we are going to bypass the forest of thorns and go straight to a bed of roses!’
‘Please explain or I may be forced to kill you myself just out of frustration!’ Phantom exclaimed.
‘We are going to cheat!’ Mistral announced happily.
Urging Cirrus into a canter across the meadow she began to ride towards a destination she could have reached blindfold.
The twins shared a perplexed look and shrugged simultaneously. Kicking their horses on they cantered after her as the first flakes of snow began to drift lazily down from the sky.
Dirty Tricks And Cheating
Running lightly up the familiar stone steps Mistral hammered eagerly on the closed door. Holding her breath she listened to the footsteps from inside drawing closer then the metallic noise of the latch being lifted and finally the door was opened.
‘Have you got space on your floor for three?’ she asked, smiling brightly into Fabian’s surprised face. ‘Only our sadistic Training Captain expects us to stay out overnight in an elf and wolverine infested forest in a snowstorm!’
Fabian smiled, opening the door wider to admit Mistral and the twins, ‘It sounds as though you had better come in.’
Allowing the twins to go on ahead of her, Mistral paused before she stepped over the threshold to quickly kiss Fabian.
‘Welcome home,’ he murmured, catching her around the waist and kissing her again.
She grinned and slipped from his arms, almost skipping across the room to throw herself onto the sofa.
‘You won’t believe this Fabian! How are we expected to Qualify?’ Mistral began in an incredulous voice. ‘Leo expects us to stay out overnight in this weather! And tomorrow we’ve got to hunt down a Blackheart Wolverine in stupidly small hunting groups! It’s just not feasible!’
‘And if Mistral is saying that you know it really isn’t,’ intoned Phantom heavily.
Fabian closed the door and walked over to the small kitchen to collect a jug and four goblets. He set them down on the low table to see that the twins were still stood upright.
‘Please, make yourselves comfortable,’ Fabian said politely, gesturing to the two armchairs near the fire. They sank into the shabby chairs with joint sighs, stretching their legs out gratefully.
Fabian sat next to Mistral and laid his arm across the back of the sofa, inviting her to move closer to him, which she immediately did and curled up against him with a happy sigh. Keeping one arm around her, Fabian reached out with the other and poured out goblets of wine. He passed one to Mistral before taking one for himself and leaned back against the sofa.
‘You know, of course,’ he said quietly. ‘That cheating is an integral part of Qualification.’
‘I’m sorry?’ Phantasm paused in reaching to take one of the goblets from the table. ‘I don’t think I quite follow your meaning.’
Fabian smiled and took a drink from his goblet. Mistral frowned and looked up at him. Qualifying and cheating did not seem compatible concepts to her either.
‘Our Training Captain demanded that we bring him back a Selkie for our Qualification hunt –’
‘A shape-shifter?’ Mistral gasped. ‘They’re really hard to hunt! You can never tell what they’re going to become!’
‘Precisely,’ continued Fabian calmly. ‘Which is why we rode straight to the nearest village, purchased a bear skin from the market and spent the rest of the day and night in the local tavern.’
The twins burst out laughing but Mistral stared at Fabian in disbelief.
‘You cheated on your Qualification?’
‘Oh Mistral, everyone does! I’ve already told you that by the time Qualification comes around you’ve already done the work needed to become a warrior. The Training Captains set unobtainable goals and the test is to see whether you achieve them, not how you achieve them.’
‘Oh!’ Mistral said and took a drink of her wine while she thought about how to get hold of a Blackheart Wolverine skin.
‘Do you think we’ll be able to pass my wolf skin off as a Blackheart Wolverine one? We could say it was a juvenile.’
‘No, I think that would be too blatant,’ Fabian murmured and frowned. ‘I must admit, the task Leo has set is rather difficult to cheat on. I think we’ve left it too late tonight to go out and set traps. Anyway, I dislike trapping animals, even Blackheart Wolverines. It’s a horrible way to die.’
‘Believe me, they deserve it,’ said Phantom with feeling.
‘Nothing deserves to try and chew its own leg off in order to try and escape,’ said Fabian shortly.
‘Columbine does,’ muttered Mistral darkly.
‘You’ll be rid of her soon Mistral.’ Fabian murmured. ‘I very much doubt that she will be staying on for a second year.’
Mistral smiled but didn’t say anything. She was still not entirely convinced about her own second year, never mind Columbine’s.
‘I think there is only one answer to this problem,’ Fabian mused quietly.
‘We’re open to any suggestions,’ Phantom said brightly.
‘Stay here, be my guests tonight and enjoy my hospitality … such as it is,’ he said with a wry smile. ‘And tomorrow morning we plan the hunt together.’
Phantasm was instantly cool, ‘Mage De Winter, we appreciate your generous offer –’
‘Which we would be delighted to accept!’ Phantom interrupted swiftly and raised his goblet in a toast. ‘Here’s to a warm night in front of a fire and an increased chance of survival tomorrow!’
‘Agreed!’ Mistral cried happily, raising her goblet and taking a long drink. ‘This definitely beats dodging arrows all night long!’
Phantasm gradually thawed towards his host as the afternoon drew into evening and they played a long game of knucklebones. Mistral sat back and watched them play, content to be with Fabian in their house on a cold winter’s night, and also secretly pleased to see Phantasm looking more relaxed in his company.
By midnight, the twins were both yawning.
‘I will sleep down here on the sofa,’ said Fabian softly to Mistral when the twins finally reached for their travelling cloaks and settled into more comfortable positions in their armchairs.
Mistral looked at him in dismay. She had been looking forward to spending another night curled up in his arms.
‘Let me show you to your room,’ he said, smiling at her expression.
He climbed the narrow wooden stairs ahead of her to the open galley above that served as a bedroom. Mistral had not been up there before and looked around with wide-eyed curiosity. This was his bedroom … their bedroom … one day.
The bed was an untidy mass of sheets and blankets, of course, which Fabian immediately strode over to and began to straighten with a muttered apology while Mistral turned in a slow circle, looking around at the room. There was a single wooden chair next to the bed, draped with one of Fabian’s shirts. A tiny, deep-set window was the only source of natural light, two candles burned on the stone window ledge, filling the room with a warm glow. Mistral looked up at the ceiling. The rafters were so low that she could reach up and touch them with her hand, giving the room a snug, comfortable feeling. Gazing around at the bare stone walls in the flickering light Mistral heaved a sigh of happiness befo
re turning to look at the bed. A frown of apprehension suddenly creased her brow.
Fabian had straightened the sheets and plumped the pillows, making it appear more presentable, but it wasn’t the way the bed looked that suddenly bothered her. He finished tucking the blanket in and turned to see her staring at the bed with a strange expression on her face and walked over to encircle her in his arms.
‘If I’d known you were coming I would have made more of an effort,’ he murmured apologetically.
‘No, it’s not that. I … well … that’s going to be our bed isn’t it?’ Mistral began hesitantly.
‘Yes it is,’ Fabian breathed into her ear.
Sweet honey lay in his whispered words but she persisted, dragging her mind back to what was troubling her, ‘But, um, well, I don’t know why this should matter, but for some reason it does … is it, has it, always been ... our bed?’
Fabian chuckled softly and looked down at her with his intense black gaze, ‘You are the only woman that has ever even stepped foot over the threshold of this house. And unless you invite Columbine around for afternoon tea one day, you will always be the only one.’
Mistral gazed back at him, momentarily lost in the black depths of his eyes. Sighing deeply, she forced her mind back to what she had been about to ask him.
‘Please don’t leave me on my own up here.’
A furrow creased the pale skin of Fabian’s brow. He gazed wordlessly at her, the sudden silence broken by gentle snores coming from downstairs, telling them that the twins were both fast asleep.
‘Mistral,’ he sighed, looking suddenly uncertain. ‘I’m not sure that is such a good idea.’
Mistral held his gaze, ‘I absolutely refuse to spend the first night in my new home without you beside me,’ she whispered.
He shook his head, his gaze wary, as though he were afraid of something, ‘Sometimes you ask too much of me Mistral.’
She watched his eyes change, the wariness shifting to become something deeper, a burning intensity that was almost frightening. Mistral was suddenly afraid that she had pushed him too far and made him angry.
The Assassin's Tale (Isle of Dreams) Page 58