‘No, just use you for your gift until you were nothing but an empty shell!’ Phantasm retorted.
‘Well then, let’s just be thankful for your amazing ability to vomit on command these days!’ Phantom declared cheerfully and lifted his tankard.
Mistral laughed and took a sip of water from her own tankard. Despite having slept for most of the return crossing she was still feeling tired, and the nausea that had plagued over the last few months seemed to have returned with vengeance.
‘I bet Mage De Winter was livid once he’d got you safely back on board.’ Phantom continued with a gleeful look on his face.
Mistral sighed and looked down at Prospero again, happily soaking her trouser leg with loving drool, ‘He was furious,’ she agreed. ‘But as usual, not with me. Fabian blames himself for the whole wretched fiasco; for not seeing through Pierre sooner, for asking me only to read Etienne and not Christophe – ’
‘Why? What was Christophe doing?’
‘He took a party of Rochforte soldiers to the farm. If I’d read him I’d have recognised the scenery and realised that Etienne was somewhere else, probably setting a trap for us. Instead I just kept reading Etienne, and because he was being very clever about not thinking of his plan and I didn’t recognise any of the landmarks he was seeing, we concluded that they were still travelling somewhere close to their stronghold. We had no idea that they were really heading to the harbour to cut off our escape route.’
‘I admit, it was a well thought out plan.’ Phantasm conceded.
‘But there’s one part I don’t understand.’ Phantom frowned and slowly lowered his tankard onto the table.
‘Just one?’ Phantasm asked, feigning surprise.
‘Which part brother?’ Mistral asked with a smile; she had missed the twins’ banter.
‘Your dagger. You said you didn’t know you were going to try and swim back to the ship, but you stuck it into the side at just the right height to be a handhold.’
Mistral gave an embarrassed laugh, ‘Oh, that. Well, I would like to say something profound like Sight gave me a premonition, but in reality I did it for two reasons. Firstly, as you know, I’m very fond of that dagger and in some stupid way I thought that if it went back to the Isle on the Ri’s ship then a part of me would too.’ The corner of her mouth lifted in a self-depreciating smile. ‘And the second and infinitely less sentimental reason was out of pure temper at Etienne daring to order me to throw my favourite dagger into the sea.’
Phantom gave an angry shake of his head, ‘You should have lobbed it at Etienne.’
‘Yes, that would have been an excellent move, wouldn’t it brother?’ Phantasm tutted. ‘Kill the only reason she was still alive? Good plan! Do you think the Rochforte soldiers would’ve thought twice about avenging the death of the head of their tribe? Seer or not, Mistral would have been floating face down in the water ten seconds after that knife hit Etienne.’
‘It’d have been a happy ten seconds knowing you’d killed him though.’ Phantom muttered stubbornly.
Mistral laughed into her tankard of water. Watching the twins bicker was better than any tonic.
‘But what of the Rochfortes plans?’ Phantasm abruptly asked, abandoning his squabble with his brother to lean across the table to fix her with his piercing green eyes. ‘Mage De Winter made sure that Pierre Rochforte was left alive so that you could read him; have you?’
‘Not since we left.’
Phantasm looked shocked, ‘Why not? It’s vital we know what they’re planning, now more than ever! What were you doing for the whole voyage back! Sleeping?’
‘Yes!’ Mistral snapped back. ‘I was a little bit tired out by all the fresh air and exercise!’
‘What? You slept the whole way back?’
‘Pretty much.’ Mistral muttered and looked down at Prospero again.
‘Well, what about when you were in France?’ Phantasm tried again more gently. ‘You read both Pierre and Etienne then didn’t you?’
‘Yes, but it didn’t mean a lot, I don’t speak French you see. Sorry.’
Phantasm rolled his eyes in exasperation, ‘Come on Mistral! Stop being so obstinate! You must remember some words!’
Mistral gave in with a defeated sigh, ‘Oh alright, I remember a few … let’s see … d’or, but I know that was when Pierre was thinking about Golden… who I am personally going to kill by the way –’
‘Yes Mistral, I’m sure you want to, but I think there’ll probably be a queue by the time the opportunity to fulfil that particular ambition finally arises! Now please focus!’
‘Oh I don’t know, it all sounded the same to me! Lots of something that sounded like temps … and changer … oh and there was this one word that was really funny, Fabian told me what it meant – vengeance.’
‘So, time for change and vengeance. Hardly the pleasant musings of someone planning a holiday are they?’ Phantom commented drily.
Phantasm didn’t respond and stared broodingly at the rain drumming against the dirty window.
‘No.’ Mistral agreed and reached out to take another sip of water from the tankard on the table. ‘But at least I should now be able to read both Pierre and Etienne remotely. They’re both good at hiding their true thoughts, but no-one can do that all the time. They’ll slip up sooner or later.’
‘You could try reading Golden.’ Phantasm suggested quietly.
Mistral gave him a disgusted look, ‘There’s no way I’m reading that trollop unless I really, really have to! And I would appreciate it if you didn’t mention your idea to Fabian either. I’ve got a list as long as your arm of charming individuals he already wants me to read, and I could do without adding her on the bottom. The very bottom I might add.’
‘Forget Golden!’ Phantom waved a hand dismissively. ‘How about having a go at reading Etienne for us? We could translate!’
‘No. I’m too tired.’
‘Oh come on Mistral! You got back yesterday and you’ve already admitted that you slept for most of the crossing! You’ve had plenty of time to rest!’
‘Sorry, not until the patient has been passed as having a clean bill of health.’
The twins swung around to look at Cain, looking uncharacteristically grumpy.
Mistral groaned, ‘Do I have to?’
Cain eyed her irritably, ‘Let’s see shall we Mistral? According to Mage De Winter’s brief synopsis of events you were slightly over enthusiastic during rounding up the unicorns, were held at knife point, thrown around, stamped on, rode for several hours non-stop in a mad dash for your life and then you topped it all off with a nice leisurely swim in near freezing water! So, yes! You do have to!’
‘Easy Cain!’ Mistral looked at him in surprise. ‘What’s with the bad mood?’
‘Nothing!’
Mistral raised her eyebrows and contemplated her brother silently for a moment, ‘Ah, I understand,’ she smiled sympathetically at Cain’s scowling face.
‘What?’ Phantom demanded impatiently.
Mistral sighed, ‘Tooth ache.’
Cain exhaled sharply, ‘I think I preferred it when you couldn’t hear my thoughts!’
‘Well I can.’ Mistral immediately retorted. ‘And your pain too! Come on Cain, I can pull teeth as well as Serenity. Why don’t you let me treat you for a change?’
‘No!’ Cain snapped and abruptly strode over to the bar.
The twins watched him storm off then turned back to Mistral.
‘That’s not like Cain.’ Phantom said, looking intrigued. ‘He’s not usually bothered about painful treatments, I’ve watched you stitch him up whilst he carried on playing cards before!’
Mistral looked down at Prospero thoughtfully, ‘From what I could gather in his thoughts the healer from his tribe was a bit brutal when it came to pulling teeth, you know the type of thing, one foot on the shoulder to pull it out –’
‘We get the picture!’ Phantom interrupted hastily.
Mistral looked over at Cain, now leanin
g against the bar with his back to them, ‘Do you mind if I use your house for a bit?’ She asked the twins. ‘I think I could persuade him to let me pull that tooth out if you two weren’t around to encourage his manly pride.’
‘Of course.’ Phantasm responded promptly. ‘We will let Mage De Winter know where you are.’
Mistral pulled a face and rose from her seat, ‘You could tell him I’d run away with Floris and he wouldn’t notice when he’s with Leo.’
Fabian walked into the twins’ house an hour later to see Mistral throwing a blood-soaked rag onto the fire. Mistral looked around to see him standing frozen in the doorway, his face white with shock. For a moment she was confused then his thoughts told her that he had leapt magnificently to the wrong conclusion.
‘No, no Fabian I’m fine! I just pulled a tooth for Cain that’s all!’
Fabian closed his eyes with relief then strode across the room to her, ‘Are you sure? Did Cain say you were fine?’
‘Fine would be a slight overstatement.’ Cain’s slightly muffled voice carried through from the kitchen. He walked in holding a clean linen cloth to his mouth. ‘Try dehydrated, exhausted and despite watching her trying to eat an entire roast boar in The Cloak and Dagger, she’s not gaining weight quite as I’d like – and she really should to try and vary her diet a bit more too.’
Mistral pulled a face at him and turned to smile sweetly at Fabian, the contrasting expressions making Cain roll his eyes in exasperation.
‘I feel fine Fabian. Cain’s just grumpy because he hates having teeth pulled.’
‘Who doesn’t?’ Fabian murmured then looked at Cain expectantly.
‘Definitely no more travel abroad please Mage De Winter.’ Cain continued in a brisk tone. ‘And I would go so far as to advise no long journeys of any sort. No climbing, no hard riding –’
Mistral turned to stare in disbelief at Cain while he continued to reel off a list banning her from every enjoyable part of her life.
‘– no Contracts involving physical work, absolutely no duelling or sword work of any kind, no longbow work, no hunting –’
‘Come off it Cain!’ Mistral exploded. ‘Now you’re just being vindictive! I’ll shove your damned tooth back in if it’ll put you in a better mood! You can’t ban me from hunting! What’ve I got left to do? Clean tack and take up knitting?’
‘And do try to control your temper. It’s not good for your blood pressure.’ Cain finished with an admonishing look.
‘You know what you can do with your instructions don’t you?’ Mistral snarled.
‘Thank you Cain, I will ensure that Mistral follows your advice. She will have complete rest from now on.’
Mistral scowled murderously at Cain, as though it had been him speaking the words sealing her in to a long and boring pregnancy and not Fabian, ‘I’ll see you soon Cain,’ she promised darkly, watching him pick up his saddlebag and head towards the door.
‘Yes you will Mistral, every month in fact. And, don’t forget your promise –’
The sharp reminder about her swearing on Saul’s memory instantly made her felt guilty for snapping at her brother; he was only doing his job after all. Sighing discontentedly she threw herself onto the sofa and looked sulkily at Fabian. ‘So how was Leo?’ she asked, more out of a desire to change the subject than any real interest.
Fabian gave her a half-smile, ‘Weren’t you listening?’
Mistral shook her head, ‘Fed up with eavesdropping. It was nice to sit in The Cloak and hear real voices for a change. Good old honest lies and tall-tales.’
‘Then I have quite a lot to tell you.’ Fabian walked over to sit down beside her.
She curled up beneath his arm, her bad mood instantly evaporating, ‘Tell away,’ she sighed happily.
‘Well, first of all I should tell you that Eximius has accepted Leo’s offer to use the Valley for any meetings he feels require your services –’
Mistral looked up at him with raised eyebrows, ‘Is that good news, or bad?’
Fabian smiled briefly, ‘That all depends on the next piece of information I was about to tell you –’
‘Sorry.’ Mistral smiled and rested her head back against his chest. ‘Phantom moans that I interrupt him all the time too.’
Fabian laughed softly and Mistral’s smile broadened. She hadn’t heard him laugh for days.
‘I agree that it could be construed as good news for Malachi and therefore bad news for Leo when the news spreads that he has opened the Valley up to the Council for their meetings, however that might not have to be the case –’ Fabian paused and looked at Mistral, dark eyes glinting with excitement.
‘What?’ she demanded in annoyance at being teased.
‘Leo has come up with quite a good plan for reversing the ill-feeling that Mage Grapple’s presence in the Valley might generate. Would you care to guess what it is?’
‘Just tell me Fabian! Remember that Cain said I shouldn’t lose my temper –’
‘Of course.’ Fabian was mockingly contrite. ‘Although I think you are confusing your sense of humour with your temper –’
‘Are you really the same Fabian that has barely spoken during the last couple of days?’ Mistral sat up and glared at him.
The light of humour immediately faded from his eyes, leaving them bleak and cold once more. Mistral instantly regretted her petulant outburst and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face into his neck.
‘Sorry,’ she whispered against his skin. ‘Blame it on the hormones, plus I’m really cross with Cain for having the audacity to ban me from everything that I enjoy.’
‘Everything?’ He enquired softly.
‘Well, no. I can still eat roast boar, until he finds a reason to stop me from that too that is; and there’s you – ’
‘Ah, finally remembered about me did you?’ He murmured and stroked a finger slowly down her neck, tracing the line of her collar bone and down into the open neck of her shirt.
She lifted her head to give him a smouldering look, ‘You never leave my mind Fabian De Winter.’
The sound of the door opening made them both jump. Oblivious to the charged atmosphere in the room the twins strolled in, shaking off rain-soaked cloaks and complaining loudly about the weather.
‘Seriously, I’m completely drenched! And I’ve only walked from The Cloak! I’m not looking forward to leaving for that Contract at the Council tomorrow.’ Phantom grumbled and turfed Eloise out of one of the armchairs by the fire. The kitten gave him a reproachful look then wandered over to curl up between Prospero’s paws in front of the fire.
‘I doubt you’ll be going anywhere now brother.’ Mistral said smugly. ‘I certainly won’t anyway.’
Phantasm walked in from the kitchen with a pitcher of wine in his hands and an anxious expression on his face, ‘Oh, why?’
‘Know something we don’t?’ Phantom asked quickly.
‘No brother, you haven’t been sacked!’ Mistral laughed. ‘And I can’t believe you’d even think that!’
‘It happens.’ Phantom scowled defensively. ‘That warrior we met at the Divinus’ funeral that could speak about fifty different languages got sacked last week for deliberate misinterpretation. Apparently he got bored during one Council meeting too many and decided to have a little joke at the expense of one of the foreign delegates!’
‘Tragic, but can we get back to why we won’t be leaving tomorrow please?’ Phantasm cut in impatiently.
‘Mage Grapple has agreed to hold any meetings he wants me to attend here, in the Valley. And as that Contract you’re meant to be going on tomorrow was also on my list of scheduled meetings it looks like we’ll all be staying here.’
The twins gave the same mixed reaction as she had to the news.
‘This is not going to go down well with the rest of the warriors.’ Phantasm frowned. ‘I fear that it won’t do Master Sphinx’s popularity many favours.’
‘Who cares!’ Phantom said brightly. ‘I’m not going to
spend three nights soaked to the skin shivering around a non-existent campfire!’
‘Who cares? Anyone that doesn’t want Master Nox as the next Divinus!’
‘Oh it won’t come to that.’ Phantom said airily. ‘Master Nox is about as popular as a contagious disease round here.’
‘Nice analogy brother, but I think you might be mistaken,’ snapped Phantasm. ‘Mage Grapple is the one with a dire level of popularity amongst the Ri, and Master Nox will be sure to capitalise on the fact that he’s here on Master Sphinx’s specific invite!’
‘Can I stop you both there?’ Mistral cut across their bickering in a sharp voice. ‘Only I think that Fabian was about to tell me something about how Leo could turn this whole thing around when you two ... er … came back,’ she finished quickly and ducked her head to hide her red cheeks. She’d been about to say “interrupted us”.
‘I do apologise for my brother’s behaviour, Mage De Winter, please … continue.’ Phantasm said smoothly and sat down in the armchair opposite his twin, ignoring the seething looks Phantom was giving him.
Fabian smiled and lifted a lock of Mistral’s hair, curling it lazily through his fingers, ‘Tell me Mistral, what do warriors enjoy doing the most?’
Mistral rolled her eyes. She didn’t know what was worse, Fabian brooding silently over his guilt or Fabian in an annoyingly good mood. Not feeling up to playing games, Mistral simply listened to his thoughts instead. She suddenly sat with a gasp. ‘Now that is a fantastic idea! I can’t believe Leo came up with it!’
Fabian smiled at her excitement, ‘I’m glad you approve.’
‘Did you have something to do with this?’
Fabian merely looked smug, an expression he wore so rarely that Mistral couldn’t help but laugh.
‘I hate it when you do this!’ Phantom exclaimed irritably.
Mistral smirked at him and nestled back into Fabian’s arms, ‘Oh now brother, play the game. What do warriors like doing more than anything?’
‘Spending money in The Cloak.’ Phantom replied promptly. ‘Actually no, let me revise that, spending someone else’s money in The Cloak.’
The Seer Page 45
