‘The times from our group,’ she said abruptly, handing the parchments to Leo.
He barely glanced at her while he took them and continued his conversation with Mage Grapple, but Imperato missed nothing, noting her downcast eyes he frowned in concern.
‘Is something wrong my daughter?’
‘No, no, nothing! Can I go now?’ She asked Leo quickly. He nodded disinterestedly and she hurried away, feeling Imperato’s penetrating gaze boring into her back as she practically ran back to the reassuring safety of Fabian, while she still could.
The warriors regrouped in the village square to hear Leo announce the results of the first event. He remounted his grey stallion and rode to the centre of the square where a respectful space had been left for him. Leading Spirit by his side Fabian walked hand-in-hand with Mistral to stand with Samson and the twins at the edge of the packed square.
‘Warriors! I am proud to have witnessed a fine display of skill in both riding and marksmanship today. However, there are only twelve spaces in the next event and they can only be taken by those that rode with the fastest time and shot with the greatest accuracy. I commend you all for taking part and invite the following competitors to continue.’
An expectant hush fell while Leo paused and looked down at the piece of parchment in his hand. Phantom rolled his eyes and Mistral smiled at his unspoken thought –
Drama queen …
They both knew that Leo would have memorised the names of the successful competitors on first sight and not need to read them out at all, he was just stalling for effect.
‘Fabian De Winter, Cain, Erin, Samson, Brutus, Xerxes, Sebastian – ’
Mistral listened to the list of names with a growing sense of pride that even the lurch that Erin’s name caused her couldn’t dispel. Her husband, Samson and three of her brothers were in the second event …
‘ – Jareth, Remir, Jasper and Gray! Please make your way to the Training Arena for the second event!’
‘Follow me please Mistral.’
Mistral sighed in response to Gleacher’s brusque summons and let go of Fabian’s hand. He didn’t relinquish his grasp but pulled her closer, bending his head to murmur in her ear.
‘Come on Mistral!’ Phantom muttered, tapping his foot impatiently until Fabian finally released her and mounted, riding off with Samson towards the Arena and leaving her smiling vacantly after him. Grabbing her by the hand, Phantom dragged her along by his side while he strode after Gleacher. ‘I don’t know why he insists on completely turning what little brains you’ve got to marshmallow mere seconds before they’re meant to be used! Why didn’t he just think whatever he was saying to you and let you read him from a safe distance? You know how stupid you go whenever he gets hold of you!’
Mistral smiled dreamily, ‘Fabian’s old-fashioned. He likes to tell me … things.’
Without breaking stride Phantom turned to give her a sharp look, ‘Well whatever things they were, please forget them for the next hour because you need to concentrate. In fact, I think I’ll ask Gleacher if my brother and I can stay and help.’
‘Where is Phantasm anyway?’ Mistral asked, noticing for the first time that he was missing.
‘Returning our horses to the stables, since they are now surplus to requirements.’
‘Oh, yes, sorry you didn’t get through.’
‘Don’t be, I’m not.’ Phantom stated flatly. ‘I can’t stand those jumped-up ponies! Anyway, we wouldn’t be able to go; we’ve got meetings with Mage Grapple all next week.’
Mistral felt the pleasant daydream she had been floating along in pop at Phantom’s words, ‘Thanks for reminding me,’ she sighed.
‘My pleasure, now please try not to get mud on that velvet cloak. My brother’s already fuming that you were using the sleeves as a handkerchief earlier.’
Mistral concentrated on not slipping over while they picked their way carefully around the side of the puddle-strewn Arena to the table where Gleacher was already waiting, talking quietly with Imperato.
‘Ah, finally. Mistral, please take your seat. Phantom? Is there something you wish to speak with me about?’
‘Yes Master Shacklock, my brother and I wish to offer our assistance.’
‘Good.’ Gleacher responded promptly, but before Phantom could settle himself into one of the chairs he continued in a sharp tone. ‘We require someone to release a knucker for each competitor then remove the body once the task has been completed. You and your brother can wait by the edge of the Arena and fulfil that role.’
Mistral watched the smug look sliding off Phantom’s face. For a split-second she thought he might actually refuse, but he quickly recovered. ‘Of course, Master Shacklock.’ Phantom murmured then began trudging back across the muddy Arena to break the good news to his twin.
‘I require you to keep time again please Mistral. I will score the rounding ability and accuracy of the shooting.’
Mistral nodded and glanced at the clock before letting her gaze rest of the list of names. Twelve names, most of which she knew, one of which she never wanted to see ever again in her life, unless it was her signature accepting a lifetime Contract in Outer Mongolia.
Erin …
Mistral scowled darkly at the tiny warrior, now flirting outrageously with Xerxes while they lined up ready to listen to Leo outline the rules for the second event. Xerxes was doing his best to ignore her; Marietta was amongst the crowd of villagers watching in the square and Mistral could see from the flinty look on her face that she was less than pleased by Erin’s behaviour.
Leo rode into the Arena at a canter, pulling his powerful horse to halt in a showy half-rear in the centre and startling the already nervous looking group of horses milling around in the top corner. While Leo turned and prepared to deliver one of his trademark rousing speeches, Mistral studied the horses that were to be herded. They were unbroken yearlings, unused to being handled. Rounding and herding them would be a difficult task.
A corral had been erected on the opposite side of the Arena; its gate closed. Mistral could see a small target sticking up from the gate’s latch. It was designed so that the impact of a crossbow bolt striking the centre would release the latch and let the gate swing open. Just beyond the corral the twins were stood beside a large metal cage full of knuckers. Mistral watched the slimy green creatures slithering over each other, seeking to escape the confines of their cage and felt a burst of pity for the twins. It was going to be a dirty job.
‘Welcome to the second event! A test of dexterity and horsemanship that requires you to shoot the target on the gate to open it and drive a herd of four horses into the corral –’
‘Easy!’ One of the competitors exclaimed confidently.
Leo paused and smiled humourlessly at the warrior before he continued, ‘– but only after you have dispatched the knucker that will be released to guard the gate!’
The warriors face fell comically and a roar of laughter went up from the crowd. Mistral spotted Malachi in amongst the crowd; his face was twisted into a sneering mask of disdain. He had a small group of warriors gathered around him all wearing similar expressions; the Malachi Nox fan club.
‘Only the six fastest and successful warriors will go through to the final event! Now all that remains before we begin is for me to remind you of the rules: do not dismount at any point during your event and ride to the best of your ability!’
A resounding cheer that went up from the crowd gathered all around the Training Arena fence.
‘Imperato –’
Mistral heard a voice speaking to Imperato, barely audible over the chorus of applause that greeted Xerxes cantering towards the table, obviously desperate to get away from Erin before Marietta vaulted the fence and attacked her. Turning her head to see who had spoken Mistral was surprised to see Mage Grapple, his already disfigured face creasing into deeper lines of concentration while he listened to Imperato’s response to his question.
‘Focus please Mistral!’ Gleacher
snapped, recalling her sharply to her duties. ‘I will be on the far side of the Arena to verify the knucker kills. Now, can I trust you to manage the time-keeping accurately?’
‘Yes Master Shacklock.’ Mistral responded obediently and rested a hand ready over the start button on the clock as Xerxes rode up to the table, looking unusually discomfited.
‘You will not believe what she just said to me!’
‘I think I would.’ Mistral muttered and glared daggers at Erin, now grinning impishly at Brutus. Switching her gaze back to Xerxes, she frowned at his flustered state. ‘Just try and hold it together brother! She’s doing it on purpose to put you off! Now for crying out loud get those damned horses in the corral in a fast time or I may be joining Marietta in murdering that two-foot trollop!’
Xerxes laughed and drew in a steadying breath, ‘Right then. Let’s do the formalities.’
‘When the whistle blows the event begins, it’s only over when the horses are all in the corral and the gate’s closed, oh, and kill the knucker. Got it?’
Xerxes nodded and Mistral gave a short blast on her whistle, watching him cantering off towards the group of horses before she scowled over at Erin again.
The twins released one knucker, not without some difficulty, for as soon as the cage door was opened all the knuckers swarmed forwards and tried to ram their long snouts through the gap. Finally Phantasm managed to drag just one out by the heavy leather collar placed around each one’s neck. With a look of revulsion on his face, he hauled the creature across the Arena and left it blinking confusedly in front of the corral gate.
If Erin had planned to unsettle Xerxes with whatever brazen suggestion she’d made then her plan worked beautifully. Xerxes approached the wary horses too quickly and startled them. They separated and scattered across the Arena, forcing him to round them up before he could begin driving them towards the corral, taking up valuable time. Mistral watched the time ticking past on the clock with growing agitation; it was taking far too long for Xerxes to regroup the horses. In the end the yearlings proved completely unmanageable and Xerxes shot the knucker out of pure frustration before retiring from the event, red-faced and sweating. He galloped past Mistral without even looking at her, leaving her glaring furiously at his brother instead.
‘Tell me that tart hasn’t had the same disastrous effect on you!’ Mistral hissed to Brutus when he approached the table at a sedate walk.
‘No chance,’ he grinned.
‘Good.’ Mistral looked slightly mollified and placed the whistle to her lips.
Brutus immediately shot the newly released knucker and fired again to release the gate. With the corral prepared, he then turned his attention to herding the horses, now gathered together in a nervous huddle at the far end of the Arena. Riding at nothing faster than a trot, Brutus circled around them in a wide loop, gradually tightening up on one side to push them towards the corral, then riding out wide again so that he was performing an ellipse around them. His careful herding seemed to be working, Mistral held her breath while she watched the four horses skitter nervously towards the open gate every time Brutus made a pass. Closer and closer they drew until Brutus hit an unforeseen problem. The dead knucker lay almost directly in front of the open gate and the herd repeatedly shied away from body, forcing him to continually drive them back towards the entrance and encourage them to jump over.
‘Come on Brutus!’ Mistral muttered under her breath, glancing urgently at the numbers spinning round in the clock face. ‘Get them in!’
Eventually Brutus’ patience paid off when one of the bolder yearlings leapt over the slain knucker into the safety of the corral, immediately followed by the other three.
The bay is the leader …
Mistral noted which horse had been brave enough to make the leap and hoped Fabian had too, in the same thought she fervently hoped that Erin had been too busy giggling at her next victim to notice.
A warrior Mistral did not know was next. He approached the table; curtly giving his name as Gray he waited impatiently for her to raise the whistle to her lips. As the blast sounded he galloped over to the corral to deploy exactly the same tactics as Brutus; clearing away the obstacle and releasing the gate before attempting to shift the herd down to the corral. He hit the same problem as Brutus and resorted to shouting bad-temperedly in an attempt to force the horses into the corral. Mistral watched the seconds tick past on the clock and sighed in exasperation when Gray completely lost his temper and dismounted to storm over and kick the dead knucker. Gleacher’s iron shout of “Disqualified!” rang out across the Arena and smattering of cheers, applause and laughter followed Gray’s exit.
‘Do better than him won’t you Cain?’ Mistral murmured to her brother when he approached the desk next.
‘Not hard.’ Cain replied with a smirk and trotted off at the sound of her whistle.
Cain tried a different tactic; riding down towards the knucker first he slowed to a walk and rode past it, turning his mare around to repeat the manoeuvre until the warm scent of horse drew the creature out from the protection of the corral’s fence. Holding his horse in a deliberately slow walk, Cain led the knucker away from the corral before turning and shooting it then quickly reloading to shoot the target and open the gate. With the knucker’s body a safe distance away from the now open gate, Cain turned his attention to herding the horses in. Without the obstacle of the knucker to negotiate, the horses offered Cain little resistance and with a grin of victory Mistral was soon slamming her hand down on the clock to stop the time. Noting it down against his name she pulled a face. Cain’s tactic had been effective, but time-consuming.
Sebastian rode next, the warrior Mistral had met at The Festival of the Arcane. He attempted the same ploy that Cain had used but failed to notice that he’d only wounded the knucker and was disqualified despite successfully herding the horses into the corral.
Mistral didn’t know the following three warriors who each tried a variant on the strategies used so far, with varying degrees of success. The warrior who gave his name as Jareth failed magnificently when he fell off to a storm of cheers and applause. Despite his obvious embarrassment, he had enough good humour to stand up and bow to his laughing audience.
Samson rode with typical aplomb, his firebrand mare awing the herd into compliance and forcing them to leap the dead body of the knucker rather than face her fiercely snapping jaws. Mistral grinned at him as he cantered past, noting down the fastest time so far with a gratified flourish.
Fabian approached the table next. Mage Grapple and Imperato broke off from their quiet conversation to exchange brief greetings with him, robbing Mistral of her chance to whisper any helpful information to him about the bay horse. She pressed the whistle to her lips and summoned up enough breath to blow before dropping it absently onto the table while she watched him canter lightly away towards the herd. Giving a gentle sigh, Imperato leaned across to press down the start button on the clock once again.
Fabian urged Spirit into a faster canter, circling around the herd and driving them forcibly towards the closed gate of the corral. Mistral watched, transfixed by the bright gold mare, now galloping around the nervous horses, her tail held high and streaming out behind her like a banner. Around and around Fabian galloped his mare, pushing the startled herd towards the still closed gate until they were so close Mistral began to panic, wondering if he had actually forgotten about opening the gate.
Alarmed by the pounding of hooves coming its way, the knucker ran from the concealment of the corral fence to avoid being trampled. Without checking Spirit’s furious pace, Fabian raised his crossbow and fired, striking into the back of its neck and killing it instantly. Reloading in almost the same movement, Fabian raised his crossbow again and aimed for the target. Turning to look at Mistral as he fired, he held her gaze while the bolt flew through the air to hit the centre of the target. The gate swung open just in time for the bay yearling to gallop through, closely followed by the other three horses.
<
br /> ‘Time.’ Imperato murmured and pressed the button to halt Fabian’s time.
Mistral didn’t notice, she was lost in Fabian’s dark eyes, holding hers with heart-stopping force while he galloped around the Arena to tumultuous applause from the crowd.
‘Erin!’
An irritating voice chirruped, dragging her out of her private world. Mistral blinked and stared blankly at the annoying half-fairy, grinning saucily at her from the back of her over-priced pony.
‘On my whistle.’ Mistral growled and tried to convey as much menace as she could into those three words before raising the whistle to her lips and giving it a deafening blast that startled the pony.
Erin proceeded to replicate Fabian’s tactic with shameless plagiarism.
‘The audacity of it!’ Mistral snarled, grinding her teeth in frustration as the diminutive warrior shot the fleeing knucker then fired at the target on the gate to admit the slightly weary looking herd. ‘She’d never have come up with that on her own! The cheating b –’
‘Time!’ Imperato said firmly and slammed his hand down on the knob.
Mistral jumped and looked up to meet his angry expression, ‘What?’ She demanded defiantly.
‘I do not approve of swearing!’
‘And I don’t approve of tarts spending two weeks camping out with my husband while I’m stuck in the Valley!’ She shouted back, suddenly utterly incensed. What gave Imperato the right to lecture her? If he wanted that right, he should have raised her!
‘I commend the depth of emotion you have for your husband, but trust must form one of the many ties that bind you.’
Mistral glared silently at the centaur and was suddenly embarrassingly aware that Mage Grapple was witnessing her first clash of wills with her father, ‘Where did I get my temper from Imperato?’ She asked abruptly. ‘Because all I see from you and Alyssa is calmness, and I have none of that!’
The Seer Page 52
