‘Yes Cain,’ she replied meekly.
‘Good, right ... see you in a few weeks.’
The twins watched him run to catch up with Brutus and Grendel before turning to look at Mistral.
‘What did he say to you yesterday?’
‘No idea.’ Mistral shrugged. ‘I’ve heard him lecture me so much over the last few months that I just block him out when he gets started now. What’s in the bag anyway?’
‘Emergency kit.’
‘But I’ve got my medical kit.’ Mistral frowned. ‘We don’t need to carry two.’
‘No, it’s an emergency kit for you.’ Phantasm said, turning to attach it to his saddle. ‘Just in case our godson decides to make an early appearance.’
Giving the saddlebag an alarmed look, Mistral immediately began tapping her foot agitatedly, ‘I really think it’s time we were going now! In fact, I’ll get on Cirrus … maybe Fabian will take the hint.’
‘What’re they talking about anyway?’ Phantom asked, glancing over at the two warriors curiously.
‘Why don’t you ask them brother?’ Mistral snapped impatiently. ‘I’m not your personal Seer, you know!’
Hauling Cirrus over to the mounting block outside The Cloak and Dagger, Mistral clambered up into the saddle. Gathering up the reins she experienced the long missed tingle of anticipation that always preceded the start of a Contract. Even though this one was only to escort Leo to the Council and help smooth his way to power, she was still thrilled to be leaving the Valley for a while. Whistling Prospero, Mistral pulled Cirrus around and headed up the path to the North Gate, enjoying the feel of the sun on her face and the fact that for once, the Valley was something to be seen over her shoulder instead of all around her. She had barely rounded the first bend in the path when the sound of cantering hooves told her that the twins were following her.
‘What did Cain say to you yesterday Mistral?’ Phantasm shouted angrily. ‘Don’t go off alone!’
Mistral stuck her tongue out at him and rode on in silence, blocking every thought from her mind other than Fabian’s, who was now typically anxious since she had vanished from his sight.
By the time they had passed through the towering North Gate and out into the meadows, Fabian and Leo had caught them up to ride together at the head of their small group, quietly discussing the plans laid in place to secure the Valley whilst he was away.
‘The Gates will be closed from sunset to sunrise and the guard doubled at all times. Samson will spend every day teaching in the Arena as an extra look-out. Imperato has also agreed to come to the Valley each day on the pretence of teaching the apprentices longbow, accompanied of course by Dravite and Faras –’
The twins were listening intently to everything Leo was saying, but Mistral had heard it all already and let her mind wander pleasantly, breathing in the scents of ripe grass and warm earth. Giving a long drawn out sigh of contentment, Mistral kicked Cirrus from a walk straight into a rolling canter; a trot was now too uncomfortable, and headed towards the forests with Prospero loping along beside her. The dark cool of the trees called to her with something more than the simple desire to enjoy the shade.
Leo broke off from his monologue when Fabian looked away to watch her canter ahead of them. He turned and nodded sharply to the twins, who instantly rode after her.
‘Is she deliberately trying to be awkward?’ Phantom asked while they cantered towards the trees.
‘No.’ Phantasm replied. ‘You heard Cain yesterday; he said that she’ll become restless. The forests are her natural habitat, it’s where she was born and spent most of her life until she came to the Valley. I’m sure that as she draws closer to her time the need to feel the familiar shelter of the trees around her will be both instinctive and undeniable.’
‘Well, at least we’ll know where to find her if she does manage to slip away then.’
‘In theory.’ Phantasm murmured, looking pensively at the sprawling expanse of The Velvet Forests.
The journey through the forests was largely uneventful. Although Mistral found the long days of riding uncomfortable, she did her best to disguise her discomfort and concentrate instead on enjoying being free from the confines of the Valley; the endless meetings and the routine of teaching. She was also more than relieved to be away from the wistful gaze of Serenity. Having taken umbrage at Mistral’s decision to use Cain during her pregnancy, Serenity had initially left her alone; for which Mistral had been eternally grateful. But now that she was close to full-term Serenity had resumed her surprise appearances to deliver some helpful piece of advice or, more horrifyingly, to offer her the ear of “a fellow female” to answer any “personal” questions she might feel unable to ask Cain. Mistral had somehow managed to politely refuse her offer, privately thinking that if there were any questions she felt unable to ask Cain then she certainly wouldn’t be able to ask anyone them, and definitely not Serenity.
The days were warm and sun-filled, the nights clear and cool. And Mistral saw a lot of both. Despite the thick pelt of her Wolverine skin and the comforting warmth of Prospero, she couldn’t seem to get comfortable and spent many hours each night tossing and turning restlessly or else strolling aimlessly around the camp, watched anxiously by Fabian and less obviously by the twins. Despite her reassurances that she was fine, Fabian would only be satisfied when she consented to lie beside him and be held in his arms; only then would sleep steal over her and hold her captive until the cold light of dawn dragged her back into consciousness.
Leaving The Velvet Forests behind, they crossed the High Moors and spent a final night camping in the lee of a steep tor. Leaning contentedly against Fabian’s side after a meal of roast grouse, Mistral laid her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes sleepily while she listened to the talk around the fire. They would enter the city tomorrow and Leo was reiterating their plans for what felt like the thousandth time to Mistral, until she realised that she’d heard it in his head more than he’d actually spoken it.
‘We will arrive by the middle of the afternoon; the meeting will take place after dinner –’
Mistral smiled to herself at the prospect of a good meal, until she realised it would probably be held in the austere surroundings of the Council and her smile quickly wilted.
‘I will request that we are all in attendance for the meeting, I wish it to be apparent that I have the support of the Isle’s Seer, the Gemini and one of the most prominent names in Mage history –’
Mistral denied the icy whisper of his thoughts threatening to invade her mind. Listening to the naked ambition in his voice was bad enough.
‘We can be certain Mage Grapple will not allow Mistral or the Gemini to be present during the voting, however that will not matter. Mage Grapple is obviously fully aware of Mistral’s ability to See remotely, but he will discount that particular facet of her gift as immaterial. It will permit her to listen in on the vote, but that will be all she will be able to do. Her gift is to listen rather than influence. It is exceptionally fortunate that Mage Grapple remains unaware that the Gemini have developed their gift enough to be able to influence minds remotely.’
‘A fact that he must always remain ignorant of.’ Fabian said. ‘Or it will provide the Rochfortes with a case to contest your right to rule the Ri once again.’
Oh great. So we can never just stay put in the Valley and work from home. More travel up and down the Isle for us then …
Mistral opened her eyes to give Phantom a sympathetic look, knowing how he hated the long ride to the Council. Although the twins had been raised at the Council and were bitter about being forced to return to their tribe, their initial intentions to return to the Isle’s capital once their apprenticeships were paid off had faded. Mistral knew they no longer craved that lifestyle; it would be too far away from their godson for a start. She let her gaze drift to the fire, watching the bright flames while she reflected on how much they’d all changed since arriving in the Valley, in more than just the obvious ... she
smiled down at the undeniable evidence of her pregnancy; her son. Once he was born she could no longer expect Mage Grapple to hold his meetings in the Valley, no doubt requiring her to make the long trek to the Council several times a year to fulfil well-paid Council Contracts. It was not a prospect that filled her with joy. The journey was pleasant enough in the summer, but sleeping out overnight on the Moors during winter was definitely not an enjoyable experience, even if she would have Fabian with her. She frowned suddenly, hadn’t it been Brutus who’d pointed out that a good tavern somewhere along the route was needed? She fell to thinking about the possibilities, paying little attention to Leo’s voice continuing to outline his plans.
‘Mistral will read each vote as it is placed. The twins will be able to influence enough of those bribed by Malachi to change their vote in favour of me, but not too many! A landslide victory would raise too many suspicions. A narrow but definite win is all I require.’
‘What if Mage Grapple refuses to allow Mistral to wait in the same room as us when the voting is taking place?’ Phantasm asked.
Leo’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully, ‘That is very real possibility, which we must prepare for … Mistral must have already read the intentions of the Councillors and have indicated to you who to influence before the chambers are cleared for the vote. I am certain there will be enough time during the meeting; Malachi is too fond of his own voice to present a short case –’
Mistral quickly bit the corner of her mouth to stop the smile that threatened to appear. Leo was accusing Malachi of being fond of the sound of his own voice? She glanced at Phantom to see the same twitch at the side of his mouth; but Phantasm’s face was completely serious. Guessing that there would be no amusing trips to the ballet during this visit to the Council Mistral yawned, sleep beckoned.
Although disturbed by her restless son, her sleep had been mercifully dreamless during the journey. She had read both Christophe and Malachi each day; both had already arrived at the Council and were spending their time bribing any Councillors that proved receptive to the colour of Malachi’s gold. Aside from that, there had been little to report. Mistral had also read Samson at Leo’s request. His thoughts revealed that nothing untoward had occurred in the Valley … aside from the amusing incident of an apprentice making the error of entering Eudora’s shop on his own and only finally being rescued when some passers-by heard his cries for help … which Mistral didn’t feel Leo would be interested in hearing about.
The discussions about the forthcoming vote wore on, but she was worn out. She fell asleep curled in Fabian’s lap, his arms her blanket, his murmured talk her lullaby. She slid into sleep and straight into a dream, the clarity of every detail telling her immediately that this was no nocturnal meandering, but a visitation from the power that lived within her. Curls of white mist rose up around her, obscuring her vision and creating an intimate feel to the vision. She could not see, but she could not be seen either. A figure began to emerge through the mist, walking towards her with graceful paces; a woman. Mistral narrowed her eyes to see more clearly; the figure was familiar, but not someone from the Valley. The thick veil of mist parted to reveal blue eyes set into a pale heart-shaped face and a gentle smile stolen from the lips of her Mage.
It was Fabian’s mother.
Mistral suddenly realised that she’d been mistaken, it wasn’t the Sight but one of Fabian’s dreams again. She studied the figure before her, as vague and insubstantial as the mist around them and waited patiently for the dream to unfold. But the figure continued to regard her silently, the gentle smile unwavering, the blue eyes warm.
‘Hello Mistral.’
Mistral couldn’t help it, she turned and looked over her shoulder, but there was no-one else to see, only the strange mist that both concealed and contained her. Confused, Mistral turned back to the ghostly figure before her.
‘Isn’t this one of Fabian’s dreams?’
Shaking her head slowly, Fabian’s mother smiled more deeply, one side lifting fractionally higher than the other in the same way as Fabian’s did.
Mistral’s lips formed a silent “oh”. So it was another strange visitation courtesy of her gift. But what could Fabian’s mother have to tell her? That childbirth is a potentially life-threatening business? Mistral suddenly hoped that Sight had not called up a vision of her deceased mother-in-law purely to impart some advice on birthing procedures. Serenity was bad enough, but at least she had the good grace to only bother Mistral whilst she was awake.
‘My beautiful sons.’ Fabian’s mother smiled proudly and looked over Mistral’s shoulder.
Mistral turned automatically but could only see the swirling mist that surrounded her, ‘You can see Fabian?’
‘And Leopold,’ she said, her smile deepening. ‘My two sons. I am so glad they have found each other.’
Mistral studied the figment that Sight had manifested before her. Opening her mouth to address her, Mistral suddenly realised she had no idea of what Fabian’s mother had been called. Apparently oblivious to Mistral’s sudden embarrassment, Fabian’s mother continued to speak.
‘The time is nearly upon them. They will embrace their destiny together.’
Mistral couldn’t conceal the inner weariness she felt at the “d” word. She spent her waking moments listening to talk of destiny; did it really have to invade her sleep now as well?
‘Honour me when the time is right,’ the figment whispered and began to fade back into the mist.
‘Wait!’ Mistral called with a frown. ‘What do you mean? How can I honour you?’
‘Delphine –’
Mistral opened her eyes to see Fabian looking at her with a startled expression.
‘What did you say?’ he asked quickly.
‘Delphine.’ Mistral smiled dreamily, her eyes already closing once again. ‘Our daughter will be called Delphine. Delphine Alyssa De Winter.’
Fabian stared down at her still face, for once completely peaceful in sleep. He could not recall ever telling Mistral his mother’s name, and he was sure they were having a son.
Mistral did not stir again that night, but slept a deep and dreamless sleep cradled in Fabian’s arms. Waking to the sound of his heart beating and the gentle intake of each breath, Mistral smiled. What could be a more perfect way to wake? The warm, wet tongue that lavished itself across her face abruptly snapped her out of her pleasant reverie.
‘Damn it Prospero! How many times do I have to tell you? Go wake the boys first!’
‘He already has and we sent him your way.’ Phantom said grumpily. ‘Dog saliva is not my idea of a wash Mistral, please stop teaching him to do that!’
The low rumble of laughter in Fabian’s chest told her that he was awake and listening to their whispered squabble.
‘Good morning,’ she smiled up at him while he regarded her through half-opened eyes.
His eyes slowly opened wider and a small frown puckered the pale skin of his forehead.
‘Yes?’ She asked, reading the unspoken question in his face, aura and thoughts all at once.
‘Are we having a son?’
‘By “we” I assume you mean the heavy weight that I’m carrying around?’ Mistral responded archly. ‘Yes, Fabian, he is definitely a boy.’
‘Then why did you tell me that our daughter is going to be named after my mother and Alyssa last night?’
‘Oh, that.’ Mistral’s expression went suddenly vague as she recalled her bizarre vision. She sighed and gave Fabian a slightly puzzled smile. ‘I think I met your mother last night, well, I don’t know that it was her, exactly, but it was a manifestation of her made by Sight to deliver a message –’
‘Sight sent my mother to request that we name our daughter after her?’ Fabian frowned.
‘Well I’m not calling our son Delphine that’s for sure.’ Mistral muttered then added more clearly. ‘Oh, and she also said something about you and Leo … that it was time for you both to embrace your destinies.’
Fabian’s smil
e of amusement slid from his face to leave him looking cold.
‘What did she mean?’ Mistral asked, unsettled by his suddenly distant expression. ‘I thought you already had embraced your destiny … with me –’ She let her voice trail off; embarrassed at making the grand-sounding assumption that she was his destiny. She gazed into his flat black stare and sighed, hearing the words in his mind a split-second before they left his lips.
‘It is the destiny of every Mage to embrace the Craft.’
‘So, what am I then?’ Mistral felt suddenly petulant, jealous of something other than her laying claim to Fabian.
He smiled; the coldness in his eyes softening to sublime velvet once more, ‘The Craft is the destiny of all Mages, Mistral. But you … you are my personal destiny, and one I am more than happy to embrace.’ Laughing softly, Fabian pulled her towards him and kissed her, the gentle touch of his lips against hers dispelling any stupid notions of jealousy.
‘Will you please stop that?’ Phantom complained. ‘I’m trying to eat breakfast!’
After a quick wash in the nearby stream, Mistral and Fabian joined the twins and Leo to eat breakfast around the cold ashes of the fire while they went over the final details for the evening.
‘How will I signal to you who to influence?’ Mistral was asking Phantasm with a frown. ‘You can’t hide a gesture, or even a look in that Council chamber!’
‘I know.’ Phantasm agreed. ‘We won’t be able to use the code anyway; Malachi will be looking out for it.’
‘Signal with your eyes.’ Fabian said.
‘What do you mean?’ Phantom frowned. ‘Blink once for yes, and twice for no?’
Fabian shook his head impatiently and turned to focus his attention on Mistral, ‘You can read people without looking at them now, and although your expression will appear slightly vague it will not arouse any suspicion, half the Councillors look like that at every meeting. Now, we’ve already agreed a strategy for reading the Councillors –’
The Seer Page 80
