‘Brother –’
‘– it is time to embrace our destiny.’
Flames of blinding white erupted around them, rising up in rings to reach the summit of the glass cupola above. Safe within their enchanted vortex of fire Mistral and the twins were silent and unmoving, oblivious to the crackling of flames surrounding them and the ozone-filled air that throbbed with power, their sightless eyes saw nothing, and everything. Keeping their backs to Mistral and the twins, Fabian and Leo began to pace slowly around the perimeter, controlling the shield of fire they had created, watching, waiting; ready for the Rochfortes’ spell to be released.
At Christophe’s ringing shout the Rochfortes’ spell burst forth. It surged across the room in a rippling wave of blue light, smashing into the rings of white fire with a thunderous boom that shook the entire chamber. The fiery rings bowed beneath the force of the impact then blazed anew, becoming a towering inferno. Flames exploded from the sheer sides, repelling the Rochfortes’ spell back across the chamber, lifting Councillors from their seats and flinging them against the marble tiers, sweeping on over their fallen bodies in an irrepressible wave to level the very Mages that had cast it. With a resounding crack the spell slammed into the back wall of the chamber and rebounded, billowing out across the room to collide against the impenetrable wall of fire in another deafening roar. Instantly more flames ignited around the base of the vortex, bursting upwards to wrap the Rochfortes’ spell in its fiery grip and thrust it towards the ceiling. The sudden flare of white flames abruptly died back, releasing the Rochfortes’ spell from its grip to shatter the glass cupola and rush out into the night in an explosion of blue light.
Fabian and Leo immediately jerked their arms up and in; at once the rings of fire responded to tighten at the top and create a flaming dome. Shards of broken glass rained down, briefly forming a glittering crown on the dome before cascading down the sides to shatter on the marble floor and ricochet across the chamber in razor sharp fragments. The tinkling of breaking glass gradually died away, leaving just the crackle of enchanted flames. Still stepping slowly around their protective circle of fire, Fabian and Leo looked out at the devastation the Rochfortes’ spell had wreaked. Not a single Mage remained standing. Even the two warlocks lay insensible by the door. Mage Grapple was sprawled unconscious on his back, his scarred face almost serene.
Sighing deeply, Mistral slipped her hands from the twins’ and reached out to touch Fabian lightly on his raised arm, ‘It is done.’
Slowly lowering his arms Fabian turned to face her. They did not embrace or even speak, but stared at each other with an intensity that rivalled the flames encircling them.
‘How did you do that?’ Phantom demanded in an awed whisper, staring through the veil of flames at the cataclysmic scene before him.
‘We cast.’ Leo replied shortly.
‘No … I meant Mistral.’ Phantom said, switching his shocked green eyes to stare at her. ‘How did you get us to See with you?’
‘I didn’t.’ Mistral responded quietly, her eyes not leaving Fabian’s.
Phantom frowned, ‘But –’
‘It was our son.’
Fabian’s eyes registered no surprise or fear, but continued to hold her own with his deep unwavering stare, ‘He is gifted.’
She nodded slowly, ‘More than any of us.’
‘Then that wind that blew through the chamber … that was him too?’ Phantasm asked.
‘Yes, he can control the elements; fire, water, air, earth –’
Phantasm’s eyes widened, ‘And See?’
‘Yes … and enable others to See.’
‘Looks like you’ll be retiring early then.’ Phantom said and looked at the rings of fire still rising up around them. ‘Any chance of dropping the spell now? Only the smell of ozone is getting a bit overpowering.’
Leo lowered his arms and at once the spell was broken. Released from their shield the sight that met their eyes was nothing short of apocalyptic. Broken glass and chunks of fallen marble littered the floor. Some were lodged into the network of deep cracks emanating out from the point where the spells had collided. The floor of the chamber itself was no longer gleaming white but scorched black and spattered with blood; the coppery reek mixing with the lingering scent of ozone and singed clothing.
‘I think it is best I check Christophe.’ Leo said abruptly and strode across the chamber to where Christophe lay unmoving in a pool of blood. ‘Would one of you please ensure that we have managed not to kill the Head of the Isle?’ he added crisply. Kneeling beside Christophe’s motionless body Leo gazed down at the unnaturally pale face, seeing instantly a long shard of glass protruding from his neck he pressed a finger against his throat, feeling for a pulse. ‘He’s dead,’ he announced flatly.
‘Good.’ Taking hold of Mistral’s hand Fabian walked with her towards Mage Grapple.
‘I’ll check him.’ Mistral murmured and knelt awkwardly onto the charred floor of the chamber. She reached a hand out towards his neck then quickly drew it back again when his eyes opened to regard her with his unnerving cold stare.
‘Trouble?’ he growled, echoing her words from the banquet while he slowly sat up. ‘I think that you have severely underestimated the reactions you have the ability to evoke, Lady De Winter. Now,’ he turned to fix Fabian with a steely glare, ‘would you please tell me why all of my Councillors are unconscious and my chamber looks like a battlefield?’
The Tears of a Golden Widow
Mistral awoke to bright early morning sunlight pouring in through a curtainless window. She groaned and opened her eyes a fraction, taking in the unfamiliar room while the events of the night seeped into her mind.
Shielding her eyes against the unwelcome glare she took in the carnage of the room; a white shirt lay discarded on the floor with half the buttons missing, a pair of black trousers were tossed over the back of a fallen chair, two satin slippers and a pair of polished black boots had been flung carelessly against the far wall, and just near the bed lay the crumpled remains of an expensive white gown, now being used as a bed by Prospero.
‘Good boy,’ she murmured with a smile, eliciting a deep rumble of laughter from the warm body she was lying against.
‘That’s a pity. I was hoping I could persuade you to wear that again.’
‘Why?’ Mistral lifted herself up on one elbow to frown at Fabian. ‘We’re not going to another gala are we?’
‘No.’ Fabian looked at her through half-open eyes. ‘I think that we may have permanently removed ourselves from the invite list after last night.’ He smiled and lifted a lock of her hair, twining it lazily through his fingers.
‘Then why would you want me to wear it again?’
‘To present me with another opportunity to take it off you.’
The sound of cupboard doors banging and the clattering of pans woke them later. Rolling over with a sigh to meet the eager gaze of her dog resting his head onto the bed beside her, Mistral yawned and inhaled the delicious smell of cooking bacon.
She was instantly wide awake, ‘Time to get up Fabian! The twins are cooking breakfast!’
They ate together around the table in the huge kitchen of the house Fabian and Mistral now owned; the twins tousled haired but bright-eyed, dressed again in the familiar black shirts and trousers of the Ri.
‘I still can’t believe I Saw!’ Phantom exclaimed between forkfuls of scrambled eggs. ‘It was amazing!’
‘The novelty wears off really quickly brother.’ Mistral replied, not lifting her eyes from the plate of food in front of her.
‘Can you do that all the time now?’ he persisted eagerly.
Mistral shook her head, ‘It’s not me that has that gift. I’m only sharing it while I’m pregnant.’
Phantom’s eyes narrowed while he performed some swift calculations, ‘Still got the best part of a month to take advantage though –’
‘Can’t you just wait until he’s born and not bother me in the meantime?’ Mistral lea
ned back with a sigh, pushing her empty plate away.
Phantom frowned, ‘Not really Mistral, well … maybe while he’s still a small boy, but I don’t really want to be holding hands with him when he’s older!’
Mistral laughed, ‘No, it wouldn’t do your reputation much good, besides, he won’t be a small boy for very long.’
‘Oh?’ Fabian looked up sharply.
Mistral dropped her gaze to study the empty plate in front of her, trying to find the words to explain. She hadn’t yet told Fabian what had been revealed to her about their son, in fact they hadn’t discussed the events of the night before at all; the few words they had spoken to each other since returning to their house were definitely unrepeatable in company.
‘Sight showed me our son’s future last night, or rather, he showed me,’ she began slowly. ‘He’s going to grow at the same rate as the centaurs do, so in just three years he’ll be a man … and he’s going to look just like you.’
Fabian gazed at her wordlessly, the dramatically accelerated growth of their son instantly raising a series of concerns in his mind.
‘Oh don’t worry Fabian, he’ll grow fast, but that’s just to protect him. Once he’s full grown his lifespan will be in line with what you’d expect, providing he doesn’t inherit my stupid ability to attract trouble that is.’
‘Yes, you did rather excel yourself last night didn’t you?’ Phantasm remarked while he buttered another bread roll. ‘Poor Golden is a widow again, Malachi was double-crossed then murdered, and we managed to destroy the Council chamber in the process!’
‘That’s just another plus point to last night as far as I see it.’ Phantom said brightly. ‘No more meetings for a while!’
‘Is Leo officially our Divinus now?’ Mistral asked Fabian while the twins laughed. ‘Only we never did get to the voting part, did we?’
Fabian smiled humourlessly, ‘Well, considering that the only other contender died, I would say a vote would have been fairly pointless. However we will have to wait until Leo returns and formally confirms his appointment before we can make that assumption.’
‘Where is Master Sphinx anyway?’ Phantasm looked at Mistral pointedly. ‘He didn’t stay here last night.’
‘I’m not reading him brother.’ Mistral said firmly. ‘He’s entitled to some privacy. He and Mage Grapple probably had a few things to discuss.’
‘Yes, family reunions can be a touch trying.’ Phantom sighed. ‘Our mother made us promise to visit her before we left today. I’m dreading it already.’
‘Er, she doesn’t want that dress back does she?’ Mistral asked in a worried voice, thinking about the crumpled pile of material on their bedroom floor.
‘Of course not!’ Phantom exclaimed in shocked tones. ‘Mother wear something twice? That would be unthinkable!’
‘Although it would be nice if you wore it again Mistral, you actually looked quite elegant for once.’ Phantasm said, giving her a condescending look over the top of his glass of water.
‘Mage Grapple obviously thought so!’ Phantom grinned. ‘And Master Sphinx … I’ve never seen him dance before! Come to think of it, you danced with pretty much all of your family last night–’
‘The truth about Leo’s parentage is not something that can ever become common knowledge!’ Fabian interrupted in a sharp voice.
‘Mage De Winter, I appreciate that you consider my brother and I to be incorrigible gossips, but please let me assure you of our absolute discretion in this matter.’ Phantasm responded smoothly. He paused suddenly before continuing in a voice that held more genuine emotion. ‘Last night we were afforded the privilege of Sight and, despite my brother’s apparent casual attitude, it was not something either of us took lightly. It was … a revelation, and one that has helped me begin to comprehend why Mistral is so completely unenthused by intrigue.’
‘Overdose of private devices and desires was it?’ Mistral asked, offering him a jaded smile.
‘Something like that.’ Phantasm replied lightly. ‘But more than that, I know now that the power we share is something to be treated with the greatest of respect.’
‘Ah. But, it was something else.’ Phantom sighed with a misty-eyed look. ‘We Saw everyone … and could have made them do absolutely anything we wanted –’
‘You could have prevented the Rochfortes from Casting?’ Fabian asked sharply.
The twins instantly fell silent.
Mistral smiled softly and reached out to take his hand, ‘Of course we could. But it was not for us to stop them, that was your destiny.’
Leo returned after breakfast, his perpetually icy demeanour uninviting of any questions as to what conversations had ensued between him and Mage Grapple. Taking the hint, the twins left him and Fabian alone and dragged Mistral up to her bedroom. Sitting down on either side of her on the unmade bed they gazed at her with familiar impatience.
‘So?’
‘What’re they talking about?’
‘Can we do this some other time?’ Mistral muttered, casting an embarrassed glance at the disarray of last night’s clothing lying scattered across the floor, forming an obvious trail from the door to the four-poster bed they were now sat upon.
‘Look Mistral, we need to know!’
‘I’m sure you do. But maybe later?’
‘No.’
‘Now.’
Their double green stares bored into hers with an irrefutable force, commanding her to their will.
‘Oh alright then,’ she sighed in defeat. ‘But you owe me!’
‘Anything you want.’ Phantom breathed, watching her eyes slide out of focus he reached for her hand with a hungry gleam in his eye.
Silently taking hold of her other hand, Phantasm completed the triangle their gifted godson created and shared in the thoughts of the two brothers talking in the kitchen two floors below.
‘Tell me brother; has Eximius confirmed your appointment?’
‘He has. I am the Divinus of the Ri.’
In the bedroom above their eyes rolled as one at the obvious note of self-satisfaction in Leo’s voice.
‘This is well. But tell me, what of the Rochfortes?’ Fabian asked.
‘Apart from Christophe, none of the party were seriously injured. They left for their ship at dawn with an escort of fifty warlocks and Mage Grapple’s Captain of the Guard.’
‘And … Golden?’
The twins and Mistral shared in Leo’s spasm of contempt at Fabian’s mention of the half-nymph.
‘She petitioned Mage Grapple for sanctuary on the Isle.’
A silence fell, Mistral’s hands tightened around the twins’.
‘And?’
‘He refused her. She appealed her case, but no-one would support her. She’s too tarnished by the Rochforte name to appeal to any of the Councillors here … despite her efforts.’
‘She pleaded her case to you?’
A sudden image flashed into all of their minds of Golden on her knees, her tearful face beseeching.
‘I was not the only one she attempted to seduce with her lies … but she is gone, returned with the Rochfortes. She is fallen, her fate is sealed.’
The inference in Leo’s voice was clear. Golden would return to France destitute and be forced to align herself once again with any Rochforte willing to accept the affections of a thrice widowed half-breed. Mistral felt the twins’ gratification at knowing what Golden had become, but she did not share in their victory. She felt only pity for the creature that had begged Leo on her knees, knowing that her anguish had been genuine.
‘And of the other matter?’
The twins stiffened fractionally in response to the question Fabian was asking Leo.
‘Fortunately none of the Councillors were sober enough to comprehend Christophe’s hints and, aside from Mistral and the Gemini; you, I and Mage Grapple are the only ones to know that I am his son. We agree that it should remain so. My position as Divinus would be irreparably damaged by such information becoming public
knowledge.’
‘I agree, the Ri would instantly reject your authority if the truth were revealed.’
‘With that in mind I would appreciate you reminding Mistral and the Gemini that their silence on this matter is vital.’
‘I am sure they already know –’
Oops … looks like your Mage knows we’re eavesdropping!
Best back off now Mistral …
Phantom heaved a deep sigh of contentment when Mistral severed the connection with Fabian and Leo.
‘I could definitely get used to having access to that gift!’
‘Hmm, it is rather useful.’ Phantasm agreed then frowned as his eyes re-focussed and took in the messy bedroom. ‘Is our Divinus absolutely certain that the Rochfortes left at dawn? Only it looks like a party of them have ransacked this room!’
Mistral said nothing and dipped her head to let her hair swing down and hide a smile.
‘Mistral! Should you really have been doing that in your condition?’
Startled out of her private musings she looked around to meet Phantom’s reproving look. Realising that he still had access to her thoughts through their joined hands she snatched hers away and blushed bright red.
‘Really!’ Phantasm chided her. ‘Look at the state of that dress! It looks like Prospero slept on it! Couldn’t you have just hung it up after Mage De Winter took it off you?’
‘Er, not really, and can we change the subject please?’ Mistral muttered, still blushing.
‘Of course we can Mistral.’ Phantasm said, leaving the bed to walk over and pick up the dress. ‘What would you like to talk about?’
‘Er?’
‘How about Golden’s fall from grace?’ Phantom suggested. ‘Bet that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy doesn’t it?’
‘Not particularly.’
‘Oh?’
Mistral shrugged and looked out of the window, ‘She really loves Leo.’
‘Surely that only makes your revenge sweeter!’ Phantom exclaimed.
‘No brother.’ Phantasm paused from shaking out the dress to look at his twin. ‘Think of what Sight revealed to us.’
The Seer Page 88
