The Assassin's Tale (Isle of Dreams)

by Kirsten Jones

  Mistral gaped at him.

  ‘If the Divinus feels that you have latent Sight I think you should at least try and fulfil your potential before you commit yourself to a life of doing low-grade work.’

  ‘I quite like chopping the heads off things,’ she retorted flippantly.

  ‘Do you like chopping the heads off people too? Because assassination work usually falls to low-grade warriors. They have to take any Contracts on offer just to make what little money they can. If you are unqualified you will never have the option to turn down work because you don’t agree with what it entails, and believe me, most assassination work is dangerous. Nice people don’t tend to get Contracts taken out against them.’

  Believe me … Mistral looked at him with fresh eyes. There was so much she didn’t know about Fabian’s dark past.

  ‘Mistral, I want to spend my life with you, preferably in one piece. All I am asking is for you to please just consider the possibility of training for a second year before you consign yourself to a short life of shady work.’

  Fabian suddenly bent his head and kissed her, effectively ending any argument she was about to make.

  He finally released her, breathless and dazed, and gazed at her quizzically.

  ‘So?’

  She blinked, coming back to reality after the intensity of his embrace, ‘Um, oh, alright then. I’ll think about it,’ she sighed then frowned. ‘But I really don’t want to become Leo’s puppet.’

  ‘I agree, but working for the Ri is not the only option you will have with the power of Sight. I think that would be a gift that Eximius would value very highly, very highly indeed,’ said Fabian softly.

  ‘Great, so I get to work for the boring Council. What fun,’ muttered Mistral, looking mutinous.

  Fabian smiled, ‘But you won’t have to work for just anyone Mistral! Please just think about this for a moment! With the power of Sight you will never be forced into taking a Contract you don’t want to just to make ends meet. You can pick and choose any Contract you wish … and you can name your price.’

  ‘Still sounds boring.’

  ‘Would spending your life with me be boring?’ Fabian asked, stroking a finger gently down her cheek.

  Mistral closed her eyes, savouring his touch and the promise it held. When she opened them again it was to gaze into his liquid black eyes.

  ‘No,’ she breathed.

  He smiled and pulled her closer. She curled up against him listening blissfully to the crackle of the fire and the steady beating of his heart. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad … another year … especially if she got to spend her weekends with Fabian.

  Mistral was suddenly struck by an anxious thought, making her sit upright, ‘Does this mean I can’t come here to see you anymore?’

  Fabian smiled gently and shook his head, reaching up to brush a strand of hair away from her face.

  ‘This is your home too now. I love you and nothing can change that. Not Leo’s ambitions, not Sight, not your erratic mood swings –’

  ‘I’m not erratic!’ she snapped and immediately laughed at herself. ‘Well, maybe I can be a bit over-passionate about things sometimes,’ she admitted, curling up against him again. ‘But surely that’s all just part of my charm.’

  ‘Part of,’ Fabian murmured. ‘But I think it’s going to be a long year.’

  Final Warning

  ‘Good morning Mistral! And at what time did Mage De Winter return you to us last night?’ Phantasm called cheerfully while he strolled towards the table where Mistral was sat, quietly eating breakfast. Several of the other apprentices immediately turned to grin at her, some openly sniggering.

  ‘Early evening,’ she scowled at him as he sat on the bench opposite her. ‘And did you have to announce it to the whole Refectory?’

  ‘Oh, everybody already knows!’ Phantom announced breezily, placing two bowls of porridge onto the table and pushing one towards his brother. ‘I think the public display of mutual affection in The Cloak and Dagger was a bit of a giveaway.’

  Mistral bent her head over her bowl of porridge to hide her reddening face and concentrated on trying to finish it in record time. Training this morning was going to be hell.

  ‘I’ve just seen Barak in the corridor and he says that we’re training indoors today. Apparently the Arena is full of snow,’ Phantasm announced smugly. The twins hated being cold and the chance to spend the day in a warm Training Room was cause enough for them to be in good spirits.

  Mistral nodded vaguely. She hadn’t been up in the big Training Room on the third floor since the night she had sat there reading her own aura. She couldn’t help but reflect on how much had changed since then.

  ‘It’ll be swords today then,’ Phantom said happily, interrupting Mistrals’ thoughts.

  They smiled contentedly and began to eat their breakfast with relish. Both were excellent swordsmen and enjoyed any opportunity to show off their skills.

  ‘Today just keeps getting better for you doesn’t it?’ Mistral muttered sourly. They were going to be unbearable. Both were in good moods and no doubt looking forward to the merciless teasing she was going to get from the other apprentices.

  ‘No,’ said Phantom suddenly leaning forward and fixing her with a hard look. ‘But it will when I know what you were doing yesterday. In detail please’

  ‘Dream on brother, I’m not telling you anything. Anyway, I’m sure what you’re imagining in your twisted mind is far more sordid than the reality!’ Mistral snapped.

  ‘Oh come on! After all, we are the closest thing you have to family. Can’t you share with me? It’s only because I want to be sure that you’re happy,’ he wheedled, smiling angelically at her.

  Despite her irritation at him, Mistral found herself grinning back as she recalled the events of yesterday. She and Fabian had finally left his house and ridden back at dusk. They had sat talking in her room until midnight when he had eventually gone off to find a bed at The Cloak and Dagger. Mistral sighed and looked pensively out of the long narrow windows at the heavy grey sky outside and wondered if he had left the Valley yet.

  Dragging her gaze back to meet Phantom’s bright green eyes, still looking at her eagerly, she shrugged and shoved her empty bowl away.

  ‘If you really must know we rode out to his house and spent the day there. It was nice.’

  Phantom continued to stare expectantly at her before raising one eyebrow questioningly.

  Mistral blew her cheeks out and looked in exasperation at Phantasm, ‘Can’t you do something about him?’

  ‘Behave Phantom. I’m sure Mistral has quite a lot to tell us that is probably best done when there are fewer ears around to catch anything of a sensitive nature,’ Phantasm said smoothly, giving her a meaningful look. ‘And I’m not interested in romantic details.’

  ‘We did briefly discuss your theory – let’s talk later,’ she finished quickly when Saul ambled up to the table, distractedly swinging his sword in circles by his side.

  ‘Ready for training?’

  ‘Definitely,’ said Mistral leaping to her feet, glad of an excuse to escape Phantom’s interrogation.

  She walked up to the third floor chatting easily with Saul about the latest batch of goblin-forged swords that Toothe and Nayle had just taken delivery of, comparing their merits to the elven swords that both he and Mistral owned.

  They entered the vast torchlit room and looked around, surprised to find that they were the first ones to arrive. Mistral looked over her shoulder. She was sure the twins had been right behind them, but the corridor was empty.

  Shrugging, she walked over the far wall and sat down with her back against it. Resting her swords lightly against her knees she began examining their edges for any nicks or flaws that would need smoothing out. Saul sat down lightly beside her.

  ‘So,’ he began after a moment’s hesitation. ‘Mage De Winter, huh?’

  Oh here we go. ‘Hmm,’ she said non-committedly.

  There was a short silence. Mi
stral ran her finger lightly down the edge of one of her swords, checking the sharpness.

  ‘Well he’s a braver man than me.’

  It was meant to be casual, a throw away comment, but something amiss in Saul’s voice made Mistral look up at him. He was gazing at her with an almost wistful expression on his face and her heart sank. Surely not ...

  ‘I never found the courage to ever ask you and now it’s too late.’

  Mistral was completely at a loss for words. Too stunned to think up something appeasing that would make Saul feel better she fell back on the only option. The truth.

  ‘You are like a brother to me Saul.’

  He nodded and gave a half-smile, ‘I’ve got your back, always ... and if De Winter ever hurts you –’ he left the sentence unfinished, the threat to Fabian clear.

  Mistral snorted, ‘I think we both know that Fabian is more at risk from me than the other way around.’

  They both laughed and the door opened suddenly, making them jump and look up guiltily. The twins strolled in wearing identical expressions of innocence. Mistral narrowed her eyes at them as they crossed the room. Not fooled by their convenient vanishing act she vowed to have words with them at the very first opportunity.

  Brutus and Cain entered after the twins and Saul left to go and speak with them. Mistral watched him go sadly, knowing that their friendship had been unalterably changed.

  The arrival of the twins sitting down next to her broke Mistral’s train of thought, she glared at them both accusingly.

  ‘Ah, so Saul finally confessed did he?’ Phantasm sighed.

  ‘You knew?’ Mistral demanded in a low whisper.

  ‘I think it’s more shocking that you didn’t,’ retorted Phantasm. ‘You can read auras can’t you?’

  Mistral stared at him. She had no answer to that except to say that reading the others’ auras was a bit like walking in on them in the shower. Some things are better left unseen.

  ‘Is there anything else I should know?’ she finally spluttered indignantly.

  ‘Hmm, well I think Grendel has been carrying a troll-sized torch for you since you offed his father, which is disturbing when you think about it,’ Phantom mused, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

  ‘And Konrad definitely wanted to lock you in his room day and night for the last couple of months ... but I think you’re safe now that you have that certain glow about you,’ added Phantasm with a sideways look.

  Mercifully, Mistral’s response was drowned by the sound of Barak banging the door open and walking in with a large target held under one beefy arm.

  ‘Right! Split up into two groups! Throwing knife practise down the far end and sword work up here by the mirrored wall,’ he barked in a gruff voice.

  The twins and Mistral instantly got up and walked towards the mirror to join Xerxes and Saul for sword training, leaving Grendel, Golden, Columbine, Brutus and Cain to take target practice at the far end of the room.

  ‘Morning Mistral,’ said Xerxes with a wink. ‘Sleep well?’

  ‘About as well as you will be in five minutes when I’ve punched you in the head,’ Mistral growled.

  Xerxes laughed loudly, causing Barak to scowl at them.

  ‘Any trouble out of you today Mistral and you are going straight to see the Training Captain,’ he warned in a loud voice.

  ‘He’s obviously been talking to Caleb about your lovely behaviour in training,’ Xerxes grinned.

  Mistral glowered at him and raised her double-swords, ‘Ready,’ she enquired with a tight smile.

  Xerxes’ grin faltered when he saw the look on her face, he quickly drew his own pair of shorter goblin-forged blades.

  ‘New swords?’ Mistral asked coldly, beginning to circle him. ‘Shame to break them so soon.’

  The apprentices paired up and began to practise. At once the Training Room was filled with the ringing clang of steel blades striking against one other. The twins took it in turns to train with Saul while Mistral remained partnered with Xerxes. She was pushing him mercilessly, her face set in a hard mask of concentration while she tried to break through his defence.

  ‘Don’t think you can make an example of me and put them off,’ Xerxes grunted breathlessly, parrying a well-aimed thrust at the last second. ‘You know they’re going to torment you for ages about this.’

  ‘Well … maybe … I’ll … make … it … one … less … to … torment … me,’ Mistral snarled, punctuating her words with a series of sharp stabs at Xerxes who backed away quickly, deftly blocking all but the last shot which pierced the chest plate of his armour.

  ‘Steady Mistral!’

  ‘It’s only troll skin! Cheap junk!’ she snorted, stepping back and spinning her swords in figure of eights by her side while Xerxes bent double and panted for breath.

  ‘You know what?’ Xerxes stood up and wiped the sweat from his brow. ‘That De Winter is a brave man!’

  ‘You’re the second person to say that to me today and it hasn’t got any funnier,’ retorted Mistral turning sharply to glare at him. ‘Now, are we training or –’

  Mistral’s last word froze on her lips at the whistling sound of something small and sharp flying past her ear, followed by a soft thud of a throwing knife embedding into the padded floor at her feet. Xerxes and Mistral stared in disbelief at the small throwing knife and both immediately spun around to look for the owner. They didn’t have to look far. Columbine and Golden were stood with their backs to the target they were meant to be aiming for, looking at Mistral with expressions of intense loathing on their faces.

  ‘Oh, bad luck Columbine, you missed!’ Golden sighed sympathetically.

  ‘Too right she did! The training target is facing the other way!’ Saul exclaimed angrily and made to move towards the openly laughing pair. He hadn’t taken one step when something shot past him at full tilt: Mistral, sprinting across the room towards Columbine, her face livid.

  Before she could reach her target Barak stepped in front of her and slammed a massive hand into the centre of her chest, knocking her flat onto her back. She swore loudly and immediately made to leap up again. He rammed his boot into her midriff, trapping her onto the padded floor, winded and furious.

  ‘Stay down until you calm down,’ he growled into her enraged face.

  With a loud grunt of pain Barak was abruptly knocked sideways by Saul’s fist connecting with the side of his jaw.

  ‘Pick on someone your own size Barak,’ he warned in a low voice and raised his clenched fists ready to strike again.

  ‘He is my size!’ Mistral screamed furiously, leaping to her feet the second she was released from beneath Barak’s boot.

  ‘I got your back,’ muttered Saul, slowly circling Barak.

  ‘Suit yourself!’ Mistral snapped. Leaving Saul and Barak she started running at Columbine again. The Training Room erupted into chaos with the apprentices yelling their encouragement to both her and Saul. Golden slunk to the side of the room and watched Columbine dispassionately. The half-gargillian was snarling ferociously, baring her green-tinged teeth while she crouched forwards with her arms slightly raised, ready for Mistral’s headlong impact. Mistral waited until she was almost upon her before launching herself feet-first into the air, driving both boots with the full force of her running jump into Columbine’s chest and sending her crashing to the floor. They landed together in a tangle of legs and arms. Mistral rolled quickly, straddling the winded Columbine and pinning her arms by her sides with her knees. It felt good to let anger saturate her, blanking all thoughts from her mind, leaving only the satisfaction of driving her fist into Columbine’s face. Mistral raised her fist again to repeat the action but before she had the chance hands grabbed her clenched fist, pulling it back. Another pair of hands immediately wrapped around her waist and lifted her off Columbine.

  ‘Let me go!’ Mistral screamed in outrage. ‘She’s been trying to kill me for months! Just let me hit one more time!’

  ‘Absolutely not,’ said Phantasm hotly. �
�I think you’ve done quite enough for one day.’

  ‘I’ll say she has,’ snapped a cold voice from the door way.

  The apprentices all spun around to stare into the icy blue gaze of their Training Captain. A ringing silence fell as Leo’s freezing glare swept the shambolic scene before him. Columbine had staggered to her feet and was wiping blood from her mouth, the twins were still physically holding Mistral back and Saul was stood over the unconscious body of their Training Lieutenant.

  ‘Saul, Mistral, my room – now!’ Leo snapped. ‘Grendel! Get Barak up to the Infirmary! The rest of you get down to the Arena and clear the snow. You will be training outside this afternoon!’ with one final glare in Mistral’s direction he spun on his heel and left, letting the door slam behind him with a deafening bang.

  Saul stepped over Barak and left the room without a word but Mistral immediately began to struggle with renewed vigour against the twins’ grip.

  ‘Let me go!’ she demanded, still utterly enraged. ‘He’s going to chuck me out for sure now! Just let me finish that ugly bitch off before I go!’

  Ignoring her demands to be released the twins hauled her from the room, following Saul out through the door and into the corridor. Saul didn’t wait for them but strode on ahead and was soon climbing the stairs to Leo’s tower room.

  ‘I think we’ll wait here for your turn,’ said Phantasm quietly. ‘Now, are you ready not to commit murder yet?’

  Mistral shot him a look of pure venom.

  ‘The first time in ages I have the chance to get even and you – you –’

  ‘Save your chance of a second year’s apprenticeship?’ Phantasm interjected smoothly. ‘I know it was good of me, you can thank me later.’

  Mistral regaled him with a few suggestions about what he could do with a second year’s training but was forced to cease when Saul reappeared at the base of the spiral stone staircase.

  ‘What did you get?’ Phantom asked quickly.

  ‘A week on punishment detail,’ he muttered darkly then gave Mistral a strange look. ‘But that’s nothing compared to what you’re going to get,’ he said and abruptly walked off.