The Assassin's Destiny (Isle of Dreams) (5 page)

‘Sometimes you have the most
inappropriate effect on me,’ he muttered, shaking his head and still not
looking at her.

Mistral grinned and said nothing.

‘So practise on me.’  Fabian
suddenly looked up again and Mistral was disappointed to see that some of the
fire had gone from his eyes.

She sighed again.  He was
always offering himself up as a practice piece.  Most people were
uncomfortable having their auras read; at having too much of their soul
exposed.  But Fabian didn’t seem to care, telling her that he had already
concealed enough for one lifetime and would never hide anything from
her.   

‘Or don’t you want to be able to
See?’  he raised his eyebrows challengingly.

Mistral pulled a face at him and
sat up a little straighter, preparing herself to read his aura.  She
cleared her mind, concentrating solely on the air above his head.  In an
instant Fabian’s aura shimmered around him in a halo of colour.  She
studied it for a few seconds before smiling and looking back down at her
untouched drink, breaking the vision.

‘So what did you see?’ he
demanded with mock impatience.

‘Only what you’re feeling – as
usual.’

‘And what am I feeling?’ he
persisted, a smile lifting the corners of his mouth.

She eyed him across the table,
‘You need to take a cold shower.’

He grinned wolfishly at her,
‘Only if you come with me.’

She grinned back then leaned
across the table, her smile gone to leave her suddenly serious, ‘Honestly
Fabian, I don’t think this is working.  I don’t seem to be getting any
closer to being able to read people’s thoughts.  Maybe Leo was wrong. 
Maybe us not being together is actually holding me back.  I think we
should –’

‘Mistral.’  Fabian cut her
short with an angry gesture.  ‘We’ve been through this.’ 

It was true.  She had been
trying the same argument for a while now but with little success.

‘You could well be the only
chance for me to do something right with my life.  But more importantly
than that, I will not risk you missing the opportunity to escape a destiny of
being a hunter or assassin because of my impatience.  We have a lifetime
together and when you have the Sight I will stand more chance of spending it
with you in one piece.’

Mistral pouted and glared sulkily
into space, drumming her fingers against the tabletop.  She couldn’t argue
with his reasoning.  They had been through this a hundred times. 
Work as a Seer would be highly paid and a lot less dangerous than normal
Contracts but she was becoming more and more frustrated by her lack of progress
at developing Sight.  Serenity repeatedly told her to open her mind and
listen to her dreams – well she couldn’t so much listen to her dreams at the
moment as be set on fire by them.

Fabian sighed and pushed his
empty plate away to reach across the table and take her hands in his.  The
action reminding her again of first time he had ever held her hands and her
irritation instantly melted away.

‘Why don’t you come outside with
me?’ he asked softly. 

She looked up questioningly but
his face was unreadable.  All he would offer were the tantalising words.

‘I’ve bought you a present.’

Instantly she was excited,
leaping to her feet and bouncing around to his side of the table before he had
stood up.

‘Is it those butterfly
knives?  Only I’ll need a new knife belt if it is!  They won’t fit on
the one I’ve got at the moment –’

‘Mistral.’  Fabian cut in firmly. 
‘No it is not the butterfly knives.’

Mistral deflated slightly, ‘Oh.’

He smiled at her and touched his
hand lightly to her cheek, ‘Come outside and see.’

Taking her by the hand Fabian led
her out of the tavern and into the pouring rain.  Pulling the hood of his
cloak up he led her down a narrow cobbled alleyway at the side of The Cloak and
Dagger.  Stopping outside a heavy wooden gate set in the stone wall,
Fabian looked at her over his shoulder at her and smiled.

‘Here we are.’

‘The backyard of The Cloak? 
Why didn’t we just use the back door in the tavern and save getting wet?’

‘You’ll see.’

Bemused by what could possibly be
hidden in the backyard of The Cloak and Dagger, Mistral watched Fabian lift the
latch on the gate and let it swing inwards.  Holding his finger to his
lips he drew her to him and together they peered into the rain-soaked
yard.  At first all Mistral noticed was the smell of stale ale and rotting
food.  She looked around, taking in the piles of rubbish and broken
barrels lying on their side.  She couldn’t see anything that remotely
resembled a present.  Then a low rumbling growl drew her attention to a
sheltered corner near the back door of the tavern.

She gasped as a pair of large
pale blue eyes appeared out of the gloom.  Another growl erupted and a
massive dog slowly emerged from the shadows.  Mistral’s eyes widened,
taking in the dog’s anvil sized head crowned by pointed ears.  The
luxuriance of his white coat was something to rival the finest fur money could
buy and his sheer size was enough to make anyone take a step back.  His
back was easily as high as her waist ... and his teeth.  Well.  They
were something else. 

She turned to look at Fabian, her
eyes shining.

‘He’s beautiful!’

Fabian regarded the dog quietly
for a moment, ‘He’s a hunting dog.  I asked Clovis to keep an eye out for
one for me.  He doesn’t usually deal with dogs but he knows a tracker in
one of the villages nearby that likes to breed his own.  He’s more wolf
than dog really.’  he added a touch dubiously.

‘Is he trained?’  Mistral
whispered, her eyes drinking in the mammoth creature before her.

Sensing her scrutiny the dog
lifted a lip to growl threateningly, revealing again long curved incisors a
manticore would be proud of.

‘To hunt.’  Fabian confirmed
then frowned.  ‘But I think he has some obedience issues.’  

Mistral sighed happily.

Having made its mind up that
Mistral and Fabian were no threat the dog abruptly sat down on its haunches and
continued to stare balefully at them, oblivious to the rain that hung in
glistening drops from his heavy coat.

‘Has he been named?’
 Mistral asked, briefly tearing her gaze away from the dog.

‘Prospero.’

Mistral gave a laugh, ‘Really?’

Fabian shrugged, ‘It would appear
that someone has a sense of humour about sorcerers.’

The village clock chimed the hour
and Fabian sighed.

‘I’ll leave you two to get
acquainted, there a few matters I need to discuss with Leo.’ 

Fabian’s face immediately took on
the guarded expression he wore whenever he spoke about his brother.  Mistral
knew that their relationship was complicated but she never enquired about it.
 If something was bothering Fabian he would tell her in his own time.
 Feeling suddenly sad she stepped closer to his body.  Sliding her
hands beneath his long cloak she pressed them against his chest, feeling the
movement of muscles as he breathed.  The heat of his skin through his
shirt burned her hands like she was touching an open flame.  Resting her
head against his chest to inhale the familiar scent that always made her head
spin, Mistral felt his arms wrap around her, holding her tightly against
him. 

‘Will I see you before you go
tonight?’ she whispered. 

Fabian’s two months as a Training
Lieutenant were nearly finished and he was taking the first years out on an
overnight hunting trip.  Mistral had been forbidden from going on by Leo
stating flatly that she would be “too over enthusiastic” and intimidate the
first years, but she was not convinced by his uncharacteristic show of concern
for his first years.  She knew that between them Fabian and Leo had agreed
not to let her do anything more dangerous with her swords other than polish
them.  Frustrated as she was by Fabian’s overprotectiveness Mistral still
hated it when he left her, never quite managing to shake the strange feeling
that a part of her went with him, leaving her incomplete. 

‘I shall find you once I’ve seen
Leo.’

He lifted her chin with one hand
and kissed her softly.  She closed her eyes to savour the moment and then
he was gone, the sound of his footsteps rapidly fading away down the cobbled
alleyway.  Giving herself a mental shake, Mistral took a deep breath and
turned to face her new dog. 

Hands on hips Mistral studied
Prospero, being careful to avoid direct eye contact.  She wasn’t taken in by
his relaxed sitting posture.  She could feel his eyes following every
movement she made, coiled ready to spring at the slightest provocation. 
Mistral pursed her lips and deliberated for a few seconds before deciding on a
course of action.  A dog like that would never respect a master out of
force.  Respect had to be earned. 

Instantly, she knew what to do.

Turning and walking out the yard,
Mistral left the door open behind her and strode down the alley and across the
wet cobbles of the village square to the horse paddock.  All of the Ri
herd had been turned out and were picking morosely at any sparse grass they
could find in the mud of the paddock.  Cirrus was a little apart from the
rest of the horses, standing with his head held low, looking wet and miserable
in the sheeting rain.

Collecting a leadrope from the
row tied to the fence Mistral vaulted over and walked across the muddy field
towards him, calling his name as she drew closer.  He snorted and lifted
his head to watch her approach, his dark eyes gleaming with sudden
interest.  She walked slowly to his side, reaching out to grab his head
collar only for him to pull back sharply and trot away.  He stopped a
short distance away to turn and look at her again.  Mistral suppressed a growl
of irritation.  This game could go on for hours;  she walked, he
walked, she ran, he cantered round her in circles with something akin to joy on
his face.

Taking a deep breath Mistral
decided to employ the one foolproof method for catching Cirrus when he was
being stubborn.  She turned around and walked purposefully away from
him. 

Before she had taken five steps a
heavy thudding of hoof beats and a blast of warm air against the back of her
neck told her that Cirrus wasn’t going to be left out of whatever she had planned. 
Smiling to herself she carried on walking.  She had been taken in by this
act before too and had turned around to catch hold of his head collar only to
see his heels as he thundered away.  Mistral walked a few more paces
before she stumbled when Cirrus butted her impatiently in the small of her
back.

Feigning surprise she turned
around and made a fuss of him, stroking his neck and rubbing his long straight
nose.  Sliding her hand down to grab the loop at the base of his head
collar she quickly threaded a length of rope through it.  Cirrus snorted
and tossed his head but it was a half-hearted attempt at escape.  Mistral
smiled.  She now had an accomplice in her plan to tame Prospero.

Feeling suddenly reckless she
placed both hands onto his back and vaulted up.  Landing lightly she
immediately squeezed with her knees, urging him forwards.  Cirrus snorted
again and broke into a canter, heading straight for the fence.  Gripping
tightly onto his mane Mistral bent closer to his neck, keeping her balance while
he leapt the fence and landed with a clatter on the glistening cobbles of the
village square.

Hauling on the lead rope that
would have to suffice as makeshift reins, Mistral slowed Cirrus and called
Prospero’s name.  A low growl rumbled out from the alleyway then a pair of
pale blue eyes appeared and finally, Prospero prowled into view.

‘Come on boy!’  Mistral
called, kicking Cirrus into a trot.  ‘Let’s hunt!’

Prospero instantly leapt after
her, his plumed tail wagging.  Mistral grinned; here was another living
being that loved hunting as much as she did.  Pushing Cirrus into a canter
they splashed through the deep puddles on the path leading to the North Gate.
 Mistral was soon heading out into the meadows with her new hunting dog
bounding through the wet grass alongside her, easily keeping pace with her
horse’s powerful strides.  Mistral watched him, smiling through the rain
that dripped from the hood of her cloak and soaked Cirrus’ coat.  It was
good to be out of the Valley and be free, even if it was foul weather. 
She pulled Cirrus round to head towards the forests, slowing to a walk when
they reached the treeline. 

The trees gave enough shelter
from the rain to allow Mistral to pull back the hood of her cloak, freeing her
field of vision.  She held Cirrus back in a slow walk and studied the
ground for any fresh tracks.  Prospero padded soundlessly by her side, his
pale eyes staring straight ahead and his ears stiffly alert but his black nose
twitched continually, drawing in the scents of the forests.  Mistral could
instantly see that Fabian was right.  Prospero had been bred to hunt.

A rustling in the dense
undergrowth made her turn.  A hind broke cover.  Eyes wide with panic
it gave flight, leaping away in gliding bounds.  Mistral immediately
jerked around to look at Prospero, keen to see the dog in action.  To her
dismay Prospero was not bounding enthusiastically after the fleeing hind but
sat down staring fixedly in the direction of their rapidly escaping prey. 
Mistral stared at him, totally perplexed as to why her new hunting dog was not
giving chase.  She made a frustrated noise and Prospero immediately looked
up at her.  Staring intently at her he gave a low-pitched whine and
shifted his front paws restlessly.  Mistral nearly laughed.  The dog
with obedience issues was waiting for a command from his mistress.

‘Go boy!’ 

He instantly leapt after the
hind, claws tearing into the loamy soil to accelerate away through the wet
ferns. 

And suddenly the chase was on.