The Assassin's Destiny (Isle of Dreams) (28 page)

‘I’m not sure Floris has
champagne.  Will ale suffice?’  Phantasm asked with a smile.

‘Yes brother.  I’ll be there
in a minute.’

‘Oh, nice ring by the way. 
Black diamonds and white gold suit you.’

Mistral blinked. 
Diamonds?  Gold?

Phantasm nodded to Fabian then
left, walking side by side with his brother across the square.  Mistral
watched them go then switched her gaze back to Fabian.  He was looking at
her intently, his expression almost hesitant.

‘I apologise for not telling you
about the title.  Forgive me if I am wrong, but I feared it would frighten
you.’

She shrugged lightly, ‘At least I
outrank Golden now.’

‘You always did that.’

He lifted her hand to brush his
lips against her skin in the softest caress.  The wedding band caught her
eye when he lowered her hand.  It felt strange, much larger and heavier
than it really should do.  

‘It was my mother’s,’ he said,
watching her expression carefully.

Her eyes widened.  Another
piece of his past.  But what did it mean?

‘But now it’s yours. 
Forever.’

That’s what it meant.  She
basked in the happiness that single word evoked and smiled at the ring on her
finger.

‘It’s beautiful.’

‘Not compared to you it isn’t.’

Mistral felt his gaze on her,
lingering on every inch of exposed skin before finally reaching her eyes to
give her a look that made her heart skip a beat.

‘Please tell me that you have
mastered the Sight in the last week.’

‘Yes, I have.’  Mistral
replied promptly, gazing at him with absolute sincerity.

Fabian’s gaze darkened, drawing
her into their scorching depths.  The promises that lay there seared her
mind, but she welcomed the heat.  This was what she wanted.  He
abruptly closed his eyes, breaking the spell.

‘You’re getting better.  I
nearly believed you.’

She watched the fierce light fade
from his eyes and knew her gloomy prediction was about to come true.  They
were going to spend their wedding night playing cards.

He smiled at her expression, ‘I
should like to buy my wife a drink and attempt to resurrect her smile.’

‘When all else fails there’s
always alcohol.’  Mistral sighed and let him draw her through the bustling
crowd of guests towards the tavern. 

They passed an unsmiling Leo
Sphinx talking to a warrior Mistral didn’t know.  Leo muttered a few
polite words to Fabian then caught her eye as she walked past and nodded to
her.  She let Fabian pull her on, suddenly uncomfortably aware of the fact
that the ring she was wearing had belonged to Leo’s mother.

The Cloak and Dagger was heaving
with people.  The air thick with smoke, talk and raucous laughter. 
Mistral followed Fabian through the crowd towards the bar, gazing around at the
familiar surroundings until her eye fell on a row of tables stretching across
the back wall, all laden with food being enjoyed by several laughing warriors.

‘Is that what we hunted for last
week?’  she asked with a gasp, recognising one huge mound of meat as a
whole roasted bear.

Fabian turned and leaned his back
against the bar.  Smiling, he pulled her into his arms.

‘Yes.  I thought you might
enjoy the chance to hunt the food for your own wedding.’

‘It was fun,’ she admitted, then
added more sharply.  ‘Was that why Gleacher was so oddly nice to me?’

Fabian smiled a touch smugly.

‘And the Contract he offered me
today – the one that was so blatantly not something I’d ever take unless I
wanted to die of boredom – was that all a set-up too?’

‘All a ruse to get you into the
twins’ clutches.  It was their idea actually.’  Fabian paused and
looked her over slowly.  ‘But I have to admit to being very pleased with
the results.’

Mistral felt the slow burn of
desire spread through her and cursed herself for not managing to tame her
wretched gift in time for her own wedding. 

Across the other side of the room
her brothers had gathered and were looking at her with a mixture of amazement
and open admiration.

‘If I’d known Mistral was hiding
a body like that I’d have asked her out myself!’  Xerxes exclaimed.

Phantasm smiled, ‘She’d have
eaten you alive.’ 

‘I know.  But I think I
might have quite enjoyed it.’  Xerxes leered while Mistral curved herself
around Fabian, kissing him in a manner most unbefitting of her new title.

‘I must admit I’m starting to see
why Saul has been so lovesick over her.’  Cain murmured. 

‘Well I do hope for his sake
that’s he’s over her now.’  Phantom warned.  ‘Because her Mage is
definitely the jealous type.’

‘He’s trying.’  Cain glanced
over at Saul, talking half-heartedly with the blonde girl from the saddlery.

‘Talking of trying, Master Sphinx
was not impressed with the dress.’  Phantom grumbled.  ‘He collared
me in the square after the ceremony and lectured me on respectability and
modesty.’ 

‘Huh, that’s a bit rich coming
from him.’  Brutus snorted.  ‘Has he forgotten spending most of last
year testing Golden’s respectability and modesty?’

‘I think Master Sphinx is
concerned Mage De Winter will be overcome by passion and deny our dear Training
Captain his pet Seer.’  Phantasm said quietly.

‘I can see why he would!  No
wonder you two were so happy to treat her injuries last year.’  Xerxes
dropped a wink in the twins’ direction.  ‘Bet seeing her with her shirt
off wasn’t too much of a hardship.’

‘We’ve never seen Mistral in that
way, shirt on or off.’  Phantom snapped icily then his gaze fell on
Mistral and his expression thawed.  ‘Although I must confess she looks
quite good today.’

Phantasm sighed, ‘Yes.  But
when she opens her mouth she’ll still be Mistral.’  

They all laughed and raised their
tankards to toast their sister, the bride Lady De Winter.

‘So who is it tonight
brother?’  Brutus asked, gazing around the bar with a practised eye. 

‘No-one.’  Xerxes sniffed,
affecting disdain.  ‘I’m sworn off women.’

Cain smirked, ‘Until your back
has healed.’

Xerxes ignored him and looked
around the room, ‘On second thoughts,’ he said in a suddenly eager voice. 
‘I might have a crack at that red-head from the bakery.  Apparently she’s
been after me for months, but I’ve been otherwise engaged.’

Brutus watched his brother
slipping through the crowd towards a girl with flaming red hair and sighed, ‘He
never learns.  The idiot.’

Cain’s hand suddenly gripped
Brutus’ arm, ‘Hush brother!  Hear that?’

A discordant tolling rang out,
persistent and repetitive, jarring with the sounds of celebrations.

‘The warning bell!’

In the silence that abruptly fell
Leo Sphinx entered the packed tavern.  He paused in the sunlit doorway,
his face cast into shadow.  A second later he was joined by Gleacher
Shacklock, grim-faced and silent. 

Leo’s cold eyes raked the room,
seeming to weigh the soul of every warrior there.  The atmosphere
tightened, adding tension to the silence.  When Leo finally spoke Mistral
released the breath she didn’t realise she’d been holding.

‘We have received word that a
Rochforte army have set sail for the Isle.’

A murmur of unrest ran through
the room.  Fabian gripped Mistral’s hand tightly.

‘Whilst Mage Grapple is absent
from our shores the duty of care resides with his Council.  They have sent
an urgent request for assistance in defending the Isle from attack.’

Mistral turned to whisper Fabian,
‘I don’t understand.  Surely the warlocks could annihilate the
Rochfortes!  Why do they need warriors?’

Fabian glanced down at her, his
face set in hard lines, ‘The warlocks are loyal to Mage Grapple.  He is
not here so they will do nothing.’

‘This is not a Contract!  It
is a mission.  We leave within the hour!’  Leo swept from the tavern
leaving a stunned silence behind him.

‘A mission?’  Cain muttered
to Saul.  ‘That translates as “unpaid” to me.’

Saul smiled, ‘Defending the Isle
is an honour.  That is payment enough brother.’ 

Cain gave him a sideways look,
‘You try and buy a drink with honour brother.  Floris doesn’t consider it
legal tender.’

‘This could only happen at
Mistral’s wedding.’  Phantom complained to his twin.

Phantasm nodded and sighed
wearily.  Together they joined the warriors streaming out of the
tavern.  In the blink of an eye the mood had changed from celebration to
purpose.  Warriors spoke in quick low voices while they strode across the
square, heading to the stables or to lodgings to collect belongings.

Fabian looked at Mistral, his
expression oddly resigned, ‘I don’t suppose you would consider respecting my
wishes to remain here?’

‘When I caused this mess? 
Not a chance in hell!’

‘You didn’t cause this
Mistral.  I suspect this has long been in the planning.  It will be a
violent fight, there is much at stake.  I want you to stay here.’

‘I have to go!  It was my
knife in Antoine’s neck!  I’m responsible for all this!’

‘No you are not.  It would
have been someone else’s knife if yours hadn’t been available.’ 

Mistral looked around impatiently
at the rapidly emptying tavern, ‘Look Fabian, there’s absolutely no way I’m
staying behind to twiddle my thumbs while you go off and risk your life. 
I’m coming with you and that’s final!’

Fabian regarded her stubborn
expression for a moment then smiled sadly, ‘This is not how I envisaged our
wedding celebrations.’

‘No, but this is me we’re talking
about.’  Mistral replied grimly.

‘You are correct, of
course.  What was I expecting?’  Fabian was suddenly business-like,
pulling her towards the door.  ‘We need to prepare.’

‘I’ll go see to the horses,’ she
said automatically.

‘I think you need to get changed
first.’

Mistral gazed down at her pale
gold gown, ‘Oh, yes.’

‘I’ll walk you to the dorms.
 I can collect my weapons from Leo’s room while you get changed.’

They hurried up the path towards
the Main Building with Mistral struggling to keep up with Fabian’s long
strides, hampered by the long skirt of her dress.

‘Er, Fabian?’  she began in
a hesitant voice.

He turned to look at her without
breaking stride.

‘I – I can’t get out of this dress
on my own.’

Fabian abruptly halted and stared
at her, ‘Well you must have got into it.’

‘Yes, but it laces up the back,
you see, so I could get in – but not out,’ she mumbled, too embarrassed to meet
his eyes.

There was a short silence.

‘I’ll fetch Eudora.’

‘You will not!’

Fabian drew in a deep breath and
released it slowly. 

‘For crying out loud Fabian!
 I just walked past the entire village wearing this!’  she waved a
hand angrily at herself.  ‘Then married you in front of them all! 
The least you can do is help me to get out of the damned thing!’ 

Fabian continued to stare at her
then gave a short laugh, ‘I suppose you are actually my wife now.’

Mistral blinked, it was the first
time she had been referred to as his wife.  It sounded somehow alien and
completely unconnected to the way she felt about him.

He began walking swiftly again,
breaking into a run up the steps into the Entrance Hall.  Mistral tried to
run after him and stumbled over her dress.  Swearing under her breath, she
picked herself up and suddenly felt Fabian’s hands around her, swinging her up
into his arms.

‘Is this the traditional way to
be moved around when you’re a bride?’  she enquired humourlessly while he
ran up the steps carrying her as easily as though she were weightless.

‘Only over the threshold of the
marital home and I sincerely hope that you are not going to be living in your
dorm room for much longer.’  Fabian muttered.

Mistral sighed and laid her head
against his shoulder, ‘I did try Fabian.  I spent the last two weeks
staring at Serenity’s aura for eight hours a day.’ 

‘I know.’  Fabian said more
gently.  ‘Leo told me.’

‘Did you ask Leo to keep me out
of training until our wedding?’ she suddenly asked.

‘Yes.’  Fabian looked at
her, not a trace of guilt in his eyes.  ‘I didn’t want you to be married
in the Infirmary.’

Mistral smiled and laid her head
back against his shoulder, breathing in the heady scent of his skin.  He
opened the door to her room and Prospero immediately bounded past them to leap
onto the bed and stretched out with a sigh.

Fabian set her down then walked
over to the door.  He closed it slowly then remained there with his back
turned.  In the silence that fell Mistral felt her heart suddenly
accelerate.  They were alone together for the first time in their married
life.  She was abruptly aware of the privacy afforded by the small room
and the closeness of her bed.  The atmosphere in the room suddenly
tightened, crackling with unseen energy.  She watched him take a deep
breath before slowly turning to face her, his black gaze meeting hers with
breath-taking force.

‘Um, it’s the gold ribbons. 
Here –’

Not trusting herself to look at
him, Mistral turned her back and listened to him walk towards her.  Every
step was measured and slow.  He paused then she felt him tug at the
ribbons.  Loosening the bow first he slowly began to unlace the
bodice.  He was standing so close that she could feel the heat of his body
and hear every breath he took.  A shiver ran through her when his fingers
grazed the bare skin of her shoulders, trailing down to deliberately trace the
exposed line of her spine.  All thoughts of the impending battle, of Sight
of absolutely anything outside of that moment were completely obliterated from
her mind as Fabian’s hands slid over the bare skin of her back.  With a
sharp intake of break she spun around.  Now.  It had to be now.