nudged Prospero out of the way with the toe of her boot to take his place
in front of the fire. The sun was beginning to set on the shortest day of
the year and it was already bitterly cold.
‘Tell me what
you Saw today.’ Fabian asked softly, walking over to take hold of her
hands.
‘Well,’ she
began in a low voice then paused to throw a wary glance at the stairs to make
sure the twins weren’t about to reappear. ‘There was something odd with
Leo –’
‘Oh
yes?’ Fabian’s expression was suddenly sharp.
‘I could hear
his thoughts straight away, almost like yours and the twins. Normally I
have to read an aura first, but his were just there for me to read.’
‘Do you think
it’s just your gift growing in strength?’
Mistral shook
her head, ‘I was reading people throughout the ceremony and I had to call up
their auras first before I could See their thoughts.’
Fabian’s brow creased
as he stared thoughtfully into the fire. Suddenly he let out a low
exclamation. ‘Of course! Blood.’
Mistral looked
at him blankly.
‘Leo and I
share the same blood.’ Fabian explained quickly. ‘We are
brothers. You and I have a connection so strong that it extends to him
also as my blood runs in his veins too.’
Mistral
suppressed a shudder, ‘You are nothing like him!’
‘Oh, I know we
look different, but in essence we are the same.’
Mistral shook
her head vehemently, ‘No you’re not! He’s so cold! His
thoughts are like ice Fabian! There’s no love in that man, just cold
purpose and bitterness!’
‘Do not be so
quick to judge him Mistral. He’s just like I was before I found you.’
‘No! You
were never that cold! Even before me you knew love. You – you loved
Emiror –’
Fabian smiled
softly and reached out to stroke her cheek, but she turned her head, avoiding
his eyes,
‘Mistral,’ he
forced her to look at him. ‘I never loved Emiror. I was consumed
with the notion of love.’
Mistral forced
herself to hold his eyes, needing to see them to erase the fear and jealousy
that always sprang up whenever she even thought of Fabian loving another.
‘I know,’ he
murmured, his smile suddenly turning sad. ‘Golden.’
Mistral
dropped her gaze guiltily, ‘I can’t help it. She forced me to feel every
worst fear about you, and it comes back so easily. I’m sorry –’
Fabian’s eyes
followed his fingertip, slowly tracing the line of her jaw. He trailed it
lightly down her neck to caress the skin laid bare by the deep neckline of her
dress, ‘You have nothing to apologise for. And, even if you did, I think
I could probably forgive you almost anything in that dress.’
‘It is rather
a show-stopper isn’t it?’ Phantom agreed, walking smugly into the room
followed by his twin.
Mistral looked
at them, they were wearing black silk shirts the same as Fabian’s. The
combination of the glossy black material next to their ivory pale skin,
startling green eyes and blonde hair went far beyond being eye-catching or even
striking; it was completely jaw-dropping.
‘Yes, I think
we are going to turn a few heads tonight,’ agreed Phantom, catching her look.
Mistral
laughed, ‘So modest!’
‘Oh, I think
he meant the three of us actually,’ said Phantasm, adjusting the cuff on one of
his shirts.
‘Er, four!’
Mistral corrected, quickly stepping closer to Fabian.
‘Sorry
Mistral.’ Fabian shook his head softly. ‘I shall be seated with
Mage Grapple as their consort. You will be sat with the Magnate to
officially assume your role as Seer to the Ri.’
‘I won’t have
you with me?’ Mistral asked, looking suddenly terrified.
‘You always
have me with you.’ Fabian frowned slightly. ‘But just on the other
side of the room tonight.’
‘Enough of the
nervous act Mistral.’ Phantasm said sternly and strode over to collect a
pitcher of wine and four goblets from the kitchen. ‘We will toast
in front of the fire. The sun was beginning to set on the shortest day of
the year and it was already bitterly cold.
‘Tell me what
you Saw today.’ Fabian asked softly, walking over to take hold of her
hands.
‘Well,’ she
began in a low voice then paused to throw a wary glance at the stairs to make
sure the twins weren’t about to reappear. ‘There was something odd with
Leo –’
‘Oh
yes?’ Fabian’s expression was suddenly sharp.
‘I could hear
his thoughts straight away, almost like yours and the twins. Normally I
have to read an aura first, but his were just there for me to read.’
‘Do you think
it’s just your gift growing in strength?’
Mistral shook
her head, ‘I was reading people throughout the ceremony and I had to call up
their auras first before I could See their thoughts.’
Fabian’s brow creased
as he stared thoughtfully into the fire. Suddenly he let out a low
exclamation. ‘Of course! Blood.’
Mistral looked
at him blankly.
‘Leo and I
share the same blood.’ Fabian explained quickly. ‘We are
brothers. You and I have a connection so strong that it extends to him
also as my blood runs in his veins too.’
Mistral
suppressed a shudder, ‘You are nothing like him!’
‘Oh, I know we
look different, but in essence we are the same.’
Mistral shook
her head vehemently, ‘No you’re not! He’s so cold! His
thoughts are like ice Fabian! There’s no love in that man, just cold
purpose and bitterness!’
‘Do not be so
quick to judge him Mistral. He’s just like I was before I found you.’
‘No! You
were never that cold! Even before me you knew love. You – you loved
Emiror –’
Fabian smiled
softly and reached out to stroke her cheek, but she turned her head, avoiding
his eyes,
‘Mistral,’ he
forced her to look at him. ‘I never loved Emiror. I was consumed
with the notion of love.’
Mistral forced
herself to hold his eyes, needing to see them to erase the fear and jealousy
that always sprang up whenever she even thought of Fabian loving another.
‘I know,’ he
murmured, his smile suddenly turning sad. ‘Golden.’
Mistral
dropped her gaze guiltily, ‘I can’t help it. She forced me to feel every
worst fear about you, and it comes back so easily. I’m sorry –’
Fabian’s eyes
followed his fingertip, slowly tracing the line of her jaw. He trailed it
lightly down her neck to caress the skin laid bare by the deep neckline of her
dress, ‘You have nothing to apologise for. And, even if you did, I think
I could probably forgive you almost anything in that dress.’
‘It is rather
a show-stopper isn’t it?’ Phantom agreed, walking smugly into the room
followed by his twin.
Mistral looked
at them, they were wearing black silk shirts the same as Fabian’s. The
combination of the glossy black material next to their ivory pale skin,
startling green eyes and blonde hair went far beyond being eye-catching or even
striking; it was completely jaw-dropping.
‘Yes, I think
we are going to turn a few heads tonight,’ agreed Phantom, catching her look.
Mistral
laughed, ‘So modest!’
‘Oh, I think
he meant the three of us actually,’ said Phantasm, adjusting the cuff on one of
his shirts.
‘Er, four!’
Mistral corrected, quickly stepping closer to Fabian.
‘Sorry
Mistral.’ Fabian shook his head softly. ‘I shall be seated with
Mage Grapple as their consort. You will be sat with the Magnate to
officially assume your role as Seer to the Ri.’
‘I won’t have
you with me?’ Mistral asked, looking suddenly terrified.
‘You always
have me with you.’ Fabian frowned slightly. ‘But just on the other
side of the room tonight.’
‘Enough of the
nervous act Mistral.’ Phantasm said sternly and strode over to collect a
pitcher of wine and four goblets from the kitchen. ‘We will toast
Similar Books
