The Assassin's Tale (Isle of Dreams) Read Online Free

the steep-sided Valley.  Stepping slightly to the edge of
the path and peering over, Mistral experienced a surge of sheer exhilaration as
she looked out over the Valley of the Ri.
    From her
elevated position everything in the wide valley appeared in miniature, like a
child’s model.  A small village nestled up against the western side. 
Narrow streets snaked between tightly packed houses.  Smoke rose from the
chimneys, curling up to be lost against the towering backdrop of the Western
Range.  Beside the village Mistral could clearly make out several low
roofed buildings arranged around an open yard; a stableyard.  She felt
automatically for the purse of money around her neck.  She had always
dreamed of owning a decent horse, hopefully the Ri would be able to sell her
one.  Opposite the stableyard was some kind of large open space, light
brown in colour, as though filled with pale earth or sand.  Mistral stared
at it in wonderment until she realised with a burst of excitement that it was a
training area of some sort.  Her eyes moved further along the Valley,
noting with only passing interest a patchwork of farmlands filling the lower
southern end before coming to rest on the strangest building she had ever
seen.  It looked like a castle that had been stretched in the middle and
had four squat circular towers at each corner.  The long middle section
was three storeys high.  The first and third floors had long narrow
windows widely spaced apart, but the second floor had a long row of tiny
iron-grilled windows that glinted in the pale winter sunlight.  Mistral
stared at it, mystified as to what a building like that could be for.   
    ‘Rather looks
like the architect couldn’t decide between designing a prison or a castle,
doesn’t it?’
    Mistral spun
sharply to look at the speaker and did an immediate double-take.
    ‘We usually
have that effect,’ said the speaker smugly.
    Before Mistral
stood two of the most perfect beings she had ever laid eyes on.  They were
tall and slenderly built, with sleek blonde hair.  Their pale skin and
striking emerald green eyes only intensified the strange almost angelic quality
of their flawless faces.  And, as if that wasn’t enough, they were
absolutely identical.
    Mistral
blinked and continued to stare in open-mouthed amazement while the speaker
smiled at her.
    ‘Allow me to
introduce myself, my name is Phantasm, and this is my brother Phantom,’ he said
in a lilting, musical voice and indicated to the mirror-image stood beside him
with an elegant wave of a hand.
    ‘M-Mistral,’
she finally managed to stutter.
    ‘Would you
care for us to show you the sights?  Such as they are – my brother and I
have been here for two weeks now waiting for training to begin, and we’ve
explored the Valley quite thoroughly.’  Phantasm continued solicitously.
    Mistral
hesitated.  She wasn’t bothered about being given a personal guided tour,
but she was tired after three days walking and would definitely appreciate
being directed to a place where she could find a bed for the night.
    ‘Is there
somewhere I can stay?’ she asked.
    Phantasm
pointed to the strange elongated castle-like building, ‘The dorms are in that
building there, but we can’t take up residence until after Registration next
week.’
    Mistral
sighed, reconciling herself to more nights wrapped in her wolf skin.
    ‘However,
there is a rather fine drinking establishment tastefully named The Cloak and
Dagger.  They have some rooms,’ said Phantasm thoughtfully.
    ‘The Cloak and
Dagger is both cheap and cheerful,’ agreed his twin brother brightly. 
    Mistral looked
at him, it was the first time Phantom had spoken and she was surprised to hear that
his voice was slightly different, lower, with an almost husky quality.
    ‘In fact, I’ve
heard that rooms at The Cloak and Dagger are on offer at the moment,’ continued
Phantasm with a wide grin.
    ‘Yes, they’ve
done away with the cheerful, so now