The Iron Butterfly (Iron Butterfly #1)

He raised an eyebrow at me. “No, thank you, I’ve seen what this can do.”

The hair on my arms stood on end. That was all the proof I needed, he just gave himself away.

“You can deny it all you want, but how do you even know what is in that jar if you weren’t following me?” I gradually slid up the armoire with my hands pressed against the wood. “I didn’t even pick up those items, Avina did. And I transferred them to those clay bottles myself, alone, in my room.”

Kael stopped rummaging in the pack and slowly stood facing me, his face unreadable. “You forget that this whole thing is a test, in which I am paid, mind you, to kill you. I would be lax in my duties if I didn’t stake out my target before I attacked.” He took a step toward me and the way his voice changed and became deeper made me want to bolt for the door, which I did. Running for the door I grabbed the handle only to be stopped at the last minute as his full weight slammed against mine, the door trapping me and his arms holding the door closed. His body was pressed close so I couldn’t escape under his arms.

Turning around I looked at his profile, which was more rugged and dangerous than Joss’ good looks. Where Joss made me feel safe and secure, Kael made me feel like I was on a cliff about to fall off into a mass of rolling waves. He played with my emotions and I hated it.

“Open the door!” I demanded, looking at him straight in the eyes. “Get away from me!”

His eyes darkened with hidden meaning. “I can’t.”

In frustration he hung his head down, his dark hair covering his face. “You don’t understand. I can’t let you go. It’s you.”

Having enough of his hidden meanings and mind games, I tried to push him away and his fingertips grabbed my upper arms, digging in hard.

“It’s all you and I hate you for it.” He pushed me back into the door and my already bruised head hit the door again and I winced in pain. I saw bright lights and blinking hard I glanced at him, to see him grimace when he saw what he had done. His eyes started to lose focus.

“Kael,” I said in a very calm voice, as I tried my best to talk reason into him. “Kael, listen to me, I have no idea what you are talking about.”

“Don’t you see? I have to kill you; it may be my only chance.”

He sounded mad. Not angry mad, insane mad; which only made my temper rise.

“Kael, you are hurting me.” I reached into my pocket, hoping he wouldn’t notice, as I could see that his mind wasn’t really focusing. I gripped the dye knife hard in a final act of desperation, and went limp.

Letting my body weight drag me to the floor, he would either have to drop me or pull me closer to catch me. He caught me and pulled me closer and I stabbed him with the dye knife.

His eyes went wide as the contact of the yellow dye on his shirt spread. He dropped me and winced as I hit the floor. I moved away as he stared at the spot, touching it with his hand and pulling it away covered with yellow.

His face became hard again and I could see that his eyes had regained their focus. He looked at me, his jaw set in anger, hate emanating from his stance.

“You see, this is entirely your fault,” he spat out.

“I didn’t do anything to you!” I screamed, letting the anger flow. “I wish I had never met you. Never in my life have I met someone as uncaring as you, except for the Raven and the Septori. And since this training game is over, I never, ever want to see your face again.”

Pulling open the door, I stormed out and marched toward the main hall. Holding back tears, I dropped the stupid knife on the ground. How could this happen? How could someone who has saved my life three times care for me in one minute and the next, loathe and hate me? And why did I care? Would it matter so much if he did like me? Did I want him to like me?

Stopping in the middle of the hall I pressed my head to the cold stone wall and let the tears flow, letting all of the hurt and anger pour out.

When I finally felt composed, I realized I didn’t want to be in the main hall, surrounded by people. Changing directions I decided to head outside. I would let Kael address the Adepts and tell them he had lost to me.

Once I reached the courtyard I made a beeline for Faraway, and stopped in the shadows of a column as I saw Adept Pax, Lorna, Commander Meryl and his troops rush inside.

They have been notified of the dead assassin upstairs. Faraway spoke.

“How?”

Kael is in the main hall and spoke with Adept Pax. Pax then mindspoke Adept Lorna.

“How do you know this?”

I knew that the Adepts and some of the students were strong enough to speak to each other using their minds, but I wondered how Faraway knew that.

Because I like to listen in on their conversations when they’re not shielding, he said smugly.

I rolled my eyes. Of course my horse would like to listen in on gossip.

When I finally made it to the pasture I ran to Faraway and hugged him. He nuzzled my shoulder affectionately.

I could also enter their minds and speak to them if I wanted to.

Lifting my head from his mane, I said out loud, “Why didn’t you earlier when I was attacked?”

Because the SwordBrother was already on his way.

“What? Kael? How?”

But Faraway gave me one of his enigmatic looks and took a bite of grass ignoring me. After no more information came forth, I sighed in frustration leaning against his shoulder, lightly running my hands along his breast and over a light tattoo-like emblem that had mysteriously appeared.

It appeared shortly after the first attack when Faraway saved me. I originally thought that Master Grese had branded him without my knowledge and after an awkward confrontation he denied it. The mark was actually quite beautiful; two beautiful connecting whorls in an S that was transected by a simple wavy line. It felt right and only enhanced Faraway’s beauty. He wore it like a badge of honor or a medal.

“What did you do to me, when I was frozen with fright?” I asked him. “I felt you take over my body and force me to move?”

I had to, Faraway replied. I’m your Guardian. Your mind was frozen in fear and your body wouldn’t move. We are linked through our bond. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that without your permission. But I’m still learning my boundaries.

All this did was create more questions about what kind of bond we had and this whole guardian thing. I was going to have to spill my secret and talk to one of the Adepts and soon.

“So at least you have more power than me?” I actually felt a little disappointed at that thought. I hadn’t shown signs of power since Faraway saved me.

I have power because you chose me as your Guardian, Faraway encouraged, knowing that I was feeling down. I have power because of you.

I heard someone calling my name.

They are looking for you. They are worried, Faraway reflected calmly.

“I don’t want to go in,” I said stubbornly. “I refuse to look at or talk to Kael ever again.” My response caused an exasperated snort from Faraway who pushed me in the back with his muzzle, forcing me to walk forward or get knocked on my butt.

“Watch it, Horse!” I joked. Leaving my hand on his shoulder we walked back to the stables. It was interesting; now that we were bonded I couldn’t get enough of touching him. Faraway didn’t mind, he loved it, but touching him seemed to calm me on many different levels. It was like a drug and it was addicting. It was similar to constantly touching a power source that could rejuvenate and calm you at the same time.