The Steele Wolf (Iron Butterfly #2)

When Kael stepped through the door, Siobhan quietly let herself out. I had not forgotten that Kael had killed her brother at the waterfall, the fearsome Swordbrother intimidated her.

Kael met Bearen’s steely stare without flinching.  The two warriors engaged in a silent battle of wills. Kael was the first to move as he conceded with a nod of his head. He took out a small dagger and unsheathed it. Silently he placed it between both palms and bowed stiffly to my father offering him the knife. I was stunned. He gave my father one of the highest honors a SwordBrother could give by acknowledging my father as a fellow warrior. Bearen grunted and a small smile crept to his weathered face.

After my father took the knife from him, Kael turned and addressed me. “Has a decision been made when we will depart?”

“NO, she will not be allowed to leave and chase after those men without protection and with a heathen Denai, unescorted no less. I forbid it.” Bearen growled. I was sure that Odin, and Joss could hear my father from downstairs.

“Father, I told you, we need to travel fast and light.  We can’t afford to take a battalion of clansmen with us.”

“It doesn’t matter; you won’t be allowed to go. I am not above putting you under guard and locking you away.” He glared at me. “Especially after what you just told me, that the Septori were very interested in your bloodline. I will not allow him the chance to take you again. I will not be lax in my duty.”

“We are wasting time; Joss’ sister needs help!” I raised my voice to match my father’s. A clearing of a throat made me spin in anger towards Kael.

“WHAT?” I snarled.

“Do you mind if I speak with your Father?” he asked politely.

“What?” I was floored that he had actually asked permission. “Fine, be my guest,” I said as I waved my arm dramatically in front of me so he could feel free to address my father.

“Alone,” he said.

“What? NO!” I said indignantly. “You can speak in front of me.”

“THALIA!” Bearen spoke my name in the one tone I knew I couldn’t disobey.

“What could Kael possibly wish to discuss that he can’t speak in front of me?” Bearen just glared. My voice rose in pitch like a child; I didn’t care. “But he’s not even clan.  And pretending to be a Clanmember to fight in the Kragh Aru does not make him clan.” I was furious. I knew I was losing the fight but why not make my opinion known and go down fighting.

Another cold stare from my father and I was reduced to the tantrum of an only child not getting her way.

“FINE!” I sniffed and made sure to slam the door on my way out. I stomped downstairs to fling myself theatrically on a chair. The sound of barely contained laughter drew my attention to Joss and my godfather Odin, who were both covering their mouths and making awful faces. I glared at both of them and then threw the first thing I could get my hands on: a half-eaten dinner roll. Odin ducked and it smacked Joss in the face, which only led to another round of laughter.

“Well, you two are no help at all. Joss, this is serious. I may not be allowed to leave. You will have to look for your sister, Tenya, without me. I’m very sorry.” I felt horrible; I personally knew what she was going through and knew that time was of the essence.  The trail could go cold if we didn’t leave soon.

Joss’ demeanor changed instantly. “I know, Thalia. Even now it could be too late, but I didn’t know where else to turn. My family is looking for her, the Adepts have sent Graduates and Guards out looking and no one has come up with any clues on where to find the Septori. You and Kael are the only ones who have firsthand experience with them.”

“Well, Kael destroyed the prison and lab we escaped from, so if they are still kidnapping people then they must have moved to a new one.  It could be anywhere in Calandry.” I was making myself depressed and the longer it took for us to leave, the more I seemed to lose hope at ever finding her.

Odin picked up the half-eaten dinner roll I had thrown at Joss from the floor and was tearing it apart in frustration. “I’m sorry, Thalia, my girl,” he said. “I’ve known your father his whole life and I can’t see anything or anyone changing his mind on this. It would be best if the boy left on his own and returned to the city to seek help.”

“I could run away!” I said desperately. “I will leave my father a note. Odin, you could explain everything after we have left.”

“I will not,” Odin said sternly. “You will not take the coward’s way out. You will obey your Father’s decision, no matter what. I will not be privy to helping you deceive him again by helping you run away.”

“She won’t have to,” Kael spoke from the stairs. “Even though I know she would take the coward’s way at her first opportunity. That won’t be the case this time.”

“What do you mean, Kael?” Joss spoke up. Kael, slowly taking his time, walked the remaining steps down and didn’t speak a word until he came up to me.

Kael’s lip went up in the slightest hint of a smile. “Because we leave in an hour.”

Chapter 17

“How? What did you say to him?” I gasped. “He is still alive, right? You didn’t kill my father so that I could go, did you?” I wouldn’t put it past Kael. In fact, he would and could. “Odin, go check on my father,” I blurted out worriedly.

Kael looked at me and he actually looked smug. “Relax, Thalia, your father is fine. We just spoke warrior to warrior and have come to an understanding. If you don’t believe me, go speak to him, but make it quick. I want to be on the road as soon as possible.”

I did just that; I ran up to my father’s room and burst through the door. Bearen was no longer lying in bed but was pulling a box out of his closet. He looked tired and worn but his eyes had a glint in them. The same glint I saw when he was about to go into battle. He turned to me and opened the box to pull out a small handkerchief. He handed it to me and I could feel a small weight in the middle. Opening it I saw a man’s ring with an onyx stone and a silver wolf’s head on it.

Clearing his throat Bearen spoke. “Take it, Thalia.  It’s your heritage. It’s King Branccynal’s signet ring. They may take our land but they can’t take our heritage.”

“Thank you, father.”

“Go, the SwordBrother has agreed to go with you and I put my trust in him. So come back soon, my daughter.”

“How?” I demanded. “Why him? Why are you all of a sudden letting me go when you refused before? Did he threaten you?”

Bearen chuckled. “A warrior knows how to battle with things other than weapons.  He battled with words, strong enough to make me see the light.”

“No. That doesn’t sound like Kael at all. I know you, Father. There is more that you are not telling me,” I said accusingly. “What about the contest?”

“That hardly seems necessary now does it, since the SwordBrother already killed Bvork.”

“Wait, does that mean…that he is considered the winner. What are the elders going to say about it, he’s not of our clan? What about—.”

“Thalia, I have a huge mess to clean up with the fire, your cousin and uncle’s death and the Kragh Aru. Kael suggested to me that it might be best if you weren’t here for a while. Until things cool down.”