The Steele Wolf (Iron Butterfly #2)

Kael reached up and grasped my hand and pulled it away from his mouth, but he didn’t immediately let go of it. “Thalia, I need to speak with you about something important.” But before he could say another word I heard a key turn in my lock and I spun around to tell Kael to leave but he had already disappeared. The door opened and Mona peaked inside carrying a tray of her chai.

“I know you said no to breakfast but I thought some bread and my special drink will help tide you over till lunch.” Mona looked nice wearing loose fitting pants that fell just below the knee and a short sleeve red and gold top. Her hair fell in a long braid over one shoulder. She placed the tray on my bed and sat on it with me while she handed me my drink. I hesitantly took the drink and was only going to take a sip but as soon as the fragrant aroma reached my nose I took a greedy gulp.

“Mona, I have to apologize about last night. I had no idea that Joss was so serious about our relationship that he wanted to be married.” I looked at her and saw her stiffen.

“Please, don’t pretend. How could you not know what his intentions were, when he brought you here to meet his parents? It is obvious. Let’s just pretend we never had that other conversation, shall we?” Mona gave me a wan smile and poured herself a cup of the drink and sipped it daintily before going on. “Well, it will all depend now on Gloria. After you meet her, the engagement might not stand.” Stiffly, she stood up and left the tray. “Believe me, you will want to eat lunch; you will need your strength.”

I stared wide-eyed at Mona’s departing back. I turned and looked out the window to see if Kael had overheard or would return but he didn’t reappear. Briefly I wondered what Mona meant and also what could Kael possibly have to talk about.

I think I was mentally preparing myself to do battle with a venerable dragon. Instead I saw an angel incarnate, lying on a bed in a dimly lit room. She looked like a child in a giant sized bed. The curtains had been opened and a small table was next to the bed with a familiar tray of drinks on it. Gloria was the epitome of her name. She was beautiful, angelic with long blonde hair that spilled down her shoulders and back. Her eyes were closed when we went into her room and her eyelids were so translucent I could see the blue veins. I thought that maybe she was dead but I could barely see the rise and fall of her chest with her short breaths.

Nero went and kneeled by her bed and grasped her hand, pressing his lips to her knuckles. I saw Gloria’s eyes flutter and then gently open. She gazed lovingly upon her husband and he leaned in to kiss her forehead. Joss stepped forward and kissed his mother’s brow as well. I watched as Gloria smiled and reached up to touch Joss’ face. Too nervous to do anything, I hung back out of sight.

“How are you feeling, Mother?” Joss asked.

“Better, Joss, now that you’re here.” Gloria’s voice was barely above a whisper and I had to strain to hear her. I could tell that talking drained her. Joss reached out his hand and laid it upon his mother’s chest and I could see his concentration as he tried to use his power to heal his mother. But because we were inside the mists it was harder to use. Sweat beaded across his forehead and I was shocked at how hard it was for him. Joss was one of the strongest healers I knew and. While, using gifts takes its’ toll physically on the Denai, I’d never seen Joss get drained this fast. A faint glow surrounded Joss’ hand and I could see that Gloria regained some color in her cheeks.

“Joss, it’s alright. You don’t have to waste your energy on me. It’s my fault for being so weak. If only I were a stronger Denai, then maybe this wouldn’t have happened.” The little bit of power that Joss gave Gloria it seemed to have brought back some of her old spirit.

“Mother, I have some wonderful news.” Joss intoned quietly while he reached behind him for my hand. Grasping my cold and clammy palms, Joss pulled me close to Gloria’s bedside so she could have a look at me. “I want you to meet Thalia. I have asked her to be my wife.”

Gloria’s eyes opened wide and flew to me in shock. Her grey eyes seemed to pierce into my soul as if she were looking for flaws. Her eyes traveled from black hair to my blue eyes down to my feet. I was very glad that I had chosen my blue short sleeved top and knee length skirt. Gloria looked me over carefully before speaking. “What family is she from? Is she from a Denai family?”

“I am the daughter of Bearen, from the Valdyrstal clan.” I spoke proudly, raising my chin up in the air a fraction of an inch.

“The Valdyrstal’s?” Gloria sucked in her breath as if she were holding it. “Joss, how could you? They are nothing more than barbarians, and they hate everything Denai. Your children won’t carry our bloodline.” Her small hand fluttered to her chest as if she was clutching her heart.

I clenched my teeth and bit my tongue to keep myself from spouting out at her. My family was not barbarians. And even though my clan hated the Denai, I didn’t think it was very proper for her to insult my family with me standing right there. But then I had a minute to digest what she was saying and it sounded very similar to my own father’s complaints about Joss. So if Joss was able to sit through my own father’s harsh words about him, I would do the same for Gloria. What I was pondering the most was Nero’s and Joss’ reasons for not telling Gloria the truth. Why did she have to be told the lie?

“Mother, I did meet Thalia at the Citadel.” Joss tried to calm Gloria’s fears.

“What? How? Everyone knows that clan doesn’t have any Denai blood. What, was she a servant?” Gloria wasn’t stupid and I had to catch myself to keep from sputtering and laughing, because she had nailed it on the head.

“No, ma’am. I actually met Joss on the road before I ever attended as a student. I am unique and unlike any Valdyrstal before me.” It was the closest I could come to the truth, without divesting my horrible past and scaring her about what her own daughter could be going through.

“Oh,” was the only thing that Gloria spoke before turning her head once more to Nero. “Please, try and convince him to wait on this decision. Think of the grandchildren; I don’t want any weak Denai in the family. Maybe if Tenya had been stronger she could have, she might have…” Gloria couldn’t go on as she was overcome with grief over her missing daughter. Nero leaned forward and held her and nodded a silent message to Joss who quietly grabbed my elbow and led me out of her room.

Chapter 22

The days wore on and even though I looked for him I didn’t see Kael. Joss said he was going to be scarce over the next few days since he was searching for leads on Tenya’s disappearance. I wished that I could be doing something as well to help look. But I had no idea on where to start or even begin. Joss gave Hemi and me a tour through the city but the more I saw the more trapped I felt. We walked for miles and came to the edge of the city and the stone wall and another tower. I looked over the wall to see the levers and pulleys that the farmers used to grow the helios flowers and other plants and vegetables. Just leaning over the wall made me feel dizzy and I had to step away and sit down on the ground. I was not a girl for heights, flying or the skycages, so to me it felt like another prison. Skyfell was beautiful and ethereal but it really was a gilded cage suspended in midair. I asked Joss to take me back to his home.