The Iron Butterfly (6 page)

I ran my hand through my sleep-muffled hair and felt in horror that my beautiful braid that Mara had done had come undone. It must have happened because of my tossing and turning.

“Yes!” I squeaked, realizing the state of disarray I appeared in. I pushed the door frantically against him and he stepped back into the hall laughing.

Turning back toward the room to change, I felt my legs turn to pudding as I stumbled toward the bed. It seemed that no matter what, I didn’t have a graceful bone in my body.

I was ready in ten minutes and took the stairs slowly, dreading the thought of getting back on a horse. Mara took one look at my unsteady stance and went into the kitchen and came back out with a salve.

“Here Thalia, it’s my mother’s own special recipe, it’s for your muscles.” I opened the container and got a faint peppermint smell. Going back up to my room I applied it to my aching legs and felt immediate relief. Before I could hand it back to Mara, she clasped her hands around mine and told me to keep it.

Breakfast would have been perfect except for the fact that Vienna served it. The way she fussed over Joss made me feel sick to my stomach. I shouldn’t be feeling these pangs of jealousy over Joss. He wasn’t mine by any means, and I had just met him. It was the fact that he paid equal attention back that hurt. I was still underweight and pale looking, but at least I was clean. I felt that the bath had made me a new person and the comment about how I was a girl still hurt. I wanted to be considered a woman, not necessarily by Joss but recognized by anyone. What I went through at the prison made me feel old in comparison to my years and I just wanted someone to look at me the way Vienna was looking at Joss.

When we saddled the horses to leave, Joss offered for me to ride double with him. His earlier comment still rankled so I ignored Joss and walked over to Darren’s mount. Grabbing the reins, I tried to swing myself onto Gypsy and immediately slid back down, not having the muscle strength it took to lift my own body weight. Ashamed and red faced, I kept my face to the horse. Joss looked a little hurt, but then assisted me onto Gypsy and saddled Anthem without giving me another look. Darren missed the whole exchange since he was attending to the stable boy with the silver piece.

I didn’t know why I was acting this way. I kept imagining him and Vienna holding hands and laughing at the Singing Swine or Happy Hippo Pub, or whatever it was called that they probably went to last night. I definitely didn’t want to be leaning against his solid back while picturing it. I wanted to be a strong independent woman. Not a sick child that need saving from her shadow.

Chapter 4

My first distant view of the city of Haven took my breath away. The Ginger Dragon was on the outskirts of the province, and the scenery slowly changed from forests to rolling hills the farther in we traveled. In the distance, what I took for clouds turned into large, snowcapped mountains. The closer we came to Calandry the more travelers and merchants we met, each giving us a friendly wave as we passed.

Cresting the last hill laid open the valley below us to a view as far as the eye could see of the city of Haven. It was blindingly beautiful. The city was a mass of shops and tall towers with brilliantly decorated flags. Even from a distance you could see the Queen’s Castle set apart from the city, high on a hill looking untouchable and alone. To the right in a valley sat the Citadel. I had to squint as the glint of blue reflecting from the training arena’s glass-dome ceiling stabbed my eyes. Off in the distance at the bottom of the mountains looked to be ruins set apart and alone from the rest of the thriving community.

The city itself looked like a rainbow had come to rest upon it, for each building was painted in a vibrant color. I asked Darren and he said that the city was split into color districts; something that began with one thrifty merchant many years ago.

It began when a young hopeful merchant moved to Calandry in hopes of making his fortune. But since he was new and didn’t have a clientele base built up, he soon struggled to make ends meet like everyone else. So he did something to make his small business stand out from the rest. He painted his shop a very bright green. It was the best bit of advertising he could do, because people came from far and wide to see his bright green shop. It began a trend and soon others started to paint their shops brilliant colors to compete. Soon it became hard to navigate the city of Calandry.

The Merchant Guild finally got together and formed the color districts. They assigned colors to each vendor based on goods they sold and you were allowed to paint your store any shade of that particular color. If you needed exotic fabrics, you went to the yellow district; if you needed jewelry and accessories, you went to the red; if you were looking for bakers, look no further than any orange stall. And so Calandry was nicknamed the city of light.

“Who was the merchant that started it all?” I asked, intrigued by the story.

“No one really knows because if you ask any one person they will swear on their mother’s grave, and boastfully tell you it was their own great-great-grandfather,” Darren said.

I laughed. I enjoyed the trip through the bustling city of Haven, smelling the fresh baked goods, the sounds of children playing and vendors hawking their wares. There was a general happy and content feeling in the air, free from fear and oppression.

I was left speechless once I saw the Citadel up close. Nothing Darren described prepared me for the intricate beauty hidden within every structure. The architectural design in the columns, archways and stonework could have only been made by those with the gifts of the Denai. Human hands did not construct the Citadel or arena, even the roads were extravagant. The streets turned from simple, cobbled brick into a mosaic of colored stones which changed in tone as the horses’ hooves walked over them. These singing tiles led up to white, stone guard towers on either side of Citadel’s gleaming silver gate. Today, the gate was open, and was manned by four guards with swords and crossbows.

After Darren stated our business, they gave directions for us to take our horses to the stable.

Darren glanced around the Citadel’s grounds. “Ah, good. It looks like Adept Lorna Windmere is in.”

I looked around the almost empty courtyard and asked Darren how he knew. Darren pointed out the large white towers surrounding the grounds and how three were flying colorful banners. He went on to explain that if the Adept was in residence, their flag was flown to signify to the townspeople that they were in. Often times one or more was on errands for the Queen.

He pointed to a white banner with a falling star as Adept Lorna Windmere’s. “It gives the students an added sense of security to see that there is always an Adept in residence, in case of an emergency.” He also pointed to a blue banner with a gold helios flower as Adept Breah Avenlea’s and the black banner with three silver slashes as Pax Baton’s. The empty towers would normally fly a green banner with three gold circles intricately looped as Cirrus Thornwood’s, and a red banner with a sun and moon for Kambel Silverbane.

A loud barking announced the arrival of a short elderly man and a large bundle of fur that turned out to be Stable Master Grese and his blue-eyed sheepdog, aptly named Dog. After quick introductions we were escorted into the large main hall of the Citadel which again flew the banners for each of the Adepts. Along the walls were colorful tapestries inlaid with gold and silver depicting Calandry’s history.

The marble floors continued through the main halls into each of the wings. I learned there was a wing for classrooms, the training arenas, and student dorms while the servant’s quarters were off the kitchen that surrounded the dining hall. The grounds of the Citadel led into a huge outdoor foyer and, depending which arched columns you walked through, you would end up at the greenhouse, stable, training paddock, guard’s quarters and the infirmary.

A servant led us to Adept Lorna’s office and I waited outside in the outer room while Joss and Darren went into the inner office with the Adept. Half a candle mark later, the door opened and a young woman wearing a rich, velvety cloak stepped from her office and was escorted down the hallway by no fewer than five guards. I couldn’t help but stare after her wondering who she was and why she needed so many guards. Someone cleared their throat and I got my first view of Adept Lorna. She was a tall woman in her mid-forties with glowing tan skin that spoke of a life used to being outdoors. Her pointed face was surrounded by short white cropped hair and ethereal blue eyes. Her stern gaze held mine as I heard Darren and Joss discuss me.

“I really think I should be in there for this,” Joss argued.

“Joss, we discussed this before, we brought her here and agreed that we would let Adept Lorna handle this situation. You agreed to come here to finish training and that’s what you are here to do. What happens to Thalia now is out of our hands. I’m leaving for home and you need to concentrate on your training. You promised your father.” Darren gave Joss a stern look.

Joss’ jaw clenched and he looked at the Adept Lorna. “Will she be allowed to stay?”

The Adept pursed her lips and then spoke up for the first time. “That is for the Adept Council to decide. I need to hear what she has to say and then I will speak with the other Adepts and Queen Lilyana. She’s a stranger and the farther she is from the Queen the better. We will do the best we can to find her family, but Darren is right. She is out of your hands. We need to discuss this and you need not worry anymore.” Her matter of fact tone didn’t leave room for argument.

My pulse jumped at the implications that I may not stay. I had nowhere else to go and this could be the last time I would ever see Joss or Darren. I started to feel dizzy and I sucked in my breath and held it, looking between the two other people that had been my lifelines since my escape. But I had a feeling that Joss would soon insult Adept Lorna by insisting to stay for the meeting and may ruin his chances for a good start at the Citadel. I wanted what was best for him and I decided right then and there that the best did not include me. Otherwise he would spend more time worrying about me rather than his own studies. What I was about to do to him was cruel, but it needed to be done.

“I don’t need a mother, Joss, so stop acting like one!” I said in the most offhanded, snotty voice I could. I stood and walked over to the silver-paned window. “Thank you for bringing me to the Citadel and to Adept Lorna.”

He made a motion as if to interrupt me but I went on. “Your services and friendship are longer needed or desired.” I turned my back on him and gazed out into the courtyard, willing myself to not flinch or turn around. The sound of loud footsteps, followed by a heavy door slamming was indication enough that Joss had left. What surprised me more was to see that Darren had slipped out as well. I about crumpled to the ground in despair.

“Well done, girl. It seems you do have a bit of a backbone after all.” Adept Lorna walked to her inner office door, opening it for me. “That one has the chance to become great and the potential to become a High Adept if he works hard. You were right to discourage him.”

She closed the door behind me and I took in the utilitarian gray features of her office with its high, vaulted ceiling surrounded by wide windows and simple white curtains. The floor was simple tiles in muted grays, black, tan and ivory. A black desk set in the middle of her office surrounded by a no-nonsense tan rug. There were no personal touches evident in the room, but it was grand in its simplicity. The walls were bare except for the sconces to bring in more light when needed. A set of stairs at the back of the room led up to another level to Lorna’s private living apartment. Each Adept lived above their offices so they would always be close by in case of emergencies.

I sat in one of the two uncomfortable, high-backed chairs that faced her desk. She went over to a table and poured me a drink from a decanter before coming and sitting on the edge of her desk and handing it to me. This was when I noticed that she wore gray clothes that were made for a man but tailored for a woman to show off her best features. Comfy and practical, I thought. I could definitely see her riding a horse and not being encumbered with skirts, and I was slightly envious.

I took a sip and swirled it on my tongue, tasting a sweet cinnamon and honey flavor, which covered an earthier ingredient I couldn’t identify. Taking another sip I tried with great difficulty to adjust myself in the uncomfortable chair. And then I realized, she probably bought these chairs for the sole purpose of intimidating students by making them uncomfortable. I wanted to dislike her just for her choice in furniture.

Leaning forward, Lorna watched me before placing her hand on her knee and addressing me. “I’ve heard quite the story from Darren Hamden and the ever-exuberant Joss. What I would like to hear now is the story from your own mouth.”

I started to speak but felt a fuzzy feeling in my head. She listened quietly while I told her everything, even the bits I refused to tell Joss and Darren, only pausing to collect my thoughts and feelings when it became too painful to tell. Partway through I felt a faint prickling at the back of my mind. When the question and answer session was over, Lorna paused in her thoughts.

“And you have no clue to the real identity of the leader of the Septori, this Raven?” She sounded frustrated.

I shook my head.

“What about the Septori, do you know what country they were from? How many there are in total? Were there any signs that they were alleged with the King of Sinnendor?” With another negative shrug from me, she stood up and began to pace in front of her desk, a slight wear pattern evident in the tan rug showing that this was a regular occurrence. Stopping abruptly mid stride she turned and began a new set of questions.