The Iron Butterfly (Iron Butterfly #1)(15)

“How many in the cells were Denai, how many human?” She got a quill and began to write.

I recounted how many I knew of including the ones that had passed away or disappeared. “What do you think the Septori were doing?” I asked.

“We need to discuss this with the other Adepts, especially Kambel Silverbane, our resident historian, who just arrived shortly before you.” She pulled on a small pull cord and a page quickly appeared. Lorna scribbled a message on a slip of ivory parchment before handing it to the page. “Come.”

Following Lorna down a series of back stairways and hallways I soon lost all sense of direction. Our destination was a large meeting room with heavy drapes covering the windows and obscuring all outside light. Candles were the only light within the room which lit up a large, framed map on the wall. Closer examination of the table showed a duplicate map of the lands of Calandry, Sinnendor, and the other surrounding provinces burned into the wood with an artistic hand. This must be the Adept’s council room. Adept Lorna nodded for me to take my seat. A lone chair sat in the middle of the room and it looked suspiciously like the same ones she kept in her office; hard and uncomfortable.

We didn’t wait long before the main door burst open to a whirlwind of yellow robes and fluttering hands. It was Adept Breah Avenlea with her shoulder-length, brown hair. She was dressed in a soft yellow dress and was talking animatedly to Kambel Silverbane, who looked every inch the part of a historian.

Adept Kambel was short and slim with wavy, unkempt gray hair that disappeared into his long gray beard. His intuitive brown eyes peeked out of small silver spectacles. Ink spots littered his somber green robe and the tips of his beard, as if he would accidentally dip his beard in the ink instead of a quill. They were quite the comedic pair, long slender Breah talking with her hands in a frenzy and short Kambel bobbing his head in agreement to what she was saying. It looked like Adept Breah was conducting a symphony and that Kambel’s head was the orchestra.

The mood abruptly changed when the door opened again and the largest man I had ever seen entered the room. He was dark as night with a bold demeanor and muscular stature, dressed all in shades of black. Three silver slashes marked the collar of his shirt. The same slashes matched his banner and identified him as Adept Pax Baton. His shaved head reflected the candlelight and the small gold earring he wore looked too delicate for the warrior’s frame. He strode into the room and took a seat at the table which looked like a child’s tea table in comparison. Surprisingly he expertly maneuvered his frame into the seat and spread his long legs out before him.

“I’m glad you got my missive,” Lorna stood and waited while Adept Breah and Kambel took their seats. “It’s unfortunate that I had to send Cirrus away this morning, but this can’t wait for him.” She quickly relayed both my story and Darren and Joss’ tale of finding me floating in the river.

“How do we know she is telling the truth?” came Pax’s deep timbre of a voice.

“Because I put Alethiem in her tea earlier and tested her mind for shadows and hints of deceitfulness.”

This took me by surprise and I stared at Lorna feeling betrayed by her dishonesty and low handed tactics. It was as if any trust she had previously built up was destroyed with a few words. I could feel the resentment start to rise to the surface and I had to bite back an angry retort that I was ready to spout out.

Adept Lorna turned to me with a solemn face that spoke honest sincerity. “I’m so sorry Thalia, please forgive me. Alethiem is an herb that when ingested makes it impossible for the speaker to lie.”

“I didn’t lie! I told you the truth,” I snapped out.

“I know, I know, she said guiltily. “But I also was in your mind reading for any half-truths and tampered memories, which could have been a possibility since you couldn’t remember your time before imprisonment. Your memories could have been planted and we had to be sure. You will be happy to know that I didn’t find any.” A small smile crept up Lorna’s face in an attempt to reassure me.

“If you would have asked I would have agreed to it without you having to do it covertly. I’m telling the truth and I’m sorry if what happened to me and the others is an inconvenience to you!” I was starting to get worked up, losing the little control I had on my emotions.

“We know. You see, this is not the first time rumors of a rogue group have surfaced. We have not located them because they seem to be constantly on the move. They have hidden their identities from us and even though we have searched, we’ve only found this.” Lorna stepped forth with a piece of cloth.

Unraveling the cloth she showed me a design sewn into the scrap. It was the familiar design, the Septori’s design; two slashes in a circle. “This was found in the mouth of a dog belonging to a shepherd, it seemed one of them tried to steal his sheep.”

“That’s them. That’s the mark of the Septori, each one of them have that permanently branded somewhere on their body. If this isn’t the first you’ve heard of them, then why haven’t they been caught?” I was astounded and angry. Maybe if this Council had done their job, I could have been saved, Cammie would never have died.

“Because we don’t know where they are!” Pax Baton interrupted. “Granted, a few stolen items, wagons missing and a lot of speculation was not proof enough to start a war on a rogue group. The Queen ordered them watched, but no one could ever find them. It’s like they disappeared into thin air.” His large hands flew as he spoke enunciating each syllable.