The Iron Butterfly (Iron Butterfly #1)(71)

Looking at Tearsa, it was really hard to hold back my tears, she reminded me of Ruzaa. I had made it back to the Citadel last night and Tearsa took one look at Pim and Jury and immediately gave them baths, food and put them to bed. Yes, she was a rough and tough mistress, but she did it for the right reasons. Running to Tearsa I gave her a quick hug, which surprised her and made her blubber in admonishment at me. Shooing me away with her apron, she yelled at me to get going or I was going to be late.

Running down the halls, I was almost to the Council hall when someone grabbed my shirt and pulled me into a small alcove. Warm strong arms embraced me and I started to fight before I looked up into the concerned green eyes of Joss. I was once again struck by how handsome he was and I felt weak in the knees. His hand went to my face and he cupped my cheek before leaning down and pressing his lips to mine. At first I was startled, then I struggled and then I melted. It was soft, warm, gentle. Before I could respond in turn to the kiss, he pulled back enough to whisper softly into my ear.

“I had wanted to do that yesterday before…” he trailed off, unable to finish the sentence without bringing up the horrible events.

“I know,” I whispered lamely. I didn’t want him to speak of it either. I buried my forehead into his chest to take comfort and let him hold me close as I tried to battle with the emotions that began to overtake me.

“I can’t tell you how worried I was when we couldn’t find you. It was then that I realized how stupid I had been. I know I had said I wanted to be your friend, but Thalia, I lied. I’m not happy with being just your friend.”

I pulled back and opened my mouth to speak but he pressed his warm hand over my lips and hushed me.

“Don’t say anything, I know you. You will try and deny what we have, but the feelings I have won’t go away Thalia. So it’s better if you don’t say anything at all right now. I want to talk to you tonight, meet me after the Council Session by the arena.”

I nodded numbly. Joss quickly kissed my forehead before pushing me back into the hall and toward the Council room. I stopped a few paces in front of the Council hall doors so I could catch my breath before entering. The guards at the door watched me silently, knowingly and opened the double doors so I could go in. “You almost didn’t make it,” the guard on the right winked at me. “Another minute and you would have been late.”

My cheeks burned and I tried to put all thoughts of our kiss from my mind. It was hard, but once I remembered the importance of why I was here, I was able to settle the harried beating of my heart. But just barely.

Entering the main Council room I was astounded at the vastness of it. The room was a giant circle with raised boxed seating for each of the twelve clans, Guilds and Adepts; each clearly marked by banners. The viewing section was a small boxed area closest to the entry doors. The round room created equality among the clan leaders because there was no obvious head of the table. In the middle of the room, on the floor, was a small dais for the speakers. The room echoed easily because of the high vaulted ceilings.

Sliding into the viewing section, I sat among a few of the older Denai students. A few had quills and parchment, obviously prepared to take notes of the proceedings. I turned to Tydus, an older Denai, with small spectacles and brown hair and asked him if he had been to one of these before.

“Of course, I’m the council recorder. You?”

“Uh, first time.”

Tydus frowned. He obviously took his studies very seriously.

Queen Lilyana came forward to address all of the Clan Leaders and Adepts.

“We are here today because of an incident that can no longer be ignored.” She paused for effect. “And that is the persecution of our people, Denai and Human alike. Someone has been kidnapping the people of Calandry and performing heinous experiments on them. This will not be allowed and will not be tolerated. We don’t have all of the facts yet, but we have found the remains of an abandoned prison, where these crimes have taken place.”

I sat up straighter; this was the first I had heard of them finding the prison.

“We could not find the ones who are doing this, the ones known as the Septori, because we were looking for them in our land. It seems that they are not locals, but come from Sinnendor.”

Silence befell the room and then loud rumblings were heard as everyone began to talk at once.

“Impossible!”

“How can that be?”

“How do they get past Sinnendor’s elite?”

“Is Sinnendor behind this?”

The Queen raised her hand and the room fell silent again. “We don’t know how much King Tieren knows, for the Septori were hiding underground right along the river that borders both of our lands. But there were numerous paths that led straight into Sinnendor territory from the Septori’s hideout. We cannot lay blame without proof, and right now we don’t have any. I will not risk another war without more proof.”

Heads bobbed up and down in understanding. A few murmured disagreement and I was careful to watch those boxes closely. I couldn’t help but notice that throughout the whole proceedings there were two clan sections that remained empty. One was for the Skyfell clan, their Clan Leader’s wife was ailing and their leader refused to leave her side, so he sent his deepest regrets about his absence.

Leaning over to Tydus, I asked him about the other empty box.

“Oh, that’s for the Valdyrstal Clan. They’ve never acknowledged the actual delegation of the Council and have yet to ever make an appearance for a Council Session. Supposedly their clan leader, Bearen Valdyrstal, is extremely against any Council business and progress. He is supposedly even anti Denai.”