The Steele Wolf (Iron Butterfly #2)(15)

The men began to stomp their feet on the wooden floor. It was fast and matched the pace of my wildly beating heart. There was more howling, and I scanned the men’s faces trying to read their expressions when they looked at my father and me.

The first warrior, a young man with curly hair stood up and used the mallet to strike the shield.

Clang! Roars of approval moved through the hall. He came forward and knelt in front of my chair to pledge his oath to me.

I was taken aback by how young he was; he had to be younger than me. His green eyes twinkled with excitement and hope. I just prayed that my stupid plan wouldn’t get him killed.

“I’m Arthur and I choose to fight for you.” He grinned and pounded his chest playfully. “Min hjart en sterkur,” he recited. ‘My heart is strong.’

I was proud that I remembered the correct reply. “En meja min sver vera sterkur.” ‘But may your sword be stronger.’

He bowed low and I could feel the heat rush to my cheeks. The room erupted into whistles. I spared a look toward my father and he shook his head in disappointment. He knew and I knew that the boy wouldn’t win.

Clang! The shield rang again and another warrior came forward to declare his intentions. Some of the men looked me over appraisingly while others winked at me. A few were old enough to be my father; some were missing teeth and more than a few needed baths.

I was quite shocked when a familiar face rang the shield and knelt before me. His long black hair draped past his shoulders, and his eyes looked black by the firelight. My cousin, Bvork smirked at me and made a deliberate show of reaching for my hand to plaster a kiss on it. I quickly pulled it away and wiped it on the front of my dress, hearing a few laughs follow as he sauntered away. I leaned over to Odin who had moved to stand next to me.

“How can he enter? I whispered furiously. “He’s my cousin.”

“I did what you asked. I looked into the rules and nowhere does it state who can and can’t compete in the Kragh Aru. It’s what you were personally counting on.”

Sighing, I mentally wished that I were back in Calandry and taking classes again. My troubles there seemed so much easier than the trouble I was causing here. I was actually beginning to miss Syrani and her awful barbs.

The next clansman who was presented stood before me had a slight accent as he pledged his vow. Actually, I had heard quite a few variations on the pledge. I smiled widely when Fenri stepped forward and kneeled and grasped my hand. “My heart is strong.”

“But may your sword be stronger.” I smiled back and reached for his hand delaying him. I leaned forward and whispered urgently, “Do you think you can still win?”

“Are you changing your mind? You could have had me without the tournament.”

“No, I’m not changing my mind,” I answered.

“Then what choice do you give me? I have to win.” He pulled his hand roughly out of mine and moved away.

I felt a little guilty at what I was putting Fenri through. A slight cough made me realize that it was time to move on.

The grey haired and the bald Stahler men came, rang the shield and pledged followed by another clansmen whose furs were dirty and his helm covered his head and most of his face. He slurred through the vow as if he was drunk and then looked at me with a sneer in his voice. “This is what I traveled all this way for? This is the prize?” He hiccupped and started to fall over. “What a waste.”

I felt my hand pull back to slap him, but Odin caught me and sternly told him to move on. I watched him out of the corner of my eye as he made his way back to a corner by the other two men. I realized I recognized him as the drunk Stahler and I decided I needed to keep a closer eye on those three.

The shield rang over and over. Sometime during the procession someone started playing the drums. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, trying to hide from the rhythm and the rush of feelings and emotions that were rolling over me. I could feel them: excitement, joy, hope. But then others came, darker ones: lust, hate, revulsion.

I opened my eyes and saw the piercing gaze of the Stahler men and I almost choked. I scanned the crowd again and met more angry eyes, but these were coming from my own family members; my Uncle Rayneld and my cousin Bvork. Fear boiled up from within me and I tried to push it away. I desperately needed the noise to stop.

My nails gripped the armrests of my chairs and felt myself start to lose control. My head started to throb and I just wanted the noise and pain to cease. Someone was laughing at me. Or they could have been laughing at someone else but it felt like it was directed at me. Another warrior rang the shield.

How many more could there possibly be? I barely made it through reciting my line, before the buzzing in my head got louder. It was finally over and I could breathe, but barely. It was time to go outside and do the last thing I felt like doing. Celebrate.





Chapter 9



I felt odd. I was swimming in a sea of faces. Many of them called to me, wishing me well. Others were warriors looking to get my blessing or a token to wear tomorrow. But they were all strangers. My face was stiff from pretending to smile, and my heart was weary with grief. I could feel the pressure build in my mind and I needed to escape. Thankfully, Fenri appeared and pulled me into a dance.

“It seems that you needed rescuing from yourself. You look like the earth is about to swallow you whole.” Fenri smiled and took my hand, guiding me along side him. I watched his feet carefully and mirrored him.