The Steele Wolf (Iron Butterfly #2)(26)

That wasn't the point; he didn't understand my feelings of trying to prove to my family that I was strong enough to run the clan by myself. He didn't even ask me why I had entered the competition. I was too tired to fight with him, and I was getting more annoyed with him every minute; plus I was feeling overwhelmed.

“Well, your plan will only work if you win tomorrow,” I said slowly, trying not to betray my feelings in my voice. He looked at my change in mood with confusion and started walking towards me.

He lifted my chin and saw the tears that I wasn’t able to hide from him. Brushing them away with his thumb, I felt a small jolt of electricity at his touch.

“I don’t like to be tied down.” He then copied the same movement that Joss did weeks ago and ran his roughened thumb over my lips. The spark was undeniable, even if it was obviously only one sided. His eyes narrowed and were void of emotion.

“Please…leave,” my voice had become husky with warring emotions.

“And go where? You’ve imprisoned me,” he whispered.

I turned my face away and he dropped his hand as if I had stung him. Kael walked to door and let himself out. The door closed with a soft click.

My legs felt like rubber and I slowly collapsed to the floor in front of the fire. I realized that his stealth abilities would let him sneak by anyone downstairs without being caught. In fact, he probably liked the challenge. Lying with my cheek pressed against the soft rug, my fingers grasped hold of it. I stared at the flickering fire and let the tears flow.

I cried silently for the pain that I had seen in Kael’s eyes at his inability to be free of me, I cried the tears that I knew Kael himself would never shed.





Chapter 13



The scream of a horse woke me a few hours after Kael left. This night was bound and determined to never end. I rolled over on the rug by the fire and noticed that it had died down to a mere burning ember. So if my fire had burned out, why was my room still alit with a glow? Then, the scent of burning hay reached my nose and the sound of another horse screaming made me jump up in panic. Something was on fire.

Quickly donning my clothes, I looked outside and could see flames in the distance through the trees, dancing on the rooftop of Aldo's house and barn. My first concern was my horse.

Faraway?

I'm okay, I'm in the field, he responded. I wanted to be near our new friend.

Breathing a sigh of relief that he was safe, I rushed into the hall and half slid, half fell down the steps and caught myself at the last moment, but not before spraining my ankle.

“Father!” I yelled through the house.

“He's not here,” a soft feminine voice echoed from downstairs. “He's already outside helping the others.” The voice became louder as it got closer and Siobhan turned the corner and came into view. Her eyes were red rimmed and puffy as if she had been crying. “I've come to help you.”

“Are you okay, cousin?” I asked in concern.

Shaking her head, she came closer. “I'm sorry,” she said. “Aldo's dead.”

“What? I don't understand.”

“It was the fire,” she cried, starting to hiccup. “He died while trying to save the stupid horses. Now the fire has spread to the next house, and everyone is trying to contain it. We must leave, cousin, because if they can't then your house is next. Your father wants you safely away.” She came over to me and I tried to stand but cried out as I put weight on my ankle.

Stupid, stupid stupid, I thought angrily at myself. “I'm gonna need help.”

Siobhan quickly wrapped her arm around my shoulder and helped me stand and walk towards the back door. It was when she was standing shoulder to shoulder to me that I noticed a fresh bruise on her face, but didn't comment on it as she deftly led me out.

The noise, light and heat from the fire were definitely weaker at the back of the house. I let Siobhan lead me away from the fire and into the dark. I could hear the sounds of people and animals crying out.

“How much farther?” I asked, as I limped along.

“I'm sorry, Thalia. Not much farther,” she went on.

“Siobhan, I never got a chance to apologize for how I treated you over the years. I really don't remember it too much, but Father says I was downright horrible.”

She froze mid step and listened. I quickly went on. “I was told I did it to prove my place as the next clan leader, but I don't know and really I don't care. I've had time to think it over and I was wrong, no matter what the reasons, no one should treat another poorly.”

Siobhan continued walking, although this time slower. I wished she would take faster steps so we could get to wherever we were going and I could sit.

“A lot of things have happened to me over the last few months and I've tried, I really have, to be the old Thalia that father wants me to be.” I took a quick intake of breath as I stumbled again, before finishing. “But I can't be her. I don't know her. I only know who I am now. And frankly, I don't want to go back to the way I was.”

Nodding her head in understanding, Siobhan spoke up. “You've changed. You are not the same power hungry, mean spirited cousin of before. You have grown. It's as if when you disappeared for months you grew and have emerged into a better person. Like a butterfly.”

I shivered at the comparison.