The Steele Wolf (The Iron Butterfly) (9 page)

Fenri walked towards me and stopped, leaning in to me to whisper angrily, “Is this what you wanted?” Glaring at the people around us, who backed away in fear, he went on. “I could have made you happy. I thought you wanted me to prove to you that I was strong enough to be your lifemate. I had no idea that this is what you had in mind. What were you thinking?”

 
Holding still, I shook my head and raised my shoulders in answer.

“Well, I hope you win, or that you are ready to live with the consequences,” he said, nodding toward my cousin who was speaking with my uncle Rayneld, a great bear of a man. With that last warning still ringing in my ears, Fenri pushed past me roughly and headed away from the crowds, steering clear of the medical tent.

Dropping my head in shame, I looked at my scuffed boot. I felt defeated. My only hope now was to win the competition and maybe try to convince him of what I was trying to do later. I gripped my sword in anger and waited until it was my turn to enter the ring.

The crowd parted for Bvork. Raising his hands to the crowds, he saluted them and then strutted in carrying a two-handed broad sword and no shield. He fought with a shield with Fenri. He must be changing his tactics after talking to his father.

Looking at Rayneld, I saw that his black beady eyes narrowed as he studied me and then nodded to his son. Sweat started to pool down my back as I looked at his son too. He must be extremely confident in his blocking abilities if he chose to fight without a shield.

There went my plan. He must have heard that I won most of my fights by breaking the shield. Now I would have to win by disarming him or pushing him out of the ring. Licking my lips nervously, I waited in the center for him to approach me.

“Ah, what’s this? How did a young boy like you make it this far in the competition without getting skewered alive?” Bvork spoke, his crooked bottom teeth showing. “How do you plan to win the Kragh Aru, eh? You’re barely a man. I don’t think you’re man enough for our clan leader’s daughter!” Loud, raucous laughter rose up from the crowd around him.

I gritted my teeth in anger and watched him carefully. Making a quick decision, I went to the sidelines and handed off my shield as well. I was tiring quickly and I needed to lighten the load.

Bvork’s eyebrow rose disbelievingly, and then he chuckled as I came back and gripped my sword. When the match started, I decided to attack instead of waiting for him to. Rushing forward, I swung as he stepped to the side, bringing his sword up to block. Then he swung and I parried.

We continued to dance around the ring, and sweat dripped freely down my back and face and into my eyes. It wasn’t until I saw him grin in triumph that I realized he was purposely trying to drag me along and wear me down. He wasn’t using his full strength to fight me, he was toying with me and it was working.

The next swing, I blocked.
 
Gritting my teeth, I felt the vibrations ring and I lost hold of my sword. I watched as it hit the ground, a puff of dirt surrounded it.

“Ein!”

Quickly, I opened myself up to Faraway.

Help! I need you.
And immediately warmth encompassed me, and I felt renewed. This time it was my turn to grin in triumph as my footwork and sword work became faster and I paraded him around the ring. His grin turned down as he went on the defense. With a large sword it was hard to disarm him, so I quickly pushed him back and kept attacking until he stepped on the rope.

“Ein” was called. I grinned and Bvork’s face turned downright ugly, which wiped my smile right off. Bvork walked over to the weapons rack and picked up a second sword and quickly entered the ring and engaged me in combat before I could even think of picking up a shield.

I marveled at his strength as he maneuvered both swords easily. That marvel turned to fear as I was quickly put on the defense. I felt the sting of the sword rip through the flesh of my upper arm and I blanched in surprise. Backing up, I felt the boundary rope hit the heel of my boot and I ducked as both swords swung at my head in an effort to take it off. Rolling, I turned and barely got up before another sword came at my midsection. Jumping back, I felt the sword nick my midsection. If this kept up, I would bleed out through numerous wounds.

Gasping for breath, I tried to focus my powers but Bvork came at me like a mad man, crisscrossing his swords in a complicated maneuver. I watched and counted as the weight of the heavier sword made the pattern a little off. Feinting to the right, I dodged left and thrust my sword sideways into the swirling vortex near his hands and gritted my teeth as both swords came to a halt and my blade made contact and nicked his hands.
 
Bvork yelled and dropped one sword. I had hoped for two.

“Tvier!”
 

Looking at my cousin I could see the rage building as he let the heavy two handed sword lay on the ground and continued on with his shorter, lighter sword. He made me pay for that second point as he pounded me with his sheer strength.

Another cut mirrored my other arm and I felt myself begin to tire again. I had no idea where he got all of his energy. Missing a feint, I was too slow as he swung his sword level at my head again. I barely turned my head sideways in time. I felt the blade slice the side of my neck. It caught on the edge of my helm and ripped it off. I watched in horror as it flew, spinning in slow motion, across the arena to land at the feet of the drunk stahler.

Grabbing my neck to staunch the flow of blood, I turned to see my cousin’s eyes widen in recognition and then turned dark with fury.

“Is this some sort of joke?” he growled. “Are you just trying to humiliate me and our clan?” He approached me menacingly.

“No, it’s a chance to win my freedom from having to marry because of someone else’s whim,” I called back. “It’s a chance to prove myself strong enough to lead our clan without a mate.”

He grimaced and came at me again. “Don’t think because you’re my cousin and the prize for the Kragh Aru that I’m going to take it easy on you.” Lowering his voice so only I could hear, he went on, “I couldn’t care less if you are male or female. All I care about is becoming the Clan leader, with or without you.”

Screaming, he attacked me and I had problems holding onto my sword that was slick with blood. He swung his sword downward and caught my sword and pinned it to the ground.

Glancing up, I saw his fist swing and I saw stars as he punched me in the eye. I heard the crack and I tried to draw power but he punched me again in the face and this time I fell and as I fell I felt my sword, bloody, slip from my fingers and hit the dirt. I landed on a large round rough bump and I realized sadly right then, that I had landed on the rope. I had lost.

The Dømari was too stunned to even call the count and winner. The whole crowd had gone deathly silent as soon as my identity had been revealed. I choked in pain and felt a hand touch my face and I looked into the angry, stormy eyes of the drunken clansman. How did I not notice his eyes before now? Was I that distracted by his smell and perverse acts that I didn’t notice how much they reminded me of Kael’s?

Chapter 11

“What were you thinking?” A familiar voice echoed or at least seemed to echo, as my head continued to ring.

“Stop shouting,” I murmured.

“I’m not shouting and you should explain yourself,” Bearen grumbled.

Opening only one eye because the other was swollen shut, I gasped as Odin leaned over me and applied a poultice to my numerous wounds. Reaching for the side of my throat, I felt the length of the already stitched wound that reached from my throat up the side of my jaw to my ear.
 
Odin quickly slapped my hand away.

“Don't touch the stitches. You are going to have a scar to remind you of this day.” I grimaced at his tone of voice. I wished that I had the ability to heal myself, but I wasn't that strong. My own recklessness got me here and I would have this reminder for the rest of my life.
 
Odin put something on my neck and I immediately took a quick intake of breath.

“That stings. What is it?”

“Harrumph, you don't want to know. But it will keep any infection from setting in,” Odin answered. I believed I already knew what he was applying because the familiar smell of cat urine invaded my nose.

“Did you know about this?” Bearen rumbled at Odin. “Were you a part of this from the beginning?”

Odin continued to minister to my wounds and spoke without making eye contact. “Aye! She told me of her plan.”

“How could you? She could have been killed and then Rayneld's son would appeal to the clan council for leadership.”

 
“And you!” Turning back to me. “You have a lot to answer for. Do you realize that Fenri is out of the running and that some stranger and your deceitful cousin Bvork are the last two standing to win the Kragh Aru?”

When he said deceitful cousin it made me wonder what he could have done to anger my father so. But then, I also had deceived people as I entered the competition in disguise. So maybe the apple didn't fall too far from the tree on both sides of our family. Sighing regrettably, I asked about Fenri's injuries.

“He'll be lucky if he can ever get the use of his hand back. I doubt he'll be able to hold a sword again.
 
Bvork crushed it,” Bearen gritted out angrily and his eyes shown with anger as he looked at me.

Odin quickly interrupted, “Well, maybe it's not as bad as all of that, hmmm? Maybe Thalia should take a look at it, considering it was her fault that he was injured.”

“What? My fau...?” I stopped as I caught Odin's pointed stare. “Yes, I will look at it.”

“NOOOO! You won't!” Bearen roared loudly. Quieting down, he came over to me and spoke slowly. “Do you understand what the consequences are of being found out? If someone sees his hand ruined now and then sees it later and it’s fine, questions will arise, and you will be banished.” Turning, he ran his hands through his dark hair. “If I was a good clan leader I would have already banished you. But I can't do that to my Thelonia. You are her spitting image, except for the black hair.” I wanted to speak up and interject on the topic, but he shushed me with his hand. “You will obey me, Thalia. I still can and will punish you if you disobey me again. Right now, having to be bonded to the winner of the Kragh Aru, is punishment enough for this crime.”

My face paled at the possibility of having to marry my cousin. “Please, I need to leave the tent.” I began to panic. “I have to know what’s going on.”

“Relax!” Odin said encouragingly. “You've caused quite a stir by entering. The clan is in an uproar! For one, Bvork injuring you the way he did after he found out it was you.
 
Two, that you entered the competition at all.
  
And three, that you were able to do so well.” He smiled. “The final match has been delayed for a few days.”

Breathing a sigh of relief, I laid back and tried to contact Faraway. But I was still in a lot of pain, and it seemed to be blocking my abilities. I heard a commotion of people outside the tent, asking various questions. Looking to Odin, I asked him if he could get me home. Nodding, Odin wrapped his arms around me, picked me up and went out the back of the tent, while Bearen went out the front to distract the crowd. I couldn't ask for a better distraction than Bearen. His fierceness and size would deter anyone from coming near me.

Taking a back path, we cut through the forest and wound our way through the trees heading towards home. There was nothing wrong with my legs, but I was weak.
 
My head was still spinning and I didn't want to fall and cause a scene, so I let Odin quickly and quietly carry me.
 

Leaning my head against his shoulder, I tried to keep my good eye closed against the fast moving trees. I still couldn't open my other eye. A quick shadow caught my attention and I motioned Odin to slow and stop. Seeing my alert expression and the tensing of my body made him tense and turn in response. Scanning the forest, he listened and sniffed the air for any sign of intruders.

“It must have been my imagination,” I said meekly.

“Nah, Thalia, my girl,” he whispered back. “I would trust your instincts any day.” Stepping with more care, we continued on. When we reached a turn, we took the path back into the open. I glanced again into the woods and I saw very distinctly the bushes move and heard a twig snap. Odin heard it too, and stepped back into the direct sunlight and quickened his step. He started to head to my home but I pointed at his. Looking at me in confusion, he nodded and went to his. Once inside, I curled up on a long wooden bench with a high back covered with furs.

“Quickly,” I motioned back to the door. “Bring Fenri, don't tell him I'm here, and try to not let anyone see him.”

Giving me a hard look, Odin bit the side of his mouth and left without a sound. Collapsing on the bench, the exhaustion overtook me and I slept until I heard the creak of the back door and the sound of two pairs of boots.

“I told you, there's nothing you can do.” The unmistakable sound of Fenri's angry voice reached my ears.

“Nah, don't you go yelling at an old man. I may have a few trade secrets that no one knows about. So you sit down and shut up.”

Fenri walked into the main room and stomped loudly over to the single stool by the fire. I could see that he had tried to bandage his hand by the evidence of wood bracers. I grimaced in guilt and empathy at his pain. Sitting down abruptly, he jumped just as fast when he came face to face with me lying down on the long wooden bench.