The Iron Butterfly (Iron Butterfly 1)

“My glasses seem to have been stolen,” Adept Kambel said, patting himself down as if searching for the hidden item on his body. “I took a nap in my chair and put them on my desk, but when I woke up they were gone.”

Stepping into his office, I had to wonder if this is what his office usually looked like. There were telescopes at every available window, star maps, astrological calendars and many other machines, some I’d never even heard of. You could tell that Kambel’s hobby was stargazing, which seemed kind of fitting for him. His rooms still held the rows upon rows of books that you would think a historic nut would need, and his clothes still sported their usual ink stains. Kambel’s fingers were stroking his gray beard in worry.

Spreading out, I looked around his napping couch and got on my hands and knees to look under it. Working out in a circle from the couch I felt along the floor and under every table and desk. It wasn’t until I heard a twittering noise that I looked up and saw movement along a curtain. I was shocked at the sight of a monkey nimbly crawling along the curtain rod.

“Adept Kambel? Do you have a monkey?” I know it seemed really silly, but this is the first I’ve heard of any kind of pet being here at the Citadel.

“Ah yes, that would be Atticus; a gift from Adept Breah. Nasty little bugger, loves playing tricks on me, but I can’t get rid of him because it would offend poor Breah.”

As if he heard his name being said, Atticus swung down from the curtain and crawled up Kambel’s leg to perch on his shoulder. The little monkey grabbed hold of one of his large ears for support and his long brown tail wrapped around Kambel’s neck and face under his nose, giving the impression that Kambel had a bushy mustache.

“Ah…the worst part is…Ah…” he kept starting and stopping and finally sneezed, then said, “is that I’m allergic to him.”

Atticus opened his mouth wide and blew a raspberry with his mouth as Adept Kambel flailed his arms until his jumped off.

“So I take it,” I couldn’t stop laughing, “that your glasses didn’t just walk off. They literally were stolen by a monkey.”

He looked at me in all seriousness. “Why, of course, they were. You really didn't think I could misplace my glasses while I was sleeping did you? That overlarge, good-for-nothing squirrel stole them.” After I was able to get the chuckles out, I pulled out a chair and started to feel along the top of his bookshelves. When I had checked out two of them and had moved on to the third, I noticed a title of a book that caught my attention. “The King’s SwordBrothers.” Picking the book off the shelf, I flipped a couple pages before I asked if I could borrow it for reading.

“Ouch! You can borrow anything you want if you can find my glasses,” he yelled, rubbing his head where he bumped it on the desk. I was lucky as the glasses were left on top of the very last bookshelf in his study. Stepping down from the chair I handed the silver spectacles to him and he donned them to look at the book I was borrowing.

“Ah, an interesting read, if I do say so myself. There is some of the SwordBrother’s oral history, from their old clans.” He looked at me with some interest. “What makes you want to read that?”

“Extra credit, I figure I need all the help I can get with my studies,” I lied.

Walking over to me, he gave me back the book. “Well then, I think the answers you are looking for are in that book. But beware; they may not be the ones you want.” Walking to his chair, Adept Kambel sat down, his eyes twinkling in excitement. “So what other than a book on SwordBrothers brought you to my door this evening?” Sitting down in his chair he studied me as if trying to see inside of my head.

“Yes, I do have a question.” I was so distracted by all of the fuss with the monkey and excited about finding a book about SwordBrothers that I almost forgot the real reason I came. I was too scared to ask any of my teachers during class in case I was made fun of. Licking my lips nervously, I rushed out my question with absolute zero finesse. “Um, yeah, well, have you ever heard of a Guardian?”

At the mention of a Guardian, Adept Kambel’s face blanked in thought. “No, I haven’t heard of a Guardian. But I’m making a trip to the ruins next month.”

“Ruins?”

“Ah, yes, the ruins are what is left of the King of Avellgard’s Castle after the Denai War. The Denai rebuilt the city of Haven in a new location, miles from the old castle, in hopes of leaving the darkness and taint of the old monarchs behind. Avellgard’s extensive libraries still survive deep underneath the castle ruins. I’m always hoping to find a new tunnel with books and artifacts to study.”

“You think that there may be something there?”

“Maybe. There are many secret tunnels under there where the Denai hid during the war. I’ll see what I can find. How’s that sound?” He looked exited at the thought of excavating and digging through piles of books.

I was a little disappointed that I would have to wait.

“Sounds great! Can’t wait to hear what you find.” I plastered a fake smile over my disappointment and closed the door after me.

Chapter 27

I showed up for practice the next day but made sure I walked in three minutes late. Kael just growled at me to pick up a weapon and start warming up. The next few days were the same. On the days we actually used power in the Arena, which were few, I would be physically exhausted by the time I reached practice with Kael. I wasn’t sure if it was because I was new to using power, or if it was because it took longer for me to recover than everyone else. But either way, today was not a good day. I was beat and in no mood for sparring, and I couldn’t tell anyone why.

I was excelling at archery. Joss no longer worried about me getting hurt and was oftentimes the one cheering me on the loudest during our shooting competitions. Kael always looked dissatisfied with my results, or angry. Well, he usually always looked angry when he was around me. Swordfighting wasn’t my strength and he took great pleasure in flaunting it.

“Watch your footwork!” he yelled. “Too slow.”

Breathing heavily, I dodged Garit’s downward swing and spun to my right, bringing my practice sword up to strike his side. But Kael was right and I was slow. Garit anticipated my move and easily blocked my swing with the flat of his blade.

“You’re not concentrating!” Kael yelled.

“I am too,” I grunted back as I went on the defensive and did all that I could to keep Garit’s sure swings away from me. I was constantly moving around the ring, trying to stay away from the edges. But I was just dancing to Garit’s tune, and he already knew all of my moves. He disarmed me in the next two moves. I watched in dread as my practice sword hit the dirt, sending a little dust cloud into the air.

Kael’s shadow encompassed my view as he stood over me. “Not good enough. Garit, Thalia, again!”

“I can’t,” I said.

“You can and you will,” he ordered, kicking my sword over to me.

Garit moved to the middle of the ring and waited for me.

“No, I won’t.” Grabbing the wooden sword in anger, I flung it across the yard and walked away. Silence filled the training yard in my wake.

Watch out.

Faraway spoke and I saw through his eyes at the last minute Kael move behind me for an attack. Turning quickly and kneeling, I swept me leg out behind me to try and knock him off of his feet. Kael jumped over my leg swipe easily, landing on one leg and sending a sideswipe kick my way. Jumping back, I retreated again.