A barked laugh came from one of the men standing behind Bearen. Bearen spun and gave him a dangerous look. The laughter stopped and Bearen turned back to the Adepts and Council and waited patiently.

Adept Cirrus leaned over and spoke to Adept Pax. “Very well,” Cirrus went on. “You may take your seats. But be forewarned for next time that you will come in appropriate attire and be on time.”

Bearen then did the most amazing feat. He bent his large form into a deep and mocking bow. My eyes widened in awe and apparent horror at the disdain he showed to the Council Members. Walking past me to his seat, his men following close behind, Bearen caught me staring at him. Stopping abruptly, his lip lifted in an obvious attempt at another smile, but came out a sneer, before heading into his assigned box seats. My palms started to sweat as I felt his continued stare long after I looked away.

“It seems to me,” Adept Kambel said and stood up, looking over his notes, “that someone has been stolen or kidnapped or ran away from every large Clan, except for…” Dropping his parchment, Kambel stooped down and tried to pick it back up and in the process, knocked his glasses askew. Placing them back stubbornly on his nose, he looked at his parchment one last time before going on. “Except for Valdyrstal.” He looked pointedly at Bearen, who was leaning back in his chair at that moment with his large boots stretched out before him and resting on a chair in front.

“Do you have anything you would like to add?” Adept Cirrus asked.

Bearen slowly stood up, lifted one foot off of the chair and turned to address the council. His deep voice rumbled in the room. “Ay, we have only lost one child, my daughter, but unlike you, we have actually found her.” Turning his hawk-like nose and deep blue eyes toward me, his next words dragged out into eternity, searing into my memory. “Hello, Thalia.”

Chapter 30

My hands started to shake and I grabbed the banister in front of me to steady myself in case I should faint. I stared at the man across from me who seemed familiar, yet at the same time, was a stranger. The family resemblance in our hair and eyes was undeniable. The joy that I thought would surround me at the thought of finding my family turned into trepidation.

All of the Adepts stood up at once and began talking. Tydus reached over a hand and slapped me on the back, making a joke about pretending to not know the strongest clan in Calandry and then being the Clan leader’s daughter. My eyes never left Bearen, who grinned at me in triumph as he walked down into the center of the room.

“Brothers!” his deep voice rang out. “I have been looking for Thalia for months and had only recently heard rumors that my daughter had shown up in Haven. I came to the Citadel not to participate in this year’s Council Session, but to retrieve my daughter.” Pointing a finger at me, he beckoned. “Come daughter, we shall return home.” Moving toward the exit, all of Bearen’s men stood up in formation behind him.

Pax Baton’s voice roared after him, “Stop! What do you think you are doing, taking one of our students and leaving?” Pax leapt from his box and strode toward Bearen and his men.

Bearen Valdyrstal turned on him in a flash and placed one large hand on Pax’s chest as a small knife appeared in his other. “Don’t come any nearer,” Bearen spat. “You know my viewpoint on Denai and your training program. How dare you take my daughter and bring her here into this filth!” Turning, Bearen spat onto the ground. “Now she must return home and be cleansed. She doesn’t belong here with your kind; she belongs with us, her family.”

The word family brought my head up in surprise. Maybe I had brothers and sisters, a mother. The urge to follow Bearen to find my family became overbearingly strong.

Pax lifted his hands in an unthreateningly manner. “Forgive us, we did not know that she was your daughter. There are quite a few things that have happened in the last months with your daughter that you should be made aware of.”

All of the Denai in the room could take out my father if they wanted too, but Bearen kept the knife far enough away from Adept Pax to not warrant an attack. I saw that despite his anger, he did possess wisdom.

“Ay, nonetheless I will be informed. But this is a family matter. She’s underage, and must come home with me.” Pushing Pax and sheathing his knife, he looked to me. “Let’s go, Thalia.” He turned, holding out his large hand to me.

Pausing, I stood frozen amongst all the clamor and commotion, taking in my father standing before me. I tried to bring to life any memories at all; and I couldn’t. His eyes darkened at my hesitancy.

“You either come now, or don’t come home at all. Ever.”

That did it. Spurring into action I stepped down out of my seat and made my way over to Bearen and his men, and at that moment, Bearen reminded me of Kael. The clansmen formed a protective ring around me and I followed the fur-covered back of Bearen out of the council room. Pausing in the hallway, I turned toward my room to get my things.

“Leave ‘em. Anything you have has now been tainted by them,” he growled. We walked into the courtyard and made our way to the stable, where a herd of the largest, sturdiest horses I had ever seen stood. These must be the Valdyrstal’s horses.

Making my way over to Faraway’s stall, I grabbed his bridle and reins and began to saddle him. One of the clansmen followed me and was about to make a remark, when I cut him off.

“I will not leave without my horse,” I gritted out, showing my teeth the way I had seen Bearen do. The clansmen grinned and laughed out loud. “It seems our vixen still has her temper,” he chuckled, and moved away.

Where are we going? Faraway asked.

“Home, I think.”

Saddling Faraway, I followed in line behind Bearen, and once again the clansmen formed a protective circle around me. Whether it was for my own protection or to keep me from running away, I wasn’t really sure. By this time quite a crowd had gathered. The assembly was dismissed, and the word had spread throughout the keep. Students kept pouring out of the hallways and peering out windows.

“HO!” Someone yelled and the horses started moving.

“Wait!” a familiar voice interjected. “What’s going on?”

Turning in my saddle I saw Joss running out of the main hall at a sprint toward me. Joss was stopped short by the clansmen wearing fox fur, who quickly pulled a sword and pointed it at his throat. Joss’ throat bobbed nervously as the sword rested calmly against his Adam’s apple. The caravan of horses stopped.

“Where are you taking her?” he asked bravely.

“None of your business; this here is clan business and you are not clan,” Fox Fur retorted.

Joss’ eyes sought mine for an answer.

“Home,” I answered softly, feeling a catch in my throat at the thought of leaving him.

“But you are home?” Joss stated, refusing to blink and break eye contact. “You belong here.”

“No, I don’t. Not really.” I broke eye contact first as I looked down at my shoe and then back up. “Joss, I don’t remember anything up until a few months ago. I need to find out who I am and where I come from.” A stir followed my answer as the crowd parted and Syrani stepped forward and grabbed Joss’ arm possessively.

“Joss,” she purred. “Let the sewer rat go home with the smelly dogs, and then it can be just the two of us again.”