The Iron Butterfly by Chanda Hahn

took a peek into the hall to see if I could spot him. I froze in shock at seeing a room full of Denai. I had never seen so many beautiful people in one place and it took Avina giving me a nudge to bring me back down from the visual high.
    I searched for Joss, and sure enough his tall frame was surrounded by a bunch of girls vying for his attention. As a new Denai, he couldn’t help but draw a crowd. His good looks drew the female Denai and among the flock of skirts, a familiar blonde held his attention the most.
    I couldn’t help but roll my eyes and duck into the kitchen before he saw me spying. What could I say? She was gorgeous, even if she was mean spirited, and it sure looked like Syrani was laying on the charm.
    After dinner, the kitchen staff again ate together, and I deftly avoided too many personal questions with quick one-word answers. After a few questions they got the hint to not pry; everyone except for Avina, who in her childish exuberance didn’t know when to stop with the chatter. Her questions followed me back to our room where I crashed in exhaustion onto my bed after I changed into my nightclothes. I didn’t even bother to make the bed with the clean linens Berry had given me earlier in the day.
    Avina changed and crawled into her bed explaining that because she was a baker’s assistant she worked really early and she would try and not disturb me. Yawning, I assured her she was fine and I rolled over and looked out the window at the moon.
    My thoughts drifted toward Cammie and how Avina reminded me so much of her. And the brooding Kael, even if he was rude, I still prayed that he was safe. Then I thought of Darren and hoped he would be home to see Melani soon and that he could forgive me for treating Joss and him cruelly. Had it only been a day since I had come here? It seemed like it had been weeks since I left Joss and Darren's care. So much had changed in a day.
     

Chapter 6
     
    The following weeks became a routine of working in the kitchen or running errands. Even though I would have preferred to work outdoors, I didn’t dare ask because the Adepts had done so much for me. Each week they would meet with me in their office and I would hear what they had to say about their search so far.
    At the first weekly meeting I met Adept Cirrus. He was an even-tempered man with blonde hair that he wore long in a ponytail, and I would guess his age to be in his late forties. He was seriously concerned with what had happened, and wanted to hear the story again from me personally and not just repeated from the other Adepts.
    His summons came to my room in the form of a sealed note delivered by Forrest a few days after he had returned from his trip. Entering his round office I was surprised at the difference between his opulently decorated rooms and Lorna’s simple design aesthetic. Adept Cirrus’s office had heavy gold drapes hanging from the four windows overlooking the grounds. His walls were a deep green covered with paintings from every era, while a crystal chandelier hung in the center, mysteriously illuminating the room without help from candles. Tall bookshelves lined his walls, on which sat very heavy books neatly organized and manuscripts. The smell of books and rosewood assailed my nose. His desk was clean except for a journal which he had opened with a quill ready in his hand, and I felt a moment of hesitation. He gestured to a plush maroon chair that I sank in with weariness and almost disappeared deep into the cushions. I studied Adept Cirrus warily as he studied me.
    “I really don’t want dig up all of this again,” I told him. “The memories are painful.”
    “I completely understand, Thalia. And we can stop whenever you want to. But I was really hoping to record everything that happened so I can personally look into it further.”
    I raised my eyebrows in question. He recovered quickly. “So that we can catch this person and make him pay for what he did to you. This should have never