Page 40 of The Iron Flower

I focus on my cider as Daciana sits down, ignoring me, and asks a sullen Jarod about his University studies. As they talk, her concerned expression deepens. Every now and then her eyes dart over to view me suspiciously, perhaps trying to see if I’m to blame for the change in her son. Jarod tries not to look at Aislinn—I can see it in the way he holds himself, so stiff and unmoving, but he can’t resist for long.

He glances over at her for a split second as his mother is telling him about a relative’s new twin girls. Daciana breaks off mid-sentence. Her head jerks around to see who Jarod just glanced at, her gaze immediately zeroing in on Aislinn. Dawning horror washes over her face. “Oh, Blessed Maiya,Jarod...”

Jarod looks down at the table, his hands tightly clasped in front of him.

“Sweet Maiya...tell me it’s not true.”

Jarod doesn’t answer her.

“Of all the girls you have met—” his mother’s voice breaks “—all the beautiful, strong Lupine girls we’ve introduced you to—thisisthe girl you want?” For a long moment, Jarod’s mother seems too stunned to speak further. “Do you know who that girl’s father is?”

“I’m well aware who her father is,” Jarod says stiffly.

“Does this girl... Does she know how you feel about her?”

“Yes.”

“What’s happened?” Daciana asks, an edge of panic to her voice.

“Nothing, Mother. Nothing’s happened,” Jarod spits out. “She’s to be wandfasted to a Gardnerian she doesn’t love, and who doesn’t love or deserve her.”

Daciana shakes her head in fervent regret. “Your father and I have made a grave mistake sending you both to this University. If we had known that you would both fall in love with Gardnerians...”

Jarod looks up at her, his amber eyes gone hard. “What, Mother? What would you have done? Perhaps the Lupines should start wandfasting, as well. It’s such a wonderful tradition. Look at Aislinn Greer, Mother. Look how happy it’s making her.”

“Jarod—”

“No, Mother, I’m serious. You could have wandfasted Diana and me before we came of age, forced us into mating pairs with the Lupines of your choice.”

“It doesn’t work that way with us—”

“I’m well aware it doesn’t work that way for us!” Jarod growls. “It doesn’t work that way foranyone!”

Daciana shakes her head, distraught. “You can’t have this girl, Jarod.”

“I know I can’t have her,” Jarod says, his voice harsh and bitter. “But you shouldn’t trouble yourself. It’s not a concern, since she refuses to haveme.”

“My son...”

Jarod gets up abruptly. “Please, don’t tell me that everything will be all right.” He holds up a hand as she starts to speak. “Becausenothingis all right. Nothing in this entire world is all right.” Jarod storms out of the hall, choosing an exit far from Aislinn.

Daciana sits frozen for a moment, as if she’s trapped in a bad dream. Then she shoots me a look of hatred and follows her son out.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

LUPINE AMAZ

The crimson-eyed Lupine boy runs toward me, giggling and clutching a branch of decorative Yule pine. Flame-haired Brendan chases after him, catching him up in his strong arms as the child shrieks in delight.

The huge, rune-tattooed man, Ferrin, strides toward his son and Brendan, smiling broadly at their antics.

“So, you’re beta to the pack,” I say to Ferrin as Brendan sets the squirming little boy down and the child takes hold of his father’s hand.

Ferrin smiles good-naturedly, towering over me. “I am.”

“Diana told me a bit about you,” I say. His son giggles and breaks free from Ferrin’s loose grip, running back across the hall. Brendan rolls his eyes and tears after him, leaving me alone with Ferrin. “She said you were a baby when you joined the Lupines.”

“I was. They found me, abandoned in the woods, nearly starved to death.” He recounts this impassively, and I marvel at this hard fact. He’s bigger than Andras. It’s hard to picture him ever having been small and sickly.

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