I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from chuckling. I could hear more stifled laughs behind me, and Kael put his cup down and watched our conversation with renewed interest. He still hadn’t spoken a single word, so I was beginning to feel nervous about my situation again. Why was I here?

Alba didn’t seem to notice my discomfort but continued with her reading of my teacup test. “Such interesting problem solving skills you have. It speaks much of the way you live your life.”

“How can the way I drink tea or not drink tea tell you anything about my life?” I had heard of some people reading tea leaves for fortunes but this was different.

The elderly woman took a sip of the tea, her smile spreading. “To fill the cup to overflowing is a faux pas. It is considered bad manners on my part, but seeing how you deal with the problem of the overflowing cup tells me much about you. If you had leaned forward and sipped off the top of the cup, then I would know you are a hurried individual, but brave. The first to lead the charge, though prone to anger and rash decisions.”

I turned and gave Kael a thoughtful look. He continued to smile, silently refusing to give me any kind of signal as to what he had done when he was first tested.

The old woman continued. “If you had poured off the excess, then I would say you are a spirited individual who makes decisions based off of need rather than thought. If you used a spoon to drink off the extra, then you are a thoughtful problem solver. If you set the tea in front of you and never take a sip, then I can tell you are cautious, and fear of failure can be a major obstacle in your life.”

“But what of Thalia’s choice?” Kael spoke up.

With the speed of a cobra, a fan appeared out of Alba’s sleeve and she swatted Kael on the top of the head. He winced and bowed it again in subservience.

“And you still haven’t changed! Can’t even wait for the end of the story. Why did it not surprise me that you slurped the tea, during your test?” Alba gave Kael a fond glare and slipped her fan back into her overly large sleeve. Again there was a lack of tinkling.

I was afraid to speak after her exchange with Kael. Would she whack me with a fan? She settled back down and refused to go on. Part of me wanted to ask, another wanted to sit quietly and wait till she spoke first. But the third part wanted to get up and walk out. Just leave this whole farce behind. I chose a fourth option.

Without being obvious, I sent a thread of power to the bell closest to me and knocked it hard. It didn’t make a sound, so I was somewhat confused.

“Impatient and a bit rude, aren’t you?” She looked at me full in the face. She knew what I had done.

“I picked up a few traits from a certain SwordBrother,” I said.

“Very well, then. I’ll tell you. There was only one other person that I know of that served someone else the tea. That was me.”

Alek spoke up from behind Kael. “Alba, you never told us that.”

“Of course not. Why would I tell you? You didn’t choose that method, now did you,” she chastised. “Your choice, Thalia, tells me you don’t wait for others to tell you what to do. You forge your own path and make your own choices, but you are rarely prepared for the consequences.”

I swallowed as a cold finger of fear ran up my spine. She could be guessing.

Alba turned and addressed Kael. “Now your actions, Kael, on the other hand—abandoning your brethren and family, forsaking your calling, bringing outsiders into the sanctuary—these are all serious offenses. You know this. You know that no one is allowed to know where we live, and despite how charming this one may seem, she is still an enemy. Not one of us, nor born of us.”

“No, you’re wrong. I’ve been training her in our ways. She’s strong. I think, given time, she could adapt to living here and be one of us.” Kael had jumped out of his kneeling position and was standing over Alba.

I gasped. Not once had Kael ever mentioned the possibility of us not leaving.

Alba shook her head sadly. I looked over my shoulder and watched Alek’s and Gwen’s reactions. Alek was stone-faced with anger. Gwen looked hurt and confused. So much for the lighthearted laughter from earlier.

“Kael, you know the laws we live by. She can’t stay. We’re not even supposed to let her to live.”

The sound of swords being drawn made me jump to my feet. I took a defensive stance and stepped away from the delicate tea set to where I would have more room to fight and keep my back to a wall. Alek and Gwen had not moved an inch, but a few of the other SwordBrothers had moved forward to surround me.

I did not want to fight and kill Kael’s people.

“Then my life for hers,” Kael answered back. His voice rang deep with anger. He strode over and stood in front of me. I assumed he was reaching for his dagger from his bandolier, but instead I watched as he unfastened the leather buckle and began to disarm himself. He wrapped up the bandolier with the knives, took his knife out of his boot, and placed everything in a neat pile on the floor.

He turned to face me, his deep, dark eyes filled with pain. “I’m sorry, Thalia. I had hoped we would have a different reception.” He reached forward and gently brushed my cheek with his thumb. Alek stepped up behind Kael and pulled his wrist away from my face, bracing it behind Kael’s back. Others came forward to secure the SwordBrother, but all I could do was stand there frozen in shock. This couldn’t really be happening.

His hands were manacled and chains put around his feet. He wouldn’t look at me. He wouldn’t raise those beautiful stormy blue eyes to even try and tell me that we would be okay.

“No!” I turned back to Alba. “You can’t do this! I didn’t know that by coming here, I was putting anyone’s life in danger—mine or Kael’s. You must reconsider.” I kneeled on the floor before her and bowed low, my forehead touching the cold wood floor as I pleaded for Kael’s life. “I can’t let him die for me.”

“Child, why are you so upset over this one? If it wasn’t him, it would be you.”

“Because he saved me,” I cried out. My chest felt heavy with emotion. “Over and over again he saved me. I owe him my life. And frankly, if he died right now because of this, I would never be able to forgive him. I would hate him till the day I died.”

Alba shook her head at my stubborness. “If it’s not death, then his punishment at dawn is to the very brink. Tortured and beaten till he wished for death. Would that suit you?”

My breathing ragged, it took me a few moments to comprehend her form of mercy still demanded pain. I sat up. “How could you do that to your own? That’s almost worse than death.”

“Yes, it is, but that is our law.”

“It’s a barbaric law,” I seethed.

Her eyes narrowed and she looked into my face accusingly. “Thalia Valderstal, are you saying that your clan laws are less barbaric than ours?”

“I…I…uh—how do you know my name?”

“I wouldn’t speak about barbaric customs and laws, until you look deep into your own family history.”

“I know my family history. Yes, there are some things our clan does that I’m not proud of, but I’ve been trying to change things for the better.”

“You don’t even know if your own clan will allow you to lead. You’re not like them.” Her hand reached out and covered my blue eye, so that I only saw her with the horrible silver one. “Just as I thought.” She pulled her hand back and poked me hard in the chest. “It’s weak, but it’s there.”