Iron Heart (The Gauntlet #2)

Chapter 5 - Team Building, Team Breaking

  It had been a long time since Codi felt like a child, but standing alongside Gareth in the office of Battlecast's head instructor was like being transported back to her school days. They'd been shut in separate rooms while Thradd explained the altercation, but now they stood before Bronagh Llewellyn, and her wrath seemed poised to come crashing down on them both.

She kept her eyes downcast, jaw clenched tight as they waited for the woman to speak. Although nothing in Bronagh's appearance stood out, there was an indefinable aura that seemed to make her fill the room from behind her desk. Her office consisted of nothing more than that grey desk, a chair, a wall mounted tele-screen and a shelving unit filled with folders and data. The Spartan furnishings only added to the sense that within this tiny chamber Bronagh Llewellyn was judge, jury and executioner.

When the head instructor stood up Codi sucked in a sharp breath and raised her head. Whatever happened next she would take it like an adult and accept whatever punishment her transgression merited. And she wasn't going to apologise.

"This is...remarkable," Bronagh said, her tone low and measured. She walked round the desk and paced back in forth in from of them. "Two veteran fighters, both potentially in line for a space in the first team and this is how you act?"

"What did I-"

"SHUT UP!" Bronagh roared, shaking with rage. Her eyes blazed and Gareth dropped his gaze to the floor. Codi, however, kept her chin up and met Bronagh's stare when it passed over her.

"I'm well aware of your track record, Miss James," Bronagh continued icily. "And it was made abundantly clear to you that while some of your disciplinary shortcomings may have been tolerated at Brax-Delta, they will not be tolerated here. Do you have anything to say?"

Codi shook her head. She had the distinct feeling that if she tried to defend her actions she'd only make things worse. Bronagh glared at her for a long, uncomfortable moment before moving on.

"And you, Gareth. You know the ropes here. You competed under the Battlecast colours last year for God's sake. We have no time for petty grudges. Miss James may have been out of line, but your conduct in the training spar was equally inexcusable. I don't know what you were trying to prove, but you can count yourself lucky that the girl did not sustain any serious injury."

"I didn't mean to hurt her," Gareth forced out.

"A moot point." Bronagh's tone could have frozen a river. She pressed her lips tightly together and returned to the seat behind her desk. "Whatever problems you two have, I suggest you put an end to them. I don't care how you do it – short of killing one and other I don't care what it takes, just sort it out! On the basis that you are both Gauntlet veterans and skilled combatants I will overlook this incident. If it happens again the consequences will be severe." She glared at them and motioned towards the door with her head. "Get out."

Codi let Gareth lead the way out of the room. When they were back out in the corridor he made to walk away but she wasn't about to just let the matter drop that easily.

"Gareth," she snapped.

He stopped but didn't turn. "What?"

Codi walked up to him and spun him round by one arm, forcing him to look at her. His face was locked tight with emotion and his body was rigid.

"She's right you know," she said undeterred, pointing back at Bronagh's office. "This can't go on."

"What can't? You taking cheap shots at defenceless people?"

"Don't talk to me about cheap shots." Already she felt the urge to hit him again but fought down the sensation. "You could have ended Leela's competition today."