the night went quiet again, and that quiet was worse than the noise. Finn stood

said at last. "Someone is te

d to the bothy door. "I need to get Ronan o

r dead." He caught my wrist before I could reach the door, and the touch went through me l

law says rogues are executed. Y

at all about a sick boy." His grip loosened but he did not let go. "I will bring you before my father as a supplicant asking for h

e out ugly. "You thin

ear you. That is a

y from Finn and went back inside. My brother's face was grey, and when I put

orders me killed, I am taking at l

is f

d he was almost

eys. Finn carried Ronan up the slope himself, refusing my help, and I walked beside him counting

d eleven, and every one of them turne

use opened, and a man came o

the same pale gold as Finn's and lines around his mouth that looked carved rather than wor

a man who had learned long ago that shouting go

the bench by the door. "A woman and her brot

e was flour on his hands, and that small detail undid me more than

nd a rogue on the border with her br

es

sk her what she did

hurt, with a wounded child, and she asked for one night. Any wolf who comes to the

e state of my boots and the way I stood with my weight on the balls of my feet

is you

la

of what

lence went on long enough

is not seen by a healer tonight. Whatever e

nt. Then he turned his head and called ba

ne in the yard, with a knitted shawl and grey hair braided down

ift, is it?" She looked

es

at the Alpha. "He comes inside, Angus. I will not have

side. She waits in the yard until

when I

yers falling past her shoulders, sea green eyes that caught the torchlight, and a crooked half-smile that

arly no threat. The woman, though. She has been standing in your yar

a," Angus said.

ing. Pale hair and those blue eyes. I wonder if it was

went ve

aid evenly, "because the

, at the way he stood. Her expression did not change, but something behind her eyes narrowed. "You smell

id not

d law says we owe a supplicant bread and a hearing. It says nothing about

wolf watched with me. That woman knew exactl

l tell me the truth before the night is over. All of it. Because whatever my son thinks he has s

into the hall, and Finn

said. "About me. Or ab

y things he does not say. He has been like this since the winter my mother died." He paused. "He wi

if I

the door. "Isla is already telling the pack that I did not

followed me, and I counted the