Chapter 18: The Verdict

The long hall was packed to the doors.

The tied rider stood before the half circle with his burned hand held out in front of him.

"The Beta paid me," he said. "Twelve silver, and twelve more after."

"For what?"

"He sent me to the Fen with the lame horse and told me to burn the barn."

"Why the barn?" the chair asked.

"To frighten the old woman into giving up what she kept. When she wouldn't, he said do the cot."

He swallowed.

"I didn't kill her. I couldn't. I'm not that."

"You hit an old woman over the head and left her in a ford," I said.

He looked at the floor.

"Yes," he said.

Hetta sat on a bench against the wall with a blanket over her knees and her chin up.

"Hang him," she said, mildly. "Or don't. He's a poor sort of villain. He cried the whole time."

A few wolves laughed, and the sound went out of them fast.

Two healers helped Hetta up and took her to the side room to lie down.

The chair turned.

"Maud Quillon. You asked to speak."

She stood alone in the middle of the floor.

She wore a plain grey shift.

Somebody had taken the blue cloak, and her honey hair hung loose down her back.

She did not look at the Alpha she had wanted.

She looked at me.

"Three years ago," she said, "you sent a boy running to the Moot with a note."

"He never got through."

"My brother's man stopped him at the lodge gate and brought the note to Oswin."

I heard Corwin make a noise beside me.

I did not move.

"I held your hand all night," Maud said. "I told you he was coming. Every hour I told you. I knew he wasn't."

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