Chapter 31: The Full Moon

The full moon came up over the pines at ten past six, and half of two packs stood in the courtyard to watch it.

They had swept the Moon Stone clean that morning.

Dessa had scrubbed it herself, on her knees with a bucket, and refused to say why.

I stood at the foot of it in a plain green dress with my hair loose, and my hands would not stay still.

"You look terrified," said Dessa, tugging my sleeve straight.

"I am."

"Good. It means you're paying attention."

"Is the Stone clean enough?"

"It's clean enough to eat off." She stopped fussing and looked at me. "Fern. You don't have to step on it."

"I know."

"It's just a rock now."

"It isn't," I said. "That's why I'm going to."

She nodded once, hard, and went to stand with the front row.

Across the ring, the young mother held her daughter against her shoulder in a wool coat the packhouse kitchen had found for her.

She had asked me that morning whether she should stay at the back.

I'd told her she was standing in the front with Dessa, and she'd gone red to the ears.

The baby had a pink knitted hat on, and was asleep.

Kurt came through the crowd with his Beta behind him and the whole of Cinder Creek at his back.

He wore a dark jacket with no tie, and his scar looked pale in the torchlight.

He came to the foot of the Stone and held out his hand.

"Ready?" he said.

"No."

"Same."

I laughed and took his hand.

We climbed up together.

The granite was cold under my bare feet, and I had braced for it.

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