Chapter 7: The Tonic

Kendrick stared at him.

Then he laughed so hard he had to put a hand on the porch rail.

"By me," he said. "Did you hear that? I invited him."

The warriors laughed with him.

"I sent exactly one invitation outside this state," Kendrick said.

"To the High Alpha of the Northern Council. On paper. Sealed. Do you know what that is, Soren?"

"I've heard of him."

"Good. Then you'll know to stay out of his way tomorrow."

Soren only nodded.

"The letter had your grandfather's crest on it," he said to me. "Blue wax. Very nice."

Kendrick's laugh faltered.

Just for a second.

Then Odette tugged his sleeve.

"He's making fun of you," she murmured. "Juno must have told him about the crest."

"Sundown," Kendrick said again, and walked away.

The warriors went with him.

Odette went last.

She looked back at Soren twice before the trees hid her.

Soren watched her go.

"That one," he said quietly, "lies with every breath she takes."

"I know."

"No. You know she lied about the river." He turned to me.

"She was lying just now about the robe. About her hands. About everything. It comes off her like smoke."

Something cold went down my back.

"Grandpa," I said.

Soren nodded.

"Go see him."

He couldn't go himself without starting a war before the party.

He kissed me at the door, and then he walked up into the pines and was gone.

At noon the housekeeper came down the path with a note.

It was in Grandpa's shaking handwriting.

"I want my granddaughter. Tell Kendrick I said so."

Kendrick could forbid me.

He couldn't forbid the old Alpha in his own house.

Not yet.

Grandpa was sitting up in bed when I came in.

The curtains were drawn.

The room was too warm, and it smelled of that sweet, bitter thing again.

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