The Alpha's Debt the King's Claim novel · Chapter 13 of 24

Chapter 13: Corrigan Blood

"You remember," I said.

"Every night, same as you."

Elspeth came down off the ledge with the grey knife held loose at her side.

"I watched you die in this exact pattern," she said. "I watched it for a year before that, too, in my head, while Torin kissed your belly and called it his."

Torin made a sound behind his gag and shook his head hard.

He did not remember any of it.

I saw that, and I saw that it would not save him.

"You killed my daughter," I said.

"I killed a healer's brat that would have taken him from me," Elspeth said. "I'll do it again. This time there is no king coming over the hill."

"He's at the mouth of the mine."

"Is he?" She lifted the lantern. "Then he can watch."

She swung it back to throw it.

I had one breath.

I pulled the bandage off my left hand with my teeth, drew Brigid's little knife from my boot and opened my palm along the old burn scar.

My gift would not heal my own hand, and it would not stop the bleeding.

It would do the other thing.

I slapped my bleeding palm flat on the silver line, at the place just left of Brigid's knee where the pattern was thinnest.

The line hissed.

White smoke rolled up off the floor, and the whole ring shuddered, and the silver went dull as old lead from the rim inward.

"No," Elspeth said.

"Corrigan blood," I said. "My line made the first cure for silver. It doesn't hold against me."

"Stop her!"

She threw the lantern.

It struck the dead ring and burst, and burning oil ran across the floor toward Brigid's skirts.

I threw myself over the old woman and rolled us both off the rim.

The fire ran along the rails and the dry timbers of the old supports, and the chamber filled with heat.

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