The Drunk Wolf novel · Chapter 12 of 32

Chapter 12: Forty for Supper

Ailsa's brother was sitting in the lane behind the kirk with his back against the wall, holding his ribs.

His face was a mess.

His lip was split, one eye was shut, and there was blood all down his good jumper, the one Ailsa bought him for his Turning.

Ailsa was on her knees in front of him, holding his face very carefully.

"Who," she was saying. "Who. Just tell me who."

"Didn't see," he said thickly. "Scarves on their faces."

"How many?"

"Four. Big." He tried to laugh and stopped. "They kept saying Grey. Grey's whelp. I said I'm not anybody's whelp, and they hit me again."

I knelt beside Ailsa.

"Can you stand?" I asked him.

"Probably not, Your Highness."

"Then don't call me Your Highness. It wastes breath."

Struan crouched on his other side.

The boy looked at the cord on his wrist, and then at his face, and went very still.

"You're him," he said. "The grey one."

"I'm him."

"Is it true? What they're saying in the village? That it was the dram?"

Struan looked at Ailsa.

She nodded.

"It's true," he said.

The boy closed his good eye.

"I thought it was me," he said. "All year. I thought I did it wrong."

Struan carried him down the hill.

He took him to the stillhouse, past the red letters on the door, and up onto the malting floor.

It's the long room above the kiln, warm from the fire underneath, with a slatted wooden floor where the barley is spread to dry. It was empty that week between batches.

"Here," I said. "Under my seal. He's household now. Anyone who touches him touches me."

I sent for the castle doctor, who came and strapped his ribs on a camp bed.

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