Chapter 21: Say Hello to Your Luna

Madoc's POV

For one long moment nobody in the Stonering made a sound.

Then Hadrian laughed.

"Glow-salt," he said. "Is that what the rejected one is saying now?"

"It is," Nerys said.

"She is bitter. She has been in my uncle's tent for five nights, and he has filled her head."

"Then let the Stone decide," she said. "Wash her hand."

The elder with the white braid looked from one to the other.

I watched Cecily's face.

It had gone white.

"The council has seen worse accusations," the elder said slowly. "Bring the basin."

Two lycan boys carried a stone basin of spring water from the altar steps.

They set it down at Cecily's feet.

"I won't," Cecily whispered.

"You need not do it yourself," the elder said. "Hold her."

Two elders took Cecily's arms.

She cried out, small and frightened, and her left hand opened.

Silver grit clung to the palm.

It caught the torchlight and glittered, and a hiss went around the bowl.

The elders plunged her hand into the water, and the grit swirled up and sank.

When they lifted her palm out, it was pink and clean and shaking.

"Now," the elder said. "Lay it on the Stone."

Cecily did not move.

"Lay it on the Stone, girl."

She put her hand on the Moonstone.

It stayed dark.

It was an ordinary pale rock under torches, and four thousand wolves stared at it.

Cecily began to cry.

"Hadrian," she said. "Hadrian, you said it would be enough. You said nobody would look."

"Be silent," he said.

"The physician said it would hold."

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