Chapter 20: The Moot

I walked into the square with half my face wrapped in the old healer's bandage and a canvas satchel on my shoulder.

Nobody stopped me.

Both packs stood in a ring around the stone table, four hundred wolves in the noon sun.

Hollowmere stood on the east side and Cairnfell on the west.

Rhys stood alone in the middle, in my father's old coat, which I had not had time to bring him.

Costa stood opposite, with Bram, and the blue book under his arm.

The two elders sat on the dais behind the table.

Odette stood at the end of it with the silver pitcher.

The oath cup in front of her was filled to the brim.

"The moot is called," the older elder said. "The charge is read. Cairnfell presses it. Does Hollowmere's Alpha answer?"

"I do," said Rhys.

"Then both Alphas will drink the oath, and we begin."

Odette lifted the cup in both hands.

"I'll speak first," I said.

Every head turned.

The older elder started to rise.

"Miss Kingsmill has no standing."

"She has a satchel full of paper," Costa said, "and Cairnfell yields her the floor."

"Hollowmere yields it too," said Rhys.

The elder sat.

I walked to the stone table, took the satchel off my shoulder, and tipped it out.

Two ledgers. One grey cloth, one brown. A stack of folded receipts, each with the same neat hand across the bottom.

"This is a copy of the Cairnfell ledger, made last night in Costa's hall," I said, and my voice carried.

"The blue original is under his arm."

"Costa's father wrote down every woman he sold through the Hollowmere pack fund, with her price."

"He wrote my name on page one."

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