The Warlord of Wycliffe: The Dethroning of My False Mate novel · Chapter 9 of 24

Chapter 9: No More Terms

The sword's point stopped an inch from Verity's throat.

Dorian took one step, and the Stormreach wolves behind him drew.

I put myself in front of the blade.

"Roderick," I said. "That is my father's sword."

"It's a Wycliffe sword, held by a Wycliffe mate," he said. "I'm entitled to it."

"You dug up his grave."

A murmur ran through the Greyhollow wolves behind him.

Not all of them had known.

"I did nothing of the kind," Roderick said. He looked straight at me for the first time all morning, then at the ground again. "Whoever did that was a thief. I recovered it."

"From a hole in my father's grave. Three hours before dawn." I took another step. "Put it down."

"Elowen, you are on Greyhollow land."

"I'm on Stormreach land. You're standing on the wrong side of the border stones."

He glanced down.

His horse had indeed put one hoof across the line.

Dorian said, very quietly, "If you take another step, Grimshaw, I answer it as a war."

Roderick's jaw worked.

His eyes went to my hands, loose at my sides, and to my face.

Then he lowered the sword, and sheathed it with a hard, ugly motion.

"The Stone," he said. "Tomorrow at noon. I won't wait three days for you to run. The pack will judge the theft of Greyhollow's money, and the treason of Verity Crane, and your place, Elowen. In front of everyone."

"I'll be there."

"You'll be there on a strap."

He wheeled his horse and led his wolves down the ridge.

None of them looked back.

That night we made camp in the lodge ruins.

Verity took the first watch with two Stormreach wolves.

Dorian built a fire in the great hearth, under the surviving chimney.

I sat across from him with a blanket round my shoulders, and I did not say anything.

I could not stop looking at his hands.

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