Chapter 27: Her Terms

Brackett was twenty-five miles down the valley, and the Registry's office was the only glass building in town.

Ronan parked the farm truck at the gas station across the road and kept both hands on the wheel.

"If you aren't out in an hour, I'm coming in," he said.

"I know."

"Mara."

"I know," I said, and I kissed him, hard, once, before I got out.

His hand had lain on my knee for the whole drive.

I could still feel where it had been.

I carried my notebook and my copy of the Registry Act, which Joanne and I had read twice at her kitchen table on Sunday.

Section nine had a subsection (c), and I had underlined it.

The younger of Opal's two collared wolves held the lobby door for me.

He was a man of about twenty-four, and he kept his eyes on the carpet.

Opal Harkness received me upstairs in a white office with one desk and a tea tray.

"Ms. Linwood. Please sit."

"I'll stand. I read section nine again last night."

"Did you."

"Subsection (c). The Director may substitute, and I'm quoting, such supervision short of fitting as she finds sufficient to stabilize the bearer."

"That is my discretion."

"I'd like you to use it."

"On what terms?"

I held up my fingers, which I had last done in my own kitchen for a man with a scar through his eyebrow.

"One. No collar. Not now, not at the full moon, not ever."

"Agreed."

"Two. Assessment here at six in the morning, three mornings a week, and I'm out the door by seven."

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