Chapter 18: The Stones Answer

"Those aren't mine," Dorian said.

He said it fast, with his coat already coming off.

"Half of Northfang took a better offer last week."

His pale eyes went to Ward.

"Somebody in this meadow promised them Ridgeline's southern ground. I should have counted my own."

Ward smiled for the first time that night.

He lifted two fingers, and a horn blew from the crest.

The wolves on the ridge came down at a run.

It was a low roar at first.

Then it became a sound I had never heard, a whole hillside of claws on frozen ground.

"Fall back to the lodge!" the thin elder screamed. "Women and children to the lodge!"

The meadow broke in every direction at once.

Rafe's hand closed on my arm.

"Get behind me," he said.

"No."

"Linnet."

"Rafe, look at me."

I pulled my sleeve back and held my wrist up in the torchlight.

"Those stones answer my blood. I'm not hiding. I'm going to the nearest one."

He stared at me for a heartbeat.

Then he let go.

I ran for the tallest stone with the wolves coming.

I could hear them breathing.

My boots slid on the ice, and I fell on my knees against the cold rock.

I put both palms flat on its face.

The script was under my hands.

I could feel every line of it, carved deep, humming up through my wrists.

I did not know a single word of it.

But my mother's voice came up from somewhere in my chest, so clearly I almost looked around.

Your time will come, she had said.

It had.

"Hold," I said. "Hold the ground."