The Alpha's Debt the King's Claim novel · Chapter 12 of 24

Chapter 12: The Rune Ring

Maeve's POV

The king's guards were not as good at keeping me as he thought.

Brigid had taught me how to leave a house without being seen, because midwives get called at night, and she had shown me the still-room window the first evening.

I took my bag, a hooded cloak and the stable boy's grey mare.

I did not ask anyone's leave.

By the time the sun went low behind the northern hills, I was at the mouth of the old mine, with the horse blowing hard under me.

Twelve guards stood in a ring, spears down, and not one of them dared move.

Evander stood in front of them with his sword drawn and his back to the dark.

He turned when he heard hooves.

"No," he said.

"She asked for me," I said, and slid down from the saddle.

"She's baiting you."

"I know what she's doing."

"Maeve, you can't..."

"You've told me what I can't do for days," I said. "I'm only going to say this once. She has Brigid. She has Torin. She wants the one thing in this world she thinks you can't give her, which is me."

"I'll go in."

"She'll light the ring before you reach it."

I walked up to him.

His face was grey with fear, and I could see the muscle jump in his cheek.

"I know that pattern," I said, low enough that the guards would not hear. "I died in it. I know where the weak line is. You don't."

"I'll find it."

"You'll bleed on it and it will take you. Silver doesn't care what your crown is." I put my good hand flat on his chest, over the place where his heart was going too fast. "Let me go."

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