The Warlord of Wycliffe: The Dethroning of My False Mate novel · Chapter 19 of 24

Chapter 19: The Council Votes

The war widows filled the hall without a word.

There were sixty of them, in black, with their hair unbound.

The women at the front carried small iron lamps, and every lamp held a lit wick.

Roderick's smile slipped.

"What is this?" he said. "Guards, clear this hall."

Nobody moved.

The Stone-keeper rose from the end of the high bench.

"It is the Count of the Dead," he said. "Under the old law, any widow of a fallen soldier may demand that the council hear the count before the council votes."

"That is a ritual for funerals."

"It is a right," said the Stone-keeper. "Sit down, Roderick Grimshaw."

The guards pushed Roderick onto a stool in front of the dais.

The six elders took their places on the high bench.

I sat at the end of it, as the pack's guest, with the sergeant standing at my back.

Verity walked to the center of the floor.

She was in her old uniform, with her scarred forearm bare.

She unbuckled her sword belt and laid the weapon on the flagstones.

"I am Verity Crane," she said. "General of Greyhollow. I was at Hollow Ridge."

"We know who you are," said one of the elders sourly.

"Then you know I'm not a liar."

She faced the widows.

"The Alpha told this pack that Hollow Ridge was a victory. He said we broke Stormreach."

"We did," Roderick said.

"We lost the ridge in the first hour. Sixty-one of ours died on that slope." Verity's voice did not shake. "At dusk he gave the order to fall back and leave the wounded behind, because carrying them would slow the retreat."

A sound went through the hall.

"That's a lie," Roderick said.

"I went back for them," said Verity. "I found nineteen alive. I carried six down the hill on my own back. The other thirteen were dead by morning."

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