Chapter 13: Cade's Bargain

Rowan laid the cut hinge pin on the council table and said he would hunt his brother down.

He said it in front of the Beta, and Drew, and Ellis, and me.

The Beta had already poured the pack's best men into the yard.

"He will go to ground with the rogues," the Beta said. "It will take days to find the camp."

It took until noon.

A rogue came walking up the cliff road with his hands held open and a white rag tied to his wrist.

He did not look at Rowan. He looked at me.

"For the white one," he said, and held out an envelope.

The handwriting was Cade's.

Come to the old quarry by dark. Come alone. Come alone, or the next gate I open is the nursery.

I read it twice. Then I handed it to Rowan.

He read it once and crushed it in his fist.

"No," Rowan said.

"He wants me."

"He wants you to walk into a camp of four hundred rogues."

"He wants me because he thinks I'll do it."

"Keira." It was the third time he had said my name that week. He still said it like it cost him. "I won't send you."

"You're not sending me."

I stood up from the table.

"Cade locked my door when I was twelve. Now he's selling the pack to the man who ruined our mother."

"Our mother," Rowan said slowly.

"Yes. Ours. Say it again, so you hear it."

His jaw worked. Drew looked at the floor.

"I'm going," I said. "You can send Drew to the ridge behind me. Cade won't see him."

Rowan said nothing for a long time.

"Come back," he said finally.

It was not an order. It was the closest thing to a plea that Rowan Lamont had ever made.

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