Severed Ties: Rise of the Silver Wolf novel · Chapter 15 of 48

Chapter 15: The Pale Coat

The grey horse stood in the middle of the stable yard with sleet melting on its back and its reins hanging loose.

It was a fine animal. It looked at nobody.

Twelve Strathmore wolves ringed the yard, and none of them could find a man.

"He left it as bait," Ewan said. "Stay behind me."

"No."

"Thea."

"You said you'd never give me an order," I said. "That one sounded close."

He shut his mouth.

Then he nodded once, and he stepped out into the yard beside me instead of in front.

Sleet hissed on the cobbles.

The saddle was wet and warm, and tied to the horn was a brown paper packet.

I didn't touch it.

I smelled it from where I stood, and my stomach lurched, because it was my mother's tea.

Dry, ground fine, bitter and metallic.

"Ewan," I said. "Don't let it open."

Something small and hard struck the packet from above.

It burst, and a cloud of brown powder rolled across the yard, straight into my face.

I breathed in before I could stop.

My legs went soft.

The yard tilted. My wolf, which had been so loud since Saturday, curled up small and went quiet.

"Thea!" Ewan caught me by the arm.

Above us, on the stable roof, a man stood up in a long pale coat.

He had been lying flat along the ridge. He had a short crossbow in one hand and a coil of black chain in the other.

"Silver wolves sleep like babies on that herb," he said. His voice was calm and friendly. "Your mother knew her business. I'll thank her when I see her."

He threw the chain.

It wrapped my wrists and my throat before I knew it had left his hand.

The links were cold and wet.

A collar snapped shut at my neck, and I felt the last of my wolf go dark.

"Hold collar," the hunter said. "Iron and old bone. They say it takes a silver wolf quietly. It will you."

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