Chapter 10: The Asking

The three black boats rode in on the tide with their sails reefed and their oars out.

They tied up at the foot of the quay without asking leave.

Twenty wolves in dark coats came ashore.

At their head walked an old man with a white beard and a Lorne signet ring.

Verity followed in the middle of them, in grey this time, with her eyes down.

I met them at the end of the pier.

I had the ferry captain's nephew on one side and Edith on the other, and behind me stood the whole village.

Nobody had armed anyone.

Nobody needed to.

"Alpha," the old man said, and his tone made the word an insult.

"I am a packmaster of the Council. I'm here to see the king."

"Then you'll ask my leave to land."

"I'll thank you not to block the pier."

"Is that so?" I said.

"The king is the king, whatever island he stands on."

"The king is a guest on mine."

I did not raise my voice.

"On Willowmere, nobody lands without my leave.

"That includes the Crown, the Council and your family.

"You tied up without asking, and I'll have your boats off my pier by sunset."

His beard bristled.

"You have no standing, girl. You were stripped of your title."

"Of the Luna Queen's title," I said. "Not of my father's.

"The Alpha seat of Willowmere was granted to my family by the first Stannard king.

"It's older than your Council."

I had not known that until the old woman whispered it in my ear that morning.

I said it as if I had known it all my life.

Beside me, the nephew grinned.

The packmaster looked at the faces on the quay.

They were fishermen's faces, weathered and quiet.

He looked at the guard behind me, who had come down to stand at my back in his royal blue.

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