Chapter 13: Through the Bars

"Ket didn't do it," I said.

"I know she didn't." Judd was already pulling his jeans on. "She'd have done it with her hands, and she'd have finished."

"That's not funny."

"It's not a joke. It's Ket."

He sat on the edge of my bed to lace his boots.

His hands weren't steady.

"Where do they keep her?"

"The cells. Under the armory, behind the great hall."

"Then I'm coming."

He looked at me over his shoulder.

"You're exiled. If one wolf up there sees you..."

"Nobody sees me," I said. "And nobody smells me. You told me so an hour ago."

He didn't argue.

He knew better.

We left my truck at the pullout and walked the last mile up through the pines.

Judd walked in front, big and loud on purpose, so the patrol would turn toward him and never think to look behind.

At the armory door, a young guard stood up off his stool.

"Judd. The Alpha said no visitors."

"I'm not a visitor. I'm the heir." Judd didn't slow down. "Go get yourself a coffee."

"But..."

"Ten minutes. I'll mind her."

The guard went.

I slipped in behind Judd before the door swung shut.

The cells were old stone and iron bars, cold enough to see your breath.

Ket was sitting on a cot in the last one with her boots up on the wall.

Somebody had taken her rings.

"Well," she said. "Look who finally came to bail me out."

"Ket."

"Don't look at me like that. It's not so bad. The bars are very supportive."

Then she saw me in the doorway behind him.

Her feet came down off the wall.

"Are you insane? You're exiled. They'll put you down on sight."

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