Chapter 15: The Ledger

I ran out into the courtyard in Dorian's shirt with my father's sword in my fist.

The bell was still ringing.

Verity was already at the gate, pulling on her boots.

"Two of my wolves are down," she said. "Hit from behind. Colm had a key."

"Whose key?"

"Roderick's."

"He gave it to him?"

"He kept it in his boot," Verity said. "Colm took it while the guards were carrying him down."

I looked at the east road.

Dorian came out behind me, buttoning his coat.

"The grain warehouse," I said. "His cousin's. He'll take the ledger there and burn it."

"Mine will cut the road," Dorian said, and ran for the stables.

Verity took the short way over the ridge on four legs, and I went up it beside her.

I had not shifted in three years.

I did not shift now.

I ran on my own two legs, with the First Wycliffe running hot at my shoulder, and the ground went by in long strides.

We came down on the east road a hundred paces from the warehouse as a cart rolled out of its doors.

Colm sat on the driver's bench with the ledger on his knees.

He saw us, and whipped the horse.

Verity vaulted onto the tail of the cart.

I threw the Ivorymoon sword, point first, into the front wheel.

The wheel split, and the cart went over on its side.

Colm hit the road on his face.

The ledger skidded from his hands and landed open at my feet.

He scrambled for it on his knees.

I put my boot on the page.

"No," I said.

"Please. Please, I'll tell you everything."

"You will," I said. "In front of the pack."

By sunrise the whole of Greyhollow stood in the courtyard of the Hall.

I stood on the steps with the ledger in both hands.

Colm knelt below me with Verity's knee in his back.

Two guards brought Roderick up from the cellar, and he stood at the bottom of the steps with his wrists bound.

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