Chapter 5: The Marking Hall

The Moon Hall was the oldest building in Greyhollow, a round room of pale stone with a skylight in the roof.

The marking was set for moonrise.

By dusk the whole pack stood packed along the walls, in their good clothes, with candles in their hands.

I came in by the main door at the very moment the bell rang.

I wore the one dress I owned that did not look like a bookkeeper's, a dark green wool Hester had altered for my mother years ago.

My hair was down.

Dorian Stroud walked in beside me.

I had told him I would not take his arm.

At the door, I took it.

Term one was already bent, and I told myself that did not count, because it was my hand and not his.

The pack turned to look.

A hush ran through the room.

Roderick stood on the stone dais in a black formal coat, with the Alpha's silver circlet on his head.

Verity Crane stood in front of him in a white dress, with her short hair brushed flat and her scarred forearm bare.

She did not look happy, and she did not look afraid.

She stood at attention and waited for orders.

Roderick saw me, and the smile on his face flickered.

"Elowen," he said. "I'm glad you came to witness. Take a seat at the back with the other staff."

I let go of Dorian's arm and walked down the aisle between the rows of wolves.

I stopped at the foot of the dais.

Roderick's eyes met mine.

For one second, no more, he looked away.

His gaze dropped to the floor, and then to my feet.

I felt it more than I saw it, and I was sure of what it meant.

He was ashamed.

Good, I thought.

"Before you mark anyone," I said, in a voice that reached the back wall, "the pack should know where its dinner comes from."

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