“So, you say I can send you to jail for taking the Heartwood of our clan from my people, myblood?”
“Yes, Granny Wolfe.”
I maintained eye contact, because I knew better than to look away. It wasn’t so much that either of us needed to bow to the other, but the authority each of us wielded created an uncertain power dynamic. She recognized my place upholding the law for all. I recognized her place upholding the law within her clan. It had been this way for years. I didn’t want it to change.
“It stink of demon,” she said.
Took me a minute to follow her line of thought. She was talking about the Heartwood.
I nodded. “He didn’t touch it, but the spell did. Smoke touched it.”
“It stink of death.”
I nodded again.
“And Valkyrie.”
My head was still bobbing. Yes, yes, yes. All those things.
“And it stink of you. You fighting against all those things. Especially fighting against that demon.”
I stopped nodding because I did not know that was something a werewolf could smell. An action? An emotion? An intention?
“I didn’t agree to the spell. I didn’t agree to steal the Heartwood either, but my hands picked it up. My hands carried it away from you.”
She blew air through her teeth, disparaging my words. “Can tell it wasn’t your will behind it, Delaney Reed. You don’t have to tell this old wolf things she can see with her own eyes and smell with her own nose.” She was still staring at me, and it was uncomfortable to hold her gaze this time.
I felt like a little kid who had just admitted to eating all the cookie dough.
“If you want to press charges, you’d be right to do so,” I said. “You can get me on burglary and damage, both mental and emotional, and illegal magic use. I won’t fight you on any of it. I’m sorry this happened. I’m sorry I was the one who put your family through this violation.”
To make my point, I very purposely turned my eyes away and down. Down to the ground. It was more than respect I was offering her. It was surrender.
They all knew it.
All the Wolfes moved a little. I was no werewolf, but it was clear they were shocked.
I waited, just breathing, breathing, breathing. Let them understand my regret. Let them choose my penance.
“Well, then.” Granny cleared her throat. “I understand my rights under your law, Delaney Reed. Always have. But now you need to understand my rights under Wolfe law.”
I looked up, but didn’t meet her gaze. It was a sign of respect. Of deference. “I’m listening.”
“I don’t care about locking you up for a demon playing you bad. Won’t do me or mine any good having the one Bridge to town out of order. But this affront can not go unanswered. You took something from me and mine. Now I take something from you and yours. You brought back that which you stole, and that makes me pause. Makes me notice you a way I don’t see you before.
“You are like your father, I always known that. But you are something else too. You held our heart in your hand. Only yours. That demon didn’t once touch it. Because you stood there, keeping it safe, so he didn’t soil it, didn’t change it.
“I don’t know if your papa woulda done the same. Maybe. Maybe not. But now I know the truth of you. Of your heart. That needs to be known to all of my kind, in clan or out.”
I had no idea what she was talking about.
“It gonna take a little pain, Delaney Reed, to settle this between us. You understand that, now, yes?”
“Hold on,” Jean said.
“No.” I put my hand on Jean’s leg and squeezed. She was worried, but I trusted Granny when she said it was only a little pain. I could give that for what I’d cost them. I could give that if it meant they would trust me to keep the law in Ordinary. “It’s okay.”
“Well, I need to know exactly what you’re going to do to my sister,” Jean said. “And if I don’t like it, it’s not happening. Understand?”
