Trapped by the Bond

on the sleeve where anyone who came in would see it. Then I took my penknife and carefully cut the thread around the mark, lifted the square

st ten there was a knock, then

der and set it on the bed. She took out a gla

the tin,"

d the wool onto the cloth, and used the

done it properly, it would have gone through the lining and you would have found it in your pocket three days from now, i

or outside the dining hall. I

ld have wal

n the edge of the bed. "Who would

She put the jar in her bag. "Or someone who wants my father to think

ink he

without being asked." She looked at the coat. "Burn it. Not in the lodge. Take it o

what in th

wo of everything." She picked up her bag. "I have to go. I have a woman in t

e door when I

stop

someone put silver in my coat. Those are two different people, or they ar

nd was on the door handle and

aid. "I have told you three times now

ying on your father for two years and why you have not tol

for a moment she looked younger than she was, and

old yo

have been feeding the Council scraps for two years, enough to keep them interested and not enough to bring him down. You want him gone b

d not see it coming, and her hand was flat

and kissed me in a room that was not yours, and now you think you can read my face like one of your ledgers. You are wrong. You are wrong

ng. I could feel i

leave with a report that does not burn your pack to the ground. Tha

a long time. Then s

said. "Not here.

, and I heard her footsteps go down the cor

ught about what she had not said, and then I got up and went out into the corridor and walked t

at eleven o'clock at night, and that was how I

small brass key in her hand. She fitted it into the lock of the bottom drawer, opened it, put something inside that I could not see,

er hand pressed flat against the dr

tairs, and I lay on the bed in the dark with my heart go

d been feeding the Council scraps for two years an

ccounts, looking for the column that does not add up, and I told myself it was an

l and found the pack gathered at the doors, and Robert the Beta standing on the

" he said. "The Alpha wants everyone in t