very morning at seven, and by the time I got there Rowan

ostly, and Magnus was walking the line with his own staff resting on his shoulder. The morning

" Magnu

ugh the air, and the boy opposite him got his own staff up in t

Now hold the guard p

his right was low, and his shoulders were set the way our f

it. At a minute the tremble had climbed to his wrist. At ninety seconds the staff was moving in his gr

n," I

ed at me. R

ow

holdi

and is

ing round, and the whole clearing heard it, and the o

"Everyone out. Go run the

Rowan stood in the middle of it with his

me," I

hen he tried to hold it flat it curled in on itself. He was nineteen year

ong?"

hand back. "It stops when I rest. Isla g

a kn

he?" He laughed, and it was a bad laugh, thin and short. "I'm not stupid

with my coat on and my brother in front of me, an

aid at last. "Isla th

are you dr

the headland since the spring." A lie. I had been drinking from the ta

her's eyes, and our mother had nev

said. "When d

weeks

didn't

then it would have a name and a cure and you wouldn't have to be afraid." The words ca

ord over. "You think I'm

enge Magnus for the Beta seat in ten years and I think you should not be standing in a clearing with your hand cu

he pocket. He did

it stopped, and I told myself it was the cold, and I went to bed. The second time was at the pack dinner, and I had been holding a glass, and I put the glass down and it rattled against the table,

s staff down

ou hide it

not want to be the second one." I said it plainly. It was the truth and it had been s

he sea because he coul

ow

picked up his boots from beside the ring and sat down on the grass to put them on.

d very

old you

nto the water instead. She said you were only twenty-two and nobody told you the truth because they were afraid o

the ridge the young wolves were running and calling to ea

brought a letter. The Commis

and the colour we

ase

ase

nds shake,

ur hand

is staff and walked toward the house,

alk the pipes and look at the water and count the wolves who can still shift

ch was still sitting on my desk in the gatehouse, and somewhere ou