The Lycan King’s Broken Mate
The house holds itself, and because of that, so do I.
People line the main courtyard. It is not a celebration—no banners, no drumbeat. We read aloud the House Order, which last night under Nyra’s hand was given the right words—simple words that do not want to be more than they are. I hold the sheet in both palms, Nyra at my side, a little behind are Cassian, Mae and Rhaell; the quartermaster, the cook and the wet nurse stand in the front third of the line. The children watch from the shadow of the gallery: Selin tugs at the corner of a blanket, Kael watches the post of the railing and sometimes finds his way back to us with his eyes.
“Let us begin,” I say. “I am not reading a list of orders,