The Winter

Chapter 23

I did debate cutting this into two or three chapters but decided to give you it all at once.
Looking forward to seeing if you guessed right or wrong about the spy?

The end is only the beginning. . .

Chapter 23

Loa was the only one to shed a tear.
Face turned away from the table, she covered her mouth with her hand and cried silent tears while the other members of the council slumped back in their chairs or stared morosely at the table.

News of Gerlac’s death left a chill in the room that the roaring fire behind Hati and I couldn’t get rid of.

I’d expected a fight to break out, accusations to fly, Vargr begin to doubt Skin Shifter, and while Sigurd stared at me with some measure of suspicion, nobody spoke a word. Hati stood stoic at my side, and I kept looking to the empty chair across the table as if Gerlac would pull it out to take his seat at any second, asking why we all looked so glum when there was business to tend to. He wouldn’t frown at my handwriting anymore, or praise me when I read a sentence without stumbling. He wouldn’t berate me with a simple glance again, not looking at me with that measure of respect that made my spine straighten with pride.

“I am locking down the castle,” Hati stated quietly. “Assistance from Ásgarðr will arrive within the next day to help us rebuild so we can get the rest of the pack inside our walls-“

“Gerlac’s death surely proves being within the walls is no safer than residing in the dens outside. In fact, it’s proven we are safer out there. We came here for protection, safety, but there has been too many deaths since me and mine have arrived here. Damn assistance from gods who have kept to themselves through all of this. If you do not find who has betrayed us, I will take my family and return home,” Sigurd said, rising from his seat to plant his hands on the table.

Others at the table shifted nervously at his declaration, and I worried more would agree with him. Looking to Hati, I waited for his subtle nod before adding my own voice, “Then you can make your choice soon. Before he died, Gerlac told us the name of the wolf who poisoned him.” That sent a wave around the room, so before things got out of hand, I quickly, continued, “Before the nights end, the castle will be locked tight and we will have our traitor in our custody with nowhere for them to run to. They will answer for their crimes against the pack, and Sköll will no longer have his eyes and ears here.”

Sigurd blanched, his stance faltering.
It took all my will not to smirk at him. He didn’t like me - I knew that well enough - I wasn’t even sure he really liked Hati, but my words made him take pause and he reluctantly took his seat again.

“Who is it?” Harald asked, piercing blue eyes capturing mine, other members of the council echoing his question.

“We cannot tell you."

“You must tell us,” Sigurd demanded, just as Loa asked, “Why tell us anything at all then?”

All eyes turned her way, and she took the opportunity to voice her thoughts, “You could have kept this between yourselves and had this traitor in custody immediately. Why are you waiting? Does no part of you think it suspicious that Gerlac died the night after he was taken in for questioning? You do not think he took his own life from the guilt that weighed on him for betraying his family, his pack, his god, for killing Bruadar?”