she peered round the ice wall and saw that the road ended in a barrier of wood. On one side of it a plump woman sat knitting before a brazier of hot coals.
Was this their security?
Attia bit her lip. Tugging her hood closer down on her face, she trudged through the snow and saw the woman look up, hands knitting rhythmically.
'Got any ket?'
Surprised, Attia shook her head . Good. Need to see your weapons.'
She took out her knife and held it up. The woman dumped the knitting and took it, opened a chest and shoved it in. 'Any more?'
'No. So what do I defend myself with?'
'No weapons in Frostia. Rules of the town. Need to search you now.'
Attia watched her bag being rummaged. Then she spread her arms and the woman frisked her efficiently and stepped away. 'Fine. Go ahead.' She picked up the knitting and clacked away.
Bewildered, Attia climbed o ver the frail barrier. Then she said, 'Will I be safe?'
'Plenty of empty rooms now' The woman glanced up. 'You can get a room at the second dome, if you ask.'
Attia turned away. She wanted to know if just one old woman had searched all of Rix's waggons, but couldn't ask, since she wasn't supposed to know them. Still, just before she ducked into the dome entrance, she said, 'Do I get the knife back when I leave?'
No one answered. She gazed back.
And stood still in astonishment.
The stool was empty. A pair of knitting needles clattered by themselves in midair. If one is lost, another will take his place.
Red wool trailed on the snow, like a bloodstain. 'No one The Clan will endure until Protocol dies. leaves,' it said.
7
If one is lost, another will take his place. The Clan will endure until Protocol dies.
THE STEEL WOLVES
Claudia took a deep breath, dismayed and astonished. Her fingers closed on the tiny metal wolf.
'I see you understand,' Medlicote said.
The eagle stirred at his voice, turning its cruel head and glaring at him.
She didn't want to. 'This was my father's?'
'No, my lady. It belongs to me.' His gaze behind the small half-moon glasses was calm. 'The Clan of the Steel Wolf has many secret members, even here at Court. Lord Evian is dead and your father has vanished, but others of us remain. We hold to our purpose. To overthrow the Havaarna dynasty. To end Protocol.'
All she could think of was that this was a new threat to Finn. She held out the Steel Wolf and watched him take
'What do you want?'
He took his glasses off and rubbed them. His face was gaunt, his eyes small. 'We want to find the Warden, my lady. As you do.'
Did she? The remark shook her. Her eyes swerved to the doorway, down the sun-slashed hall beyond the brooding hawks. 'We shouldn't talk here. We may be watched.'
'It is important. I have information.'
'Well tell me.'
He hesitated. Then he said, 'The Queen plans to install a new Warden of Incarceron. It will not be you, my lady.' She stared at him. 'What!'
'Yesterday she held a private meeting of her advisors, the Privy Council. We believe the purpose was to —'
She couldn't believe this. 'I'm his heir! I'm his daughter!' The tall secretary paused. When he resumed, his voice was dry . 'But you are not his daughter, my lady.'
It silenced her. She found she was clutching her dress; she let go, and drew a deep breath. 'So. That's it.'
'Of course your origin as a baby brought from Incarceron is known to the Queen. She told the members of the Council that you had no rights in blood to the Wardenship, or the house and lands of the Wardenry... '
Claudia gasped. '...and that there were no official documents of adoption — in fact the Warden had committed a serious crime by releasing you, an Inmate and the daughter of Inmates.'
She was so angry now she felt it like a chilly sweat on her skin. She stared at the man, trying to work out where he stood in this. Was he really from the Wolves, or was he working for the Queen?
As if he sensed her doubt he said, 'Madam, you must know I owed everything to your father. I was merely a poor
Was this their security?
Attia bit her lip. Tugging her hood closer down on her face, she trudged through the snow and saw the woman look up, hands knitting rhythmically.
'Got any ket?'
Surprised, Attia shook her head . Good. Need to see your weapons.'
She took out her knife and held it up. The woman dumped the knitting and took it, opened a chest and shoved it in. 'Any more?'
'No. So what do I defend myself with?'
'No weapons in Frostia. Rules of the town. Need to search you now.'
Attia watched her bag being rummaged. Then she spread her arms and the woman frisked her efficiently and stepped away. 'Fine. Go ahead.' She picked up the knitting and clacked away.
Bewildered, Attia climbed o ver the frail barrier. Then she said, 'Will I be safe?'
'Plenty of empty rooms now' The woman glanced up. 'You can get a room at the second dome, if you ask.'
Attia turned away. She wanted to know if just one old woman had searched all of Rix's waggons, but couldn't ask, since she wasn't supposed to know them. Still, just before she ducked into the dome entrance, she said, 'Do I get the knife back when I leave?'
No one answered. She gazed back.
And stood still in astonishment.
The stool was empty. A pair of knitting needles clattered by themselves in midair. If one is lost, another will take his place.
Red wool trailed on the snow, like a bloodstain. 'No one The Clan will endure until Protocol dies. leaves,' it said.
7
If one is lost, another will take his place. The Clan will endure until Protocol dies.
THE STEEL WOLVES
Claudia took a deep breath, dismayed and astonished. Her fingers closed on the tiny metal wolf.
'I see you understand,' Medlicote said.
The eagle stirred at his voice, turning its cruel head and glaring at him.
She didn't want to. 'This was my father's?'
'No, my lady. It belongs to me.' His gaze behind the small half-moon glasses was calm. 'The Clan of the Steel Wolf has many secret members, even here at Court. Lord Evian is dead and your father has vanished, but others of us remain. We hold to our purpose. To overthrow the Havaarna dynasty. To end Protocol.'
All she could think of was that this was a new threat to Finn. She held out the Steel Wolf and watched him take
'What do you want?'
He took his glasses off and rubbed them. His face was gaunt, his eyes small. 'We want to find the Warden, my lady. As you do.'
Did she? The remark shook her. Her eyes swerved to the doorway, down the sun-slashed hall beyond the brooding hawks. 'We shouldn't talk here. We may be watched.'
'It is important. I have information.'
'Well tell me.'
He hesitated. Then he said, 'The Queen plans to install a new Warden of Incarceron. It will not be you, my lady.' She stared at him. 'What!'
'Yesterday she held a private meeting of her advisors, the Privy Council. We believe the purpose was to —'
She couldn't believe this. 'I'm his heir! I'm his daughter!' The tall secretary paused. When he resumed, his voice was dry . 'But you are not his daughter, my lady.'
It silenced her. She found she was clutching her dress; she let go, and drew a deep breath. 'So. That's it.'
'Of course your origin as a baby brought from Incarceron is known to the Queen. She told the members of the Council that you had no rights in blood to the Wardenship, or the house and lands of the Wardenry... '
Claudia gasped. '...and that there were no official documents of adoption — in fact the Warden had committed a serious crime by releasing you, an Inmate and the daughter of Inmates.'
She was so angry now she felt it like a chilly sweat on her skin. She stared at the man, trying to work out where he stood in this. Was he really from the Wolves, or was he working for the Queen?
As if he sensed her doubt he said, 'Madam, you must know I owed everything to your father. I was merely a poor
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