Calder opened his mouth again. I didn't let him finish.
"You have challenged me in this room more times than I can count," I said. "Today you do it again. So choose. Stand with us or walk through the gate. The old ways are finished. The new ones are here. And they are stronger than anything you remember."
Calder stared at me. His mouth opened, closed. He looked at the kings behind me, at the twins in the sling, at the carved wolf on the table. He gave a slight nod because he dared not speak another word or try to challenge me then he sat down.
No one else spoke against it.
Garrick closed the ledger with a quiet snap. Council moved on to patrol routes and spring planting. Voices stayed low. Eyes stayed on me. When it ended, the pack filed out quieter than they had come in.
