Page 166 of Moon Claimed
The thought nearly overturned my stomach again.Not happening.
You have coats made of other animals’ skin.
Fake leather, but…Can we discuss this another time?
“Maybe we should give her another dose just in case,” Valerie said. “We don’t want her to wake during Rhona’s speech.”
“It doesn’t matter if she’s awake or not during the Stabattse. She’s tied up.”
What the hell was a Stabattse?
It was kind of familiar. Had I read the term before? Billy placed particular inflection on the word. It was important.
Ceremonial.
And it contained the wordstabso it couldn’t be anything great.
Valerie nudged my thigh. “Maybe I just feel like shooting her.”
Billy said, “The plan seemed simple but seeing her tied up makes me feel crap. There must have been a better way to do this.”
“Tell that to Herc.”
He didn’t reply, and my hopes for release vanished. One of them checked the bindings on my hands and feet.
“Okay,” Valerie said, excitement tinging her voice. “Let’s take her over.”
Her footsteps faded, and Billy crouched at my head, prying the tape off my mouth.
“They shouldn’t have put this on. What if you vomit?” he said.
I deserved a damn Academy Award for keeping the act up duringthat.
I could move my mouth again. Should I give up the act and reason with him?
Wait until I can help you,my wolf urged.
Obeying, I didn’t budge as Billy left the tray. The tray rose once more, and soon after the cherry picker truck drove forward with us suspended high above.
At least we could be certain Rhona hadn’t learned about my Luther status or she never would’ve left me alone.
I cracked open my eyes.
We were still in Sandstone, moving across the ground level of the quarry. Where were the stewards? The cannon had boomed. The first one, I assumed, for no reason other than Billy and Valerie were with me. Stewards should be on the tier just above my tray by now. Others should also be rock-climbing into position.
Whatever this Stabattse was, it wasn’t good.
How are you feeling?
Her voice was still weak.Can’t stay awake.
Lifting my bound hands to my mouth, I tugged at the rope knotted around my wrists.
Whoever tied this was good. Without access to my fangs, I wasn’t getting anywhere.
The sounds of a crowd reached my feeble ears. The temptation to roll and look over the edge was real, but I couldn’t risk alerting anyone to my conscious state.
My heart pounded as I strained to listen.