The Keeping was mostly empty, but true to Duke Greyfur’s word, the upper balconies were full of nobles, sitting in their grand chairs and looking rather bored.
“The King called a special prayer, one to protect the remaining contestants. It is, as you know, considered more holy and urgent to the Goddess the more wolves attend the prayer. So all the nobles answered the call, even those who no longer have any contestants to rally for.” He chuckled softly, “and of course, it would be considered the height of bad taste not to answer a call from the King.”
“Am I allowed to be here?” Lyria whispered. They stood in a short line behind a few other wolves, all making themselves holy and prostrate before the Goddess altar. The mystic, a different wolf than last time Lyria had been to the Keeping, w
