Chapter 31. The Price of Salt

June's POV

Thornfall did not like having Rhett Calloway in its stables.

Nobody said so to Ronan's face. Nobody had to. When Rhett walked across the yard at dawn the next morning with a pitchfork, every conversation stopped. Wolves turned their backs. Osric came out of the kitchen, looked at him, spat on the ground, and went back in.

Rhett didn't say anything. He went into the stables and started mucking out the first stall.

I watched from the healer's house window. I didn't feel the way I'd expected to feel.

I'd imagined this for eleven years. Rhett on his knees in filth while people looked through him. I'd thought it would feel like justice. Like finally being able to breathe.

It just felt like watching someone else learn what I already knew.

"You're brooding," said Nell behind me.

"I'm not brooding."

"You're brooding at a stable." She ca