diff --git a/src/shard_wiki/coordination/__init__.py b/src/shard_wiki/coordination/__init__.py
index 9407c41..aa80bbe 100644
--- a/src/shard_wiki/coordination/__init__.py
+++ b/src/shard_wiki/coordination/__init__.py
@@ -10,6 +10,12 @@ from shard_wiki.coordination.decision_log import (
     deserialize_event,
     serialize_event,
 )
+from shard_wiki.coordination.append_authority import (
+    AppendAuthority,
+    Lease,
+    LeaseHeld,
+    LeaseRegistry,
+)
 from shard_wiki.coordination.git_event_store import GitEventStore
 from shard_wiki.coordination.overlay import (
     ApplyResult,
@@ -27,6 +33,10 @@ __all__ = [
     "EventStore",
     "InMemoryEventStore",
     "GitEventStore",
+    "Lease",
+    "LeaseHeld",
+    "LeaseRegistry",
+    "AppendAuthority",
     "serialize_event",
     "deserialize_event",
     "Overlay",
diff --git a/src/shard_wiki/coordination/append_authority.py b/src/shard_wiki/coordination/append_authority.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6740348
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/shard_wiki/coordination/append_authority.py
@@ -0,0 +1,158 @@
+"""Per-space append authority — the single-writer lease over the log (SHARD-WP-0009 T2).
+
+The log is a *total order per space* (§8.6). :class:`~shard_wiki.coordination.git_event_store`
+makes a fork physically impossible via compare-and-swap; this layer adds the **policy** that gives
+the order a single designated writer: a **per-space lease**. At most one node holds a space's lease
+at a time; only the holder writes to the store. A non-holder does not write — it **forwards** its
+append intent to the current holder, so intents from anywhere still land in one serialized stream.
+
+The lease is **time-bounded and re-grantable** (HA): if a holder dies, its lease expires and a new
+node may take it, resuming appends from the log head (``seq`` stays contiguous across the hand-off).
+A node holding a *stale* lease (already re-granted elsewhere) cannot write either — it discovers it
+is no longer the holder and forwards instead, so a partitioned ex-holder can never fork the log.
+
+Mechanism over policy (CLAUDE.md): this provides the leasing *primitive*; who acquires when, and
+the TTL, are the caller's policy. Single-coordinator only — distributed multi-node leasing and log
+sharding are explicit non-goals of this workplan.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import uuid
+from collections.abc import Callable, Mapping
+from dataclasses import dataclass
+from datetime import datetime, timedelta, timezone
+from typing import Any
+
+from shard_wiki.coordination.decision_log import DecisionEvent, EventStore, EventType
+
+__all__ = ["Lease", "LeaseHeld", "LeaseRegistry", "AppendAuthority"]
+
+
+def _utcnow() -> datetime:
+    return datetime.now(tz=timezone.utc)
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True, slots=True)
+class Lease:
+    """A time-bounded grant of single-writer authority over one space."""
+
+    space: str
+    holder: str
+    token: str
+    expires_at: datetime
+
+    def valid_at(self, now: datetime) -> bool:
+        return now < self.expires_at
+
+
+class LeaseHeld(Exception):
+    """Raised when a space's lease is validly held by a different node."""
+
+    def __init__(self, lease: Lease) -> None:
+        super().__init__(
+            f"space {lease.space!r} leased to {lease.holder!r} until {lease.expires_at}"
+        )
+        self.lease = lease
+
+
+class LeaseRegistry:
+    """The single coordinator's grant table: at most one *valid* lease per space.
+
+    A lease that has expired is freely re-grantable to any node (the HA replacement path); a still
+    valid lease is exclusive to its holder (renewable by that holder). The registry also routes
+    forwarded append intents to the current holder node.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, clock: Callable[[], datetime] = _utcnow) -> None:
+        self._clock = clock
+        self._leases: dict[str, Lease] = {}
+        self._nodes: dict[str, AppendAuthority] = {}
+
+    def register(self, node: AppendAuthority) -> None:
+        self._nodes[node.node_id] = node
+
+    def grant(self, space: str, holder: str, ttl_seconds: float) -> Lease:
+        """Grant/renew the lease for ``space`` to ``holder``; raise :class:`LeaseHeld` if another
+        node still holds it validly. An expired lease is re-grantable to anyone."""
+        now = self._clock()
+        current = self._leases.get(space)
+        if current is not None and current.valid_at(now) and current.holder != holder:
+            raise LeaseHeld(current)
+        lease = Lease(
+            space=space,
+            holder=holder,
+            token=uuid.uuid4().hex,
+            expires_at=now + timedelta(seconds=ttl_seconds),
+        )
+        self._leases[space] = lease
+        return lease
+
+    def current(self, space: str) -> Lease | None:
+        """The lease for ``space`` if one is currently valid, else None (expired/absent)."""
+        lease = self._leases.get(space)
+        return lease if lease is not None and lease.valid_at(self._clock()) else None
+
+    def holder_node(self, space: str) -> AppendAuthority | None:
+        lease = self.current(space)
+        return self._nodes.get(lease.holder) if lease is not None else None
+
+
+class AppendAuthority:
+    """A coordinator node that appends to the shared log only when it holds the space's lease.
+
+    Nodes share one :class:`EventStore` and one :class:`LeaseRegistry`. ``append`` routes itself:
+    the holder writes; a non-holder forwards to whoever holds the lease (acquiring it first if the
+    space is currently unleased). The append API mirrors :class:`EventStore` so the authority is a
+    drop-in single-writer guard.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(
+        self,
+        node_id: str,
+        store: EventStore,
+        registry: LeaseRegistry,
+        ttl_seconds: float = 30.0,
+    ) -> None:
+        self.node_id = node_id
+        self._store = store
+        self._registry = registry
+        self._ttl = ttl_seconds
+        registry.register(self)
+
+    def acquire(self, space: str) -> Lease:
+        """Take (or renew) the lease for ``space``. Raises :class:`LeaseHeld` if another node holds
+        it validly."""
+        return self._registry.grant(space, self.node_id, self._ttl)
+
+    def holds(self, space: str) -> bool:
+        lease = self._registry.current(space)
+        return lease is not None and lease.holder == self.node_id
+
+    def append(
+        self,
+        space: str,
+        type: EventType,
+        payload: Mapping[str, Any],
+        actor: str | None = None,
+    ) -> DecisionEvent:
+        """Append via the single authority. If we hold the lease, write; otherwise forward to the
+        holder. If the space is unleased, acquire it first. A node with a *stale* lease forwards
+        (it is not the current holder) rather than writing — so it cannot fork the log."""
+        holder_node = self._registry.holder_node(space)
+        if holder_node is None:
+            self.acquire(space)  # unleased: take authority, then write below
+            holder_node = self
+        if holder_node is self:
+            return self._store.append(space, type, payload, actor=actor)
+        return holder_node._write(space, type, payload, actor=actor)
+
+    def _write(
+        self,
+        space: str,
+        type: EventType,
+        payload: Mapping[str, Any],
+        actor: str | None,
+    ) -> DecisionEvent:
+        """Apply a forwarded intent. Called only on the lease holder by a forwarding peer."""
+        return self._store.append(space, type, payload, actor=actor)
diff --git a/tests/test_append_authority.py b/tests/test_append_authority.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..14f5279
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_append_authority.py
@@ -0,0 +1,120 @@
+"""Tests for the per-space append authority / lease (SHARD-WP-0009 T2).
+
+A single append authority per space serializes appends into a total order; non-holders forward
+intents to the holder; the lease is time-bounded and re-grantable (HA hand-off); a stale ex-holder
+cannot fork the log.
+"""
+
+from datetime import datetime, timedelta, timezone
+
+import pytest
+
+from shard_wiki.coordination import (
+    AppendAuthority,
+    EventType,
+    GitEventStore,
+    InMemoryEventStore,
+    LeaseHeld,
+    LeaseRegistry,
+)
+
+
+class FakeClock:
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.now = datetime(2026, 1, 1, tzinfo=timezone.utc)
+
+    def __call__(self):
+        return self.now
+
+    def advance(self, seconds):
+        self.now += timedelta(seconds=seconds)
+
+
+def test_only_one_node_holds_a_space_at_a_time():
+    reg = LeaseRegistry()
+    a = AppendAuthority("A", InMemoryEventStore(), reg)
+    b = AppendAuthority("B", InMemoryEventStore(), reg)
+    a.acquire("s")
+    with pytest.raises(LeaseHeld):
+        b.acquire("s")  # B is refused while A's lease is valid
+
+
+def test_concurrent_appends_serialize_into_one_total_order():
+    reg = LeaseRegistry()
+    store = InMemoryEventStore()
+    a = AppendAuthority("A", store, reg)
+    b = AppendAuthority("B", store, reg)
+    a.acquire("s")
+    # B is a non-holder: its append forwards to A, the holder. Interleave A and B writers.
+    a.append("s", EventType.ALIAS_SET, {"alias": "1", "target": "x:1"})
+    b.append("s", EventType.ALIAS_SET, {"alias": "2", "target": "x:2"})  # forwarded
+    a.append("s", EventType.ALIAS_SET, {"alias": "3", "target": "x:3"})
+    seqs = [e.seq for e in store.events("s")]
+    aliases = [e.payload["alias"] for e in store.events("s")]
+    assert seqs == [0, 1, 2]  # contiguous total order despite two writers
+    assert aliases == ["1", "2", "3"]
+
+
+def test_non_holder_forwards_rather_than_writing_directly():
+    reg = LeaseRegistry()
+    store = InMemoryEventStore()
+    a = AppendAuthority("A", store, reg)
+    b = AppendAuthority("B", store, reg)
+    a.acquire("s")
+    assert not b.holds("s")
+    b.append("s", EventType.ALIAS_SET, {"alias": "fwd", "target": "x:1"})
+    # The write landed on the shared store under A's authority, in one stream.
+    assert [e.payload["alias"] for e in store.events("s")] == ["fwd"]
+
+
+def test_lease_handoff_resumes_from_head():
+    clock = FakeClock()
+    reg = LeaseRegistry(clock=clock)
+    store = InMemoryEventStore()
+    a = AppendAuthority("A", store, reg, ttl_seconds=10)
+    b = AppendAuthority("B", store, reg, ttl_seconds=10)
+    a.acquire("s")
+    a.append("s", EventType.ALIAS_SET, {"alias": "0", "target": "x:0"})
+    a.append("s", EventType.ALIAS_SET, {"alias": "1", "target": "x:1"})
+    clock.advance(20)  # A's lease expires (A "dies")
+    b.acquire("s")  # re-grantable: B takes over
+    b.append("s", EventType.ALIAS_SET, {"alias": "2", "target": "x:2"})
+    assert [e.seq for e in store.events("s")] == [0, 1, 2]  # contiguous across hand-off
+
+
+def test_stale_ex_holder_cannot_fork_the_log():
+    clock = FakeClock()
+    reg = LeaseRegistry(clock=clock)
+    store = InMemoryEventStore()
+    a = AppendAuthority("A", store, reg, ttl_seconds=10)
+    b = AppendAuthority("B", store, reg, ttl_seconds=10)
+    a.acquire("s")
+    a.append("s", EventType.ALIAS_SET, {"alias": "0", "target": "x:0"})
+    clock.advance(20)
+    b.acquire("s")  # B is now the holder; A's lease is stale
+    b.append("s", EventType.ALIAS_SET, {"alias": "1", "target": "x:1"})
+    # A still thinks it can write, but it's no longer the holder: its intent forwards to B.
+    assert not a.holds("s")
+    a.append("s", EventType.ALIAS_SET, {"alias": "2", "target": "x:2"})
+    aliases = [e.payload["alias"] for e in store.events("s")]
+    assert aliases == ["0", "1", "2"]  # one stream, no fork
+
+
+def test_authority_over_git_store_keeps_total_order(tmp_path):
+    reg = LeaseRegistry()
+    store = GitEventStore(tmp_path / "coord")
+    a = AppendAuthority("A", store, reg)
+    b = AppendAuthority("B", store, reg)
+    a.acquire("s")
+    a.append("s", EventType.BINDING_MADE, {"members": ["a", "b"]})
+    b.append("s", EventType.PAGE_FORKED, {"source": "a", "fork": "c"})  # forwarded
+    assert [e.seq for e in store.events("s")] == [0, 1]
+
+
+def test_unleased_space_self_acquires_on_append():
+    reg = LeaseRegistry()
+    store = InMemoryEventStore()
+    a = AppendAuthority("A", store, reg)
+    a.append("s", EventType.ALIAS_SET, {"alias": "x", "target": "y:1"})  # no explicit acquire
+    assert a.holds("s")
+    assert len(store.events("s")) == 1