Goddess of the Sea (Goddess Summoning #1)(85)

At her proclamation, Andras's body went very still, and the florid color of the abbot's face drained away like dripping wax.

CC's smile was arrogant. "I have already sent my own message to him. The fishermen were right in part of their reports; it's too bad that they were so clouded by superstition that they did not recognize that what they sighted were my people searching for the daughter of their beloved king. Last night they found me, and it was then that my memory returned. You know yourself that you accosted me as I finished my climb from the beach." Her laughter was sharp. "Why else would I be so drawn to the waters? They are my birthright. Soon my father will come for me." The anger in CC's voice filled the room. "If you harm me, he will loose his Berserkirs and they will destroy you."

The room was silent. Andras and the abbot exchanged furtive glances.

"If your father is King Canute and his men did come for you last night, why is it you remain here?" Andras shot the question at her.

CC scoffed indignantly. "A Viking princess does not steal away in the night like a lowly servant. I sent word to my father that I had been rescued and was uninjured. I knew he would want to come for me himself so that he could reward those who treated me well."

And punish those who did not…

The unspoken words seemed to hang powerfully in the electric air around CC.

"If you don't believe me your solution is simple. Just wait. If I'm telling the truth, my father will appear to claim me, and you will be rewarded. If I'm lying, and I don't have a powerful family, no one will come for me and you can punish me to your heart's content." CC raised one eyebrow at the knight. "And something tells me that you very much need my father's reward money."

The knight and the abbot exchanged another look, and CC was relieved to observe that the priest seemed to have brought himself under control.

"We would, of course, not wish to harm the daughter of a king," Abbot William said. He glanced again at Sir Andras, who nodded briefly. "We will continue to provide you sanctuary for the amount of time it should require your father to come for you."

"No more than a fortnight," Sir Andras added.

The abbot nodded solemnly. "A fortnight it is. If King Canute has not claimed you as his own within that time, I will have no choice but to put you on trial for heresy and witchcraft."

"I agree," CC retorted.

"Until King Canute comes to Caldei, you will remain in your chamber under guard. We must be certain that no harm befalls such a valuable lady," the priest said.

CC felt panic like a brand. She was going to be locked in her room? Her heart skittered in her chest.

She met the abbot's reptilian gaze. "I am a Viking princess—I demand more freedom than that. If you lock me in my room I will tell my father that you treated me like a prisoner and not a guest. He does not reward jailers."

"Undine." Andras's tone had lost its anger and had returned to being patronizing. "Surely you will agree that your safety is of the utmost concern to us, especially in light of the proclamation of your noble blood."

"Yes—"

Andras cut her off: "Good. Then you will understand that if you choose to leave your chamber you will be accompanied at all times by an armed guard."

CC raised her chin. "Am I so dangerous?"

"You are so protected."

"Oh, do not think that I'm without protection." She narrowed her eyes to slits and was pleased to see Andras's eyes widen in response.

"Enough, witch!" the priest spat. "We may have to tolerate your presence until your heathen father claims you, but we will not tolerate your blasphemous threats."

CC shook her head slowly side to side and gave the abbot a pitying look. "Why do you automatically assume a strong woman is evil? What happened to you to twist you into this?"

Abbot William held up a shaking hand, palm forward like he could ward off her words. "Escort the princess back to her chamber. Now!" he snarled.

Without waiting for the squire, CC turned and strode across the room. As she neared the door, Isabel made a spectacular show of cringing away from her and crossing herself. CC scoffed and made a dismissive wave in her direction. As the squire closed the door behind them, CC could hear Isabel's distinctive voice croaking, "Evil! I knew it from the first day I laid eyes on her! Evil!"

Isabel's performance made CC bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing as the nervous young squire led the way back to her chamber.

Chapter 24

CC wrenched open her door, startling the squire who stood guard outside.

"I want to go to the chapel, and I need help changing my clothes. Get that old servant, whatever her name is."

The squire blinked balefully at her, suddenly reminding her of a calf. She sighed. "Now! I don't have all the rest of the day to waste!" She slammed the door in his face.

"This princess stuff just gets easier and easier," she muttered to herself. His boots clinked smartly against the stone floor as he hurried down the hall, rushing to obey her command.

She paced while she waited for Isabel. She had been back in her room for hours, alone, under guard, with absolutely nothing to do except worry. She couldn't stand it anymore. Maybe if she spent time cleaning the chapel she could work off some of her tension, and if she got really lucky Gaea might even show up. The goddess certainly had been quiet lately, which was making CC more than a little uneasy.