The Ciphers of Muirwood (Covenant of Muirwood #2)(105)
Lady Deorwynn stifled her breath. “He will not kill his own daughter.”
Kranmir smirked. “Oh, I think he will. You have never truly understood him, Deorwynn. If you had, you never would have shamed him by taking lovers. What you have neglected to realize is that most men, and this one especially, have an infinite capacity to feel sorry for themselves. It is so easy to placate him, it is like feeding scraps to a dog. Touch for a moment on his inner pain, his frustration at being disobeyed, dishonored, or even disheveled, and he laps it up like milk. He was utterly humiliated at Muirwood. He also feels himself tottering on the pole of power. He will do anything to remain king. His two greatest risks are you and his daughter. Both will be dealt with. Crabwell is seeing to it right now.”
Lady Deorwynn stood and rushed to him. “What about my children?”
A wry smile answered her. Nothing more.
“Tell me!” she begged.
“There are kishion for that sort of thing,” he said coldly.
“No!” she groaned, seizing his arms. She trembled violently.
His brow wrinkled. “The king is preparing for the invasion. The armada will come here next. We have gathered a sizable sum in the treasury. Dahomey has been plundered, so we need not fear Gideon. Yes, he will be wroth when he learns his bride was executed. But surely he knows what she really is. Even though a binding sigil prevents me from saying it, we all know the truth. The king will have her gown stripped off before her execution to show the kystrel’s taint and the brand on her shoulder. In front of the people! Oh yes, their love of Princess Maia will turn to horror when they realize the truth. Did you hear Cruix Abbey was burned? Hmmm? The king would have given her a chance to join forces with him, to become the tool he had intended to make her. A tool to save Comoros from the invaders. A tool to challenge the authority and power of Naess and its dark pools. But we all know she will not submit. The king must destroy Maia instead of letting her destroy him. Any king would do that to preserve his throne.”
Lady Deorwynn felt her hopes crumbling to dust. “She is innocent. She is not truly evil.”
He snorted. “That did not stop you from speaking against Forshee and his sons. Their room was just above yours. Good-bye, child. I will miss you. Until we meet again . . . in Idumea.” The smile he gave her was dark and twisted.
She felt like she would start weeping again, but she forced herself to control her emotions. She stared at him coldly.
“I will face my death as strong as any man,” she said angrily. “Let the headman’s axe fall.”
Kranmir shook his head. “A swordsman will do the honors,” he replied, tapping at the door. “Either way, it ends this morning. I have already signed the annulment of your marriage, which renders all of your offspring bastards. That is the first step. Maia will follow you to the gallows.”
The key turned and the door opened.
“What of the refugees from Assinica?” she demanded. “They are coming, surely.”
He looked at her without concern. “Have you ever heard the saying of being tossed from the pan into the coals? Artisans, musicians, sculptors. They will make excellent slaves. Ah, Captain Trefew. Escort Lady Deorwynn to the plinth.”
“As you say, High Seer,” he replied, grinning at Lady Deorwynn as he spoke. Her eyes widened at the new title. Trefew was a vulgar man. He had been too drunk to board the Blessing of Burntisland the night it had set sail for Dahomey. Deorwynn had since suspected that he was too wise, not too drunk. He shackled her wrists proficiently and then took the lead chain and brought her out of the cell.
As she walked, her conscience began to spasm with dread. There was no hope left. No reprieve would come to her, just as there had been no reprieve for the others she had caused to be sent to the block. Her heart thundered in her chest, and she wondered if she would be able to face the headsman with equanimity after all. She wanted to faint, but she steeled herself, determined to see it through.
They passed several cells that were secured with bars rather than doors.
“Mother!” Jolecia screamed, rushing to the bars. “Mother, no!”
Lady Deorwynn glanced at the weeping girl and saw Murer huddled in the shadows at the back of the cell, her face ashen. She nodded to the girls, but could not make her tongue work to say anything.
As they breached the outer doors to the greenyard, she felt the cold morning air penetrate her thin gown. It fluttered her hair, and she shivered.
“A favor, Captain Trefew,” she said.
He snorted. “As if you could do me any favors now. Though there are some favors I would have liked.”
“Please, Captain. You have seen Lady Maia. Tell her I am sorry. Tell her I regret the way I treated her. It is my fault she was poisoned. It is my fault her mother is dead. Tell her this. My dying words. It was my doing.”
“Look at the window yonder,” he said, grinning cruelly, and pointed. “If you shout it, she may even hear you.”
Lady Deorwynn stared at the window. It was near enough that she could make out Maia’s dark hair. Her heart twisted with regret and pain. She longed to apologize to Maia directly, for her hatred and for the harm she had done. Even Lady Deorwynn’s mother, her ruthless mother had eventually been softened by Maia. Yet not Deorwynn herself. For some reason, the girl’s meekness had only infuriated her more. Eventually, it had driven her to seek Maia’s death.