The Ciphers of Muirwood (Covenant of Muirwood #2)(92)
“The Medium delivered you into our hands,” Sabine said.
“Your cunning, more like,” he muttered darkly.
“Can you really be such a fool, Brannon?” Collier seethed, shaking his head.
The king shot a venomous look at Collier, his eyes full of fury. “Am I your hostage now, Gideon?” He turned back to Sabine and Lia. “Tell me what is to be done with me! I have surrendered. What are the terms you require? A ransom? My head? Tell me!”
His look was so terror-stricken that it moved Maia with pity. He was not used to being helpless. Was his brush with imminent death harrowing him so much?
“I will not decide your fate,” Lia said.
“Nor will I,” said Sabine. Both of them turned to Maia. “The Princess of Comoros will decide it.”
A startled shock went through Maia at the pronouncement. She stared at them both in disbelief. Was the decision really hers to make? Both her elder relatives were much wiser than she was. Her father’s eyes widened with surprise, and a smile stretched his mouth.
“Yes!” he breathed excitedly. “Yes, I see the justice in that. She is, after all, my heir. She is of royal blood and of strong lineage.”
“I am your heir?” Maia asked doubtfully, gazing at her father.
“Yes, of course, my child! Crabwell? Crabwell! Get over here! You will see, Maia, he has already drawn up the act. I came here with it. I was going to legitimize you this very day, this very Whitsunday. It is all right there. Crabwell, show her!”
The dusty chancellor approached. “The papers are not with me, Your Majesty,” he said, wringing his hands. “They are in my chambers at the inn. I can have them fetched. But I assure you, Lady Maia, that your father speaks the truth. The Privy Council was all in agreement, my dear. With your . . . marriage to the King of Dahomey, it is only suitable and proper that you should receive your inheritance.”
Collier stood by Maia’s side, his eyebrows wrinkling with distrust and contempt. He stared at both of the men with deep suspicion.
“And what is that inheritance?” Maia asked.
Crabwell coughed into his fist. “Ahem, yes, of course you would wonder at that. The act names King Gideon as the new Earl of Dieyre, making him a vassal of the Crown of Comoros in his own right and entitled to all the revenues of that earldom. It provides a dowry of a hundred thousand marks payable from the royal coffers to King Gideon, which will assist you in repaying the debt from your ransom, my lord.” His obsequious smile was revolting.
“Indeed,” Collier said flatly, revealing nothing.
“It could be more,” her father said, his eyes boring into Collier’s. “You are my son-in-law, so you are entitled to other royal honors and favors.” Then he looked at his daughter. “Maia, your banishment has ended. You will have the Hampton estate in Comoros as your own manor . . . it is one of the finest palaces I have. Plus you have possessions in every earldom throughout the realm, including castles. The revenues, Maia, are in excess of fifty thousand marks a year. They are yours this day.”
Maia stepped toward him. “What of the abbeys, Father? What of the Act of Submission?”
He stared at her, his eyes glittering. He waited a moment before speaking, as if considering his words carefully. “I . . . of course . . . repudiate it, Maia. It will be burned immediately, and the abbey lands restored. Only the High Seer can name new Aldermastons.” He nodded briefly to Sabine. “All shall be as it was, Daughter. I have seen the error of my ways. Help teach me repentance.” His lip curled slightly as he said the word. “I do this all in front of witnesses, my Privy Council. You will rule with me, Maia. No act will be passed, no punishment given, without your approval or consent.” He stared at her hard. “You will help to make all decisions for the realm. Will you come home with me, child? Will you aid me with your wisdom and goodness? I need you. You are . . . you are . . . so precious to me.”
Maia glanced at Lia and saw the look of deep distrust on her face, then turned to look at her grandmother, who was staring at her with sympathy.
“It is your decision,” Sabine told her softly.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Irrevocare Sigil
Maia felt the oppressive weight of the moment. Her father, his councillors and knights, even her own husband—they were all more familiar with the ways of the world than she was. She had the sense that one wrong step could plunge her down a steep ravine. Her father’s words still rang in her ears. He had said the very words she most longed to hear, yet a heavy certainty in her gut urged her not to believe him. Actions mattered more than promises. In her studies as a learner at Muirwood, she had discovered many gems of wisdom from the tomes, and one of them flitted into her mind at that moment. The first duty of a king is to preserve his Crown.
She was not blind to what her father was doing. He would make any promise that would secure him his freedom. And then he would betray her as he had so many times in the past.
Maia stared at him, feeling her insides twist with sorrow and confusion. She turned to Collier and seized his hand in one of hers, stroking his arm with the other. “When your father was captured,” she said softly, and he inclined his head to meet her eyes, “you were held hostage on his behalf. You always resented it. Being held in Naess also caused you pain.”