The Ciphers of Muirwood (Covenant of Muirwood #2)(4)
Maia squeezed Sabine’s arm. “I thought construction had been halted,” she said, her mouth widening in amazement. “I heard my father order it.”
Sabine grabbed her hand to squeeze it. “He did, Maia. But we answer to the Medium’s will. Can you feel it here?”
Maia nodded humbly. “From the Holk as we approached. I have never felt so calm and peaceful. I could feel the abbey . . . welcoming me.”
“When Lia drove out the Queen Dowager and her people after Muirwood was burned, she set protections on these grounds and fixed them by irrevocare sigil. The Myriad Ones cannot dwell here, and neither can any who serve them. You will be safe here, Maia. You must prepare yourself to take the maston test so you can fulfill Lia’s prophecy and open the Apse Veil again, restoring the abbey’s full rites. The dead must be freed from this world, and the mastons who are still in Assinica need to escape. It is the only way.” She pointed to the scaffolding. “The interior work is already finished. The exterior is nearly done as well. The scaffolding is a disguise to make others believe the abbey is still far from completion. We should never judge by what we see on the outside.”
“I was wondering what was left to do on it,” Jon Tayt said gruffly. “It looks nigh well finished to my eyes.”
“It will be done by Whitsunday,” Sabine said. “It has taken many years to complete, but it was built faithfully in the style of its predecessor. I can see the old abbey in my mind, Maia.”
Jon Tayt pulled one of the oars in and began maneuvering the skiff to the dock post. There was a man there with a pole and hook, waiting for them. As they came nearer, Jon Tayt fetched a coiled rope and flung the bulk to the man on the dock, keeping hold of one end. He quickly tied a knot to secure it to the bollard and then stepped onto the dock to confront the man who was fastening the other end.
“You are doing it wrong,” Jon Tayt said angrily, shooing him away. “Let me.”
Maia smiled. Jon Tayt was very particular about how things ought to be done. He was short and squat, with wavy copper curls covering part of his balding head and a bushy pointed beard that held on to the crumbs of his various meals. Argus bounded from the dinghy onto the dock, and the boat rocked slightly, earning the dog a curt whistle from his master.
“Welcome back to Muirwood, my lady,” said the dockman to Sabine. “I sent the page running to the Aldermaston as soon as we spied the Holk upriver. He wishes to see you right away.”
“Thank you,” she replied. Maia went to cross to the dock on her own, but Jon Tayt finished with the rope and reached out a meaty hand to pull her across. She wore a pale blue gown that marked her as a wretched. Not that the dress would actually disguise her, but it would offer her more anonymity, making it easier for her to blend in with those living at the abbey. Her stomach trembled with nerves as she thanked Jon Tayt and waited for Sabine to be helped onto the dock.
Her grandmother was sprightly in her movements, considering her age. Her long hair had gray streaks through it, but the natural buttery color was still evident, and her wise eyes and lovely smile commanded more attention than her wrinkles and crags.
“This is your new home as well,” Sabine said, turning back to the hunter. “The hunter’s lodging is ready for you. But please come with us to meet the Aldermaston.”
Jon Tayt sighed. “I would rather walk the grounds and get a feel for this bog. The Bearden Muir, you called it? By Cheshu, I miss Pry-Ree! I do see a lot of oak trees, though. Will be good for throwing my axes. They look hardy enough.”
Taking Maia’s arm, Sabine led her down the dock to a series of stone steps that led them up the hill. Jon Tayt followed behind, carrying their gear like a pack horse, and Argus padded next to him.
As they mounted the steps, the grounds became suddenly visible, and Maia smiled to see so many people about. Sabine walked close to her, pointing out the various sights. “There is much to see, but let me quickly explain what I can. The cloisters are over there, the lower wall next to the abbey. That is where the learners study reading and engraving. The boys study there during the day, but after the gates are locked at night, the Aldermaston’s wife brings the Ciphers there to study.”
“Do the boys know? Surely someone must see them?”
“There are tunnels beneath the abbey grounds, Maia. The Ciphers enter the cloisters from the tunnels. Not even the gate porter knows what goes on after he locks up each night. The tunnels connect the Aldermaston’s manor to the abbey, as well as to several other locations, including one in the village beyond the walls. Leerings protect the passageways. Over there, that is the laundry where lavenders scrub the clothes. And there is the duck pond. One of my favorite places is the Cider Orchard, where the Muirwood apples grow. It is lovely in the spring.” Maia’s heart thrilled at the sight of it. She had heard dozens of stories about her ancestors Lia and Colvin and how special the Cider Orchard had been to them. How she longed to visit it.
“Are there any apples?” Maia asked.
Sabine shook her head. “It is not the season yet. Wait until spring. The Aldermaston’s kitchen. Do you see it over there with the steep roof and the cupola? That is where you will eat, Maia. It is the same as when my great-grandmother lived there many years ago. When my mother returned on the ships, it was still standing. So was the orchard, though it had grown rather wild! After many years of taming and tending, it was restored. The Aldermaston’s manor is next to the kitchen. The learner quarters are over there, but you will not be staying there.”