The Ciphers of Muirwood (Covenant of Muirwood #2)(6)
As soon as Tomas shut the door, enclosing them all in the room, the Aldermaston turned to look at Maia, his face serious and sad. “Marciana, I have grievous news.”
She swallowed, feeling her insides ripping. “My mother is dead,” she said softly, the words thick in her throat.
The Aldermaston nodded heavily and Sabine put her arm around Maia’s shoulders.
Grief sent cracks through Maia’s heart. The truth had come to her in a dream, so it was no surprise, yet the announcement still felt like a blade stabbed between her ribs. She flinched, trying to master herself.
“Three days ago,” the Aldermaston said, walking forward and taking her hand. “I tried to Gift her with healing. I sought the Medium’s will to Gift her with life, but it was not to be. The Medium took her from us.” He shook his head with sorrow. “Sadness, disappointment, and troubles are inescapable, Marciana, but there is more to life. Of course, I do not seek to diminish how hard some of these events are. Words cannot always comfort grief. As has happened in your life and the life of your mother, troubles can last a long time. But try to remember this, Marciana. You must not allow them to consume you.”
Maia knew from the look in his eyes that he too was intimate with suffering.
“I wish I could have seen her one last time,” Maia said, her voice choked.
“You will,” the Aldermaston said fervently, tightening his grip on her hand. “Death brings sorrow. It always will. But you will do something important here, Maia. You will open the Apse Veil again. The dead are grieving all around us because they are condemned to linger here in this world. You will open the gates of their prison. Your mother knew it. I know it. You were foreseen to do this. Someday, you will see her again. You are bound together by irrevocare sigil.”
Maia looked away, unable to gaze for long into his intense eyes. He was so quiet, so soft-spoken, yet he was filled with certainty and conviction that was harder than stones and stronger than storms.
“Thank you, Aldermaston,” Maia said haltingly.
He led her over to a chair and helped her sit. Then he took his wife’s hand and guided her to a table heaped with scrolls, quills, ink, scriving tools, a small tome, and various other tools and implements. Once she was seated, he sat down himself. Sabine settled into a chair near Maia, and Jon Tayt slouched on the window seat against the wall.
“Tomas,” he said, “would you explain to the High Seer what we heard from Comoros?”
“Yes, Aldermaston.” Tomas stayed standing, hands clasped in front of him. He sighed. “Chancellor Morton was . . . I do not know how to say this delicately . . . he was beheaded at the greenyard of Pent Tower for not signing the Act of Submission. This was done in the morning in front of a crowd of at least five hundred witnesses, including all the prisoners in the tower. Those are the facts as I understand them.” He sniffed, his jaw clenching with pent-up anger.
Maia stared at him. She had heard the news first from her husband, Collier. It had happened less than a fortnight ago. Thinking of her husband made her sick inside. She had fled Naess, and he had been imprisoned for her treachery.
Jon Tayt snorted. “They killed a man for not signing a piece of parchment?”
Tomas nodded, rocking on his heels. “The Act of Submission places the king’s authority above the Medium. Abbey lands now fall under the king’s tax. All Aldermastons will be appointed by the king and not the High Seer. In short, he is a bloody, raving lunatic!”
“Tomas,” the Aldermaston said gently.
“I should not have said that,” Tomas said immediately, his cheeks flushing. “I neglected to remember that his daughter has just arrived. Lady Maia, I beg your pardon, but I do not have kind feelings toward your father at present.”
Sabine leaned forward. “He will be surprised when he learns I am at Muirwood.”
“I would think so,” Tomas said, rocking on his heels again.
Jon Tayt sat at the window seat, scratching behind Argus’s ears. “He had better not come here,” he said gruffly. “I may lose my temper with him. To think, he beheaded the man in full daylight?”
The Aldermaston leaned forward and folded his arms. “We cannot let the current situation distract us from the Covenant of Muirwood. When the queen died, and I believe she was poisoned, we sent a message to the palace to inform the king. I am expecting news imminently of what is to be arranged for the state funeral. We may very well have a royal host descending on Muirwood.” He lowered his voice. “That would be most inconvenient. The king would learn that the abbey is nearly complete and that construction was not halted as he ordered. What do you advise, High Seer?”
The thought of seeing her father again, especially so soon after her mother’s death, made Maia grimace and clench her fists.
Sabine stared hard at the Aldermaston. “Maia does not have much time to pass the maston test.”
“I agree,” the Aldermaston replied, only adding to Maia’s concern.
“Who have you chosen to be her companion?”
The Aldermaston turned to his wife and gestured for her to speak.
“High Seer, we have many capable girls among the Ciphers,” she said. “Some are highborn. Some are wretcheds. I feel impressed by the Medium to choose Suzenne Clarencieux as Maia’s companion.”
“Tell me of her,” Sabine said thoughtfully.