The Void of Muirwood (Covenant of Muirwood Book 3) (29 page)

“You do well enough,” Maia said with a forced smile. No matter what complications it created for her kingdom, she would not marry this Hautlander prince—not for gold or jewels or armies. More than anything else, she wanted Collier in front of her, she wanted to be able to hold him and promise him that she would not betray him again. If they were not married in the eyes of the Dochte Mandar, then they would be married by an Aldermaston in an abbey. She would give everything, including her crown, for that privilege. Her heart throbbed with anguish.

But a new feeling smoldered in her heart. She felt the yellow, fiery glare begin to crack through the crust. The hatred she felt against Corriveaux surprised her with its intensity.

And it delighted the Myriad Ones snuffling around her on the wharf.

There is a graveyard of bones and moldering armor on the cursed shores of Dahomey. I myself have trod that unhallowed ground. There is a Leering amidst the heap. It is a stark reminder that even the dead can speak to us. They can whisper from dust. They warn us not to trod on the same path that led to their fate, that created the Void. Annihilation is the ultimate mark of failure. We will leave no living person in Comoros. The ruins will be a stark reminder to the other kingdoms that supplication is the only answer. It will be a graveyard too. And then none of the other kingdoms will dare resist the authority of the Dochte Mandar. The deaths will begin one by one, a steady drip. And then they will come as a flood.

—Corriveaux Tenir, Victus of Dahomey

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Queen’s Garden

M
aia walked forlornly in the Queen’s Garden in Muirwood, hidden away from the prying gazes of those who would seek her out. The sun had just risen, and her stomach growled for breakfast, but she walked amidst the rows of flowers and fruit trees, watching the buds begin to open to the light.

After the dreadful news from Richard, she had summoned Simon in the hope she could confer with him before leaving for Muirwood, but he had not come. She stopped by one of the benches where she and Collier had spent time together. A pang of wistfulness struck her heart. She wished there were a way to summon him, to draw him from the battlefields of Dahomey to join her in this quiet garden. A few birds trilled from the upper branches, their tiny bodies and fluttering wings the only noise, and the perfume from the flowers lifted her spirits. She made a mental note to thank the old gardener Thewliss for his patient care of this secret place. A feeling of dread waited beyond these walls, as she knew she would need to return to the city to face her would-be suitor. And she would need to do so with a calm mind and a sturdy heart.

The familiar squeaking of wheels on axles sounded from beyond the wall, and Maia walked over to the Leering that protected the door and invoked it. After opening it, she saw Thewliss tugging the cart and greeted him with a smile. But over his shoulder, Maia saw an approaching figure—Suzenne, her shoulders swathed in a shawl, a look of determination and worry on her face. Her friend would not have sought her out here unless something important had happened, and Maia felt a swell of panic as she left the arch of the garden door and met her friend on the lawn.

“What has happened?” Maia said, reaching out and seizing her friend’s arm.

Suzenne looked stricken. She blinked rapidly, clearly trying to calm herself before speaking. “The chancellor sent me right away. Maia,” she shook her head. “Simon was murdered.”

A pit of pain opened in Maia’s stomach. “Simon Fox?”

“Yes,” Suzenne said in a shaky voice. “He was discovered before dawn. There was no sign of a struggle. He was stabbed in the back, crippled, and then left to bleed to death from a cut on his throat.” She covered her mouth, her face growing white.

Maia’s heart hammered in her chest and dizziness overtook her body as she imagined the scene. “Sweet Idumea.”

Suzenne shook her head. “The coroner is examining the body for details, but Richard sent me right away to warn you. Why would the kishion do this? He has only acted in support of you . . . why kill someone who was helping you? I do not understand it.”

Maia drew in a shuddering breath. “It may not have been him.”

“What? How can you doubt it?”

“Because a ship from Hautland just arrived,” Maia said. “The timing, Suzenne. The chancellor of Hautland may have brought another kishion to Comoros unwittingly. The Victus would not want to leave a kishion loose to betray them.” She pressed her fingers to her lips, trying to quell the revulsion. “Poor Simon,” she whispered. “Corriveaux is behind this, I have no doubt of that. He is preparing his invasion. The delegation . . . the prince . . . this is all a ruse. He will attack soon, and by killing Simon, he has disrupted our ability to get news. I must go back to the castle at once.” Maia started for the abbey, no longer hungry.

“Is that wise?” Suzenne asked, keeping up with her. “If there is
another
kishion, he may also try to kill you. You would be safer here at Muirwood.”

“I will not abandon my people,” Maia said firmly, “but it is vital that I have no set routine. Have my chambers emptied. I do not want any of my ladies-in-waiting to be at risk. Remember when they marched us all over the palace the night before our execution? That is what we must do. If we do not stay in one place for long, then it will help safeguard us while Richard investigates the murder. A new kishion will not know Comoros. I will tell Justin to have the city watch on the lookout for him. Asking questions. Hurry, Suzenne, there is much to do.”

The caretakers of Claredon Abbey were used to Maia’s sudden arrivals, and there was usually an escort waiting for her to bring her back to the palace through the gate it shared with the abbey.

She went straight to the chancellor’s tower and found Richard in deep conversation with the lord mayor, Justin. The two men had formed a strong partnership over the past month, much to Maia’s satisfaction.

“Ah, my lady,” Justin said, bowing gracefully. “Ill news, I fear.”

Richard nodded somberly. “I just received the coroner’s initial report if you would like to hear it.”

“Thank you,” Maia said with a curt nod, and took her place at the window seat where she had often sat as a child. Suzenne had gone to warn her ladies-in-waiting about the plan to move and change locations frequently. Sorrow burdened her now that she had the opportunity to absorb the news. She had valued Simon’s frankness and had come to rely on him for quick information from Dahomey.

“Simon’s body has been moved to the castle,” Richard began, leaning back in his chair a little, locking his fingers and resting his hands on his stomach. “The murder was similar to the other suspicious deaths we have seen, including Crabwell’s. The position of the knife wound on the spine was almost identical. He was rendered helpless first, but would have survived for hours with only that injury. The neck wound was done deliberately so that he would die quickly. He bled to death, my lady. They are still cleaning up the mess.”

Maia shuddered, feeling her stomach twist. “Were there any witnesses?”

Richard shook his head. “Just the ones who found the body this morning. Nothing unusual happened during the night. There were no signs of force . . . no broken latches or windows. The door was unlocked. It seems Simon greeted the man and allowed him in. There were no signs of a struggle.” He stared into her eyes before continuing. “Do you think . . . was it the kishion who saved you?”

“I do not think he is the culprit,” Maia said. “Why would he do such a thing without cause?”

“He had plenty of cause,” Justin said, moving toward her. He did not look the least bit squeamish. He had dealt with plenty of murders as lord mayor of Comoros, and it had hardened him. “Simon was helping us hunt him down, per your orders. Maybe one of Simon’s men got too close?”

“True,” Maia said, nodding thoughtfully. “But there is also the fact that the Hautlander ship arrived yesterday. A man could easily have slipped into the waters in the dark. All our attention was on the ship and its passengers. One of them could have been another kishion. It makes sense that they would send one to stop him if he no longer follows their orders.”

Richard furrowed his brow. “I do not think my counterpart in Hautland would have permitted it. Such an action would have put him open to retaliation.”

“Precisely what Corriveaux may have intended,” Maia said. “I have a dreadful feeling that this Hautland commission is nothing more than a distraction to us. Treaties take time, anyway. Perhaps Corriveaux seeks to lull us into inaction with the futile hope of preventing an invasion.” She shook her head firmly. “The Naestors are coming. I have no doubt of that.”

“Will you still meet with Prince Oderick?” Richard asked.

“I must. If only to disabuse him of the idea that I will marry him. I gave this much thought last night while I paced. My mind is unchanged—I will not abandon my true husband. Yes, the Dochte Mandar may have invalidated the marriage, but that can and will be rectified. Do we know how Simon sent messages to Dahomey?”

Richard looked to Justin and both shrugged. “We are not certain,” the chancellor said.

“Find out. But send a royal message to King Gideon at once to inform him of Simon’s death. I am sure Simon’s people have already done that, but I want one sent with my extreme condolences as well. I wish he were here. I feel certain the attack is coming soon.”

Richard nodded in agreement. “I feel it as well. Like clouds in the distance threatening a storm.”

“This is unlike any storm we have dealt with before,” Maia said. Then she rose from the window seat. “I will speak with Prince Oderick immediately. Much better for me to rebuff him quickly and firmly. I do not wish to be alone with him. Richard, can you arrange a visit in the solar? I would like Captain Carew and you to be present. Also the chancellor of Hautland. This is to be done in the open. If things become . . . awkward . . . I will end the conversation quickly.”

“We will make the preparations right away,” came his answer. His approving smile gave her some vastly needed comfort.

Maia was restless by the time the meeting had finally assembled. How she longed for this embarrassing meeting to be behind both of them. She was careful to select a plain gown—one that was no more formal than what her ladies-in-waiting wore. It had taken several hours to communicate the breadth of the situation to the Hautlanders and they, of course, had tried to bargain and wheedle for more time with her instead of a curt interview.

Instead of the solar, it was agreed that the prince and Maia would walk together in the royal garden, accompanied by their chancellors and full retinue. It was all quite exasperating, even down to the points of who would arrive first and how the greeting would take place. Ceremony was important to Hautlanders, it turned out, and the notion of an informal event made them uncomfortable. Among other demands, they had insisted trumpets play a fanfare before the meeting took place.

The day was warm and pleasant, and several pavilions for shade had been strewn around the lawns, between the fountains and manicured hedges. There were short tables laden with fruits, various cheeses, and other fare the cooks had devised to appeal to their guests. Maia was more nervous than hungry, and felt she would be ready for a feast when this ruse was over and she could finally relax again.