Maia stared at him in surprise. “I had not realized that, Richard. Flooding the valley will save us from the army, but it will make us vulnerable to their ships. That would hurt us both, I think.”
Richard looked at her sternly. “Remember, they seek to force the Medium to do their will. What they cannot comprehend is that the Medium will not harm us if we are faithful. Their efforts will only lead to their own destruction.” He put his hand on her shoulder. “I have no doubt the Medium will deliver us from the Naestors, Maia. The Covenant of Muirwood has been fulfilled. Yes, abbeys are being razed across these lands, but we have not been commanded to flee as we have been in the past. Sometimes the Medium gathers the wicked in one place to destroy them.” He frowned. “I only wish we could save everyone . . . including our foes. Before it is too late.”
Maia glanced at Joanna, and saw the same look of compassion in her eyes. The Tor was a witness to the Medium’s power to crush enemies that would not relent. Her heart grew heavy. She did not want to destroy all the Naestors.
She frowned, anguished by the knowledge of the violence that would come. “The Void is not about us,” she said softly. “If they press on, they will bring it on themselves.” She winced, feeling torn by conflicting emotions. Her people were being murdered by the Naestors and the Dochte Mandar. That made her angry. Yet they were being manipulated from within by the Victus, by years of ill-begotten convictions. “How can we prevent them from creating their own doom?”
Richard stared at her solemnly. He did not have the answer.
Maia needed time to think, but she was anxious to see Suzenne and hear the news. She found her friend unloading chests brought from the palace, and the two quickly embraced.
“I was relieved to hear that there has been word from Dodd at last!” Maia said, gripping Suzenne’s shoulders. She searched her friend’s face, trying to determine whether the news was hopeful or discouraging.
Suzenne squeezed her eyes shut, and then opened them and gave Maia a dazzling smile that sent relief rushing through her. “Oh, I am almost too overcome to speak.” She put a hand on her heart. “The news is good, Maia. I was so worried, and with good cause. Murer arrived under the cover of darkness, seeking Dodd’s help. He felt . . . wary when his steward told him she had arrived and asked to see him. The steward was excessively agitated, which gave Dodd a bad feeling. The Medium warned him to flee. He has always been sensitive to the Medium, Maia. He recognized the warning for what it was, even without knowing all the reasons. He left without even taking his cloak. Fetched his horse and rode to camp. Murer abandoned his manor and went to Billerbeck Abbey that night and burned it.”
Suzenne lowered her head and sighed with gratitude. “His army tried to halt the Naestors, but they were outnumbered and overrun. His force has been trapped behind our enemies, but he managed to get some Pry-rian hunters through with a message.”
“Thank Idumea,” Maia breathed. “If Murer had gotten him alone.”
Suzenne nodded. “Dodd felt the same way. He felt the temptation . . . the prideful conviction that he could handle her. I am grateful he heeded the Medium’s warning instead. He has been wounded in the fighting with the Naestors, but he promises it is nothing serious.” She screwed up her confidence. “I should not have doubted.”
“I am relieved.” The two friends embraced again.
“Have you had any word from Gideon?” Suzenne asked.
Maia knew that her own dark expression revealed the truth.
Maia spent the rest of the afternoon walking the abbey grounds, seeking the Medium’s guidance and direction as she went. She wished her grandmother were there so they could walk together as they had in the past. Whenever she thought about Sabine, a gnawing dread filled her stomach. She had lost her parents. Now she was about to lose her grandmother too.
“What would you have me do?” Maia whispered as she walked through the rows of purple mint, hearing the droning bees among them. Her thoughts were interrupted when she walked past a stranger. Maia returned the nod of the young fellow, who did not appear to realize who she was.