Looking even more bewildered in face of her explanation, he went and sat down on the edge of his desk, tugging at the strands of his forked beard. He was young, only a few years older than she was, but he was wiser than most, and his mind worked quickly.
“It is known to the Victus that the new headsman is a kishion. But he had orders to kill you . . .” He looked at her gravely. “I have tried all night to find a way into the castle to free you. They locked every gate, sealed every porter door. No traffic was allowed in for any reason unless the visitor bore the chancellor’s seal. Crabwell is clinging to power by his fingernails. And so the king and I suggested a riot.”
Maia nodded. “There was talk of it in the tower during the night.” She stifled a yawn. “I have not slept at all. They were moving us around on the hour. My friend Suzenne was also on the platform with me, but I could not save her. Her husband, Dodd, is also imprisoned in Pent Tower. Can you—?”
“I will send someone at once,” he said, rising swiftly from the desk and disappearing into the other room.
When he returned, he found her in the midst of another yawn. Before either of them said anything, he quickly went to a side cabinet and withdrew a small blanket. “You are exhausted. Here, lie on the couch awhile and rest. My men are searching for the king and your friends. I am sorry for this ordeal, Lady Maia. That your father would stoop to this . . . well, those are the only words available to me. I am truly sorry.”
She gratefully accepted the blanket. “My father is dead,” she said. “The kishion is going after Crabwell next.”
Simon blanched. “Then the government has been toppled, and the country is at risk of invasion. A new ruler needs to be chosen immediately. It will not take long for Hautland or Paeiz to press a claim.”
“Or Dahomey?” Maia asked with an arch look. She wrapped the blanket around her shoulders.
“He would not do that to you,” Simon replied, smiling benignly. “You have changed him, my lady. He is a different man since coming to Muirwood. You have humbled his pride. I had not even believed it possible.”
Maia smiled and then stretched out on the cushions.
A hand jostled her shoulder what felt like moments later. She must have fallen asleep, though she had no memory of it. Simon was bent over her, and as soon as she processed what was happening, she allowed him to help her sit.
“He is coming,” he whispered. “Anxious to be sure. I still await word on your friends.”
Maia brushed some hair behind her ear and sat up, feeling at once dizzy and lethargic. She heard the authoritative sound of boots marching down the hall, and suddenly Collier was in the room. She was so relieved to see him, it must have shown on her face. He rushed up to her and hugged her so tight it almost hurt. His hand stroked her hair, and she could feel a slight tremor in his touch.
“By the Blood,” he gasped, pulling away slightly to look at her, his hands cupping her face. Through his relief, she could see the marks of a long night spent in dread and agony. His eyes were bloodshot, and there were smudges of stubble across his tense jaw. His body trembled with pent-up energy. “You are safe. I almost could not believe it when they told me. It was too much. It was too good. I begged the Medium to save you, for I could not,” he said hoarsely.
She smiled, so grateful to be here with him after despairing of ever seeing him again, so warmed by his concern and affection. He brought her back down to the couch and sat beside her, holding her close. “Would that I had an army. Would that I had wings to fly over that wall. I could not get to you, Maia, and it nearly killed me. How did you escape?”
“The kishion freed me,” she answered, squeezing him hard. She felt grateful for what her protector had done, but it caused her deep concern that he was acting on his own. What would he do next? Who else would he kill? She suspected he had done it because of his feelings about her, which troubled her even more. Worry could come later, though, and she shoved the thought from her mind so she could savor her reunion with Collier.
She pulled back and grazed his cheek with her fingers. “But I believe the Medium was what truly saved me.”
“So do I,” he answered. He shook his head in amazement. “Poor Simon, I have not been patient. The castle was completely secured, and they were letting no one enter. The streets are rioting, Maia. People are demanding you. They are shouting for the king’s daughter to be their queen. Yes! They are chanting for you. They were going to depose your father, but word has gotten out that he died last night.”
Maia could hardly contain the feelings cascading through her—there was a sense of loss for her father, though that was tempered with relief, gratitude for her people’s support, and the solace of at last being in Collier’s arms. Tears pricked her eyes.