“No, my lady, never,” he replied. “However, since the scroll’s existence has been brought to light, we need to examine it thoroughly in order to dispute any pretender’s claims to the throne.” Micah approached the dais, palms up and arms spread. “Much of the dissent of late has been caused by those claiming that this… this lineage would prove that another, quite possibly Sadie, has more of a right to rule than you.”
“Yes, yes,” Oriana said. “But, you forget, we don’t know where this scroll is. It has been hidden away.”
“True,” Micah allowed. In a panic, I searched my memory and determined that I hadn’t yet told Micah that the scroll was at the manor. At least, I thought I hadn’t told him. “Therefore, what I propose is a search. Allow us time to examine every library and scribe’s den, and all other repositories for such things.”
“Micah, that would take years,” Oriana said. For once, I agreed with the queen. “Decades, perhaps.”
“Exactly my point!” Micah said. Now, I was convinced that he was making all of this up on the spot. “If those who wish to move against you truly have possession of this scroll, they will produce it. Did they not say it had been hidden for safekeeping?”
“They did,” Oriana murmured. “That they did.”
“What if they produce it?” Ayla asked—it was the first time I’d ever heard her speak. Her voice was low, husky.
“I doubt that it exists,” Micah said. “If it did, would it not have already been brought to light?”
“They do seem to have difficulty proving their claims,” Oriana murmured. Holy crap, she was buying this spiel. “Very well, Micah. How shall we go about this search?”
“Issue a royal bull,” Micah began, now pacing back and forth before the dais. “Declare that, for the good of the land—for the good of the people!—this scroll must be located at once. Order all of your subjects to search their homes, their hideaways, everywhere! If no such lineage can be produced by Midsummer Day, declare those who accused you guilty of treason, and allow them the options of publicly recanting their claims or being tossed into your dungeon.”
Oriana leapt to her feet, clapping as if she was a little girl and Micah had just given her a pony. “Brilliant, Micah, just brilliant!” She skipped down the dais and grabbed Micah’s hands. Ayla remained on her golden seat, red lips twisted into a sour knot. “Come, you will assist me in composing this bull.”
“I am afraid I must decline,” Micah said, extricating himself from Oriana’s golden fingers. “Your royal scribes are far more eloquent than I. And I have much to see to in the Whispering Dell. I am afraid that I let many things fall to the wayside while my Sara was gone from me.”
Oriana pouted, but she didn’t dispute. “Very well. Take your lovely bride home and see to those matters left undone. I will send for you soon.” With that, she summoned Ayla to her side and they were off, fluttering away like moths toward a brighter flame, the tulip girls rushing to keep up with them.
“You made all of that up,” I accused once we were outside the castle walls. “You didn’t even know what you were going to say until the words were falling out of your mouth.”
“You gave me the idea.”
“I did?”
“You said we needed a diversion. Now we have until Midsummer Day before Sadie will be asked to pledge again. With any luck, she’ll have forgotten all about her.”
“With any luck, Oriana will forget about all of us.” I took a deep breath and continued, “About that scroll…”
“Yes?” Micah had arched a silver brow, his way of telling me that he knew I knew more than I was letting on.
“I’m pretty sure it’s at the manor.”
He looked at me for a long moment before saying, “Then it should be a simple task to keep it from Oriana’s notice.”
Relief flooded me. “You’re not mad?”
“Why would I be mad?”
“Because I hadn’t told you.”
“There is that,” Micah allowed. “When did you learn of its location?”
“While I was with the resistance.”
“Ah.” We stepped onto the metal pathway and, a heartbeat later, we were before the manor’s front door. “Now,” Micah said, settling his arms around my shoulders, “I must attend to those tasks I have left undone.”
“Oh.” My heart fell—I’d been hoping for some alone time. “Like what?”
“There is one task,” he murmured, his lips close to my ear, “perhaps the most vital task of all, that the Lord and Lady Silverstrand must see to immediately.” He nuzzled my ear, his warm breath sending shivers down my back. “I have been remiss in my husbandly duties. Forgive me?”