He had a solemn face, clean shaven, with a long thick nose and brooding eyes, his expression stern and unimpressed. As he entered the chamber and caught sight of the High Seer, those dark eyes flashed with suppressed anger, but his expression did not change. Richard Syon, the Aldermaston of Muirwood, walked alongside him. “Sabine,” said Kranmir with a flat voice. “I did not know you would be here.” Maia bristled at his informal use of her grandmother’s name. He was a master of controlling his expressions, but that look in his eyes sent a shiver through her. Her emotions were still reeling from learning about the treasure and Collier’s freedom from debt. She glanced at her husband and could tell he was struggling to control his emotions—his jaw was tense, his eyes were narrowed on Kranmir. “Hello, Ely,” her grandmother replied, nodding respectfully. “You just arrived?” “It would have been sooner, but the condition of the roads into Muirwood is absolutely deplorable.
