Spirit's Oath by Rachel Aaron Page B

were coming back today from a camping trip where you’d been trying to catch winds or some rotted nonsense,” Simon said, flinging out his hand like he was tossing the idea away. “I’ve been waiting here an hour for you to get in, and my patience is running very thin.” He grabbed Miranda’s arm. “Come along now before it runs out completely.”
    “I will do no such thing!” Miranda said, snatching her arm back. “I’m twenty years old and a sworn Spiritualist. What makes you think you can just come in here and order me around?”
    “Don’t you take that tone with me, young lady!” Simon shouted. “I don’t care how old you are; you are an unmarried woman of noble blood, and that means I, as your father, am responsible for you. It’s bad enough these wizards have let you run wild all over the countryside without so much as a chaperone to ensure you weren’t making a scandal of yourself and your family, but if you dare back talk me about my rights, I will make you regret it, child, just see if I don’t.”
    “You’re worried about me making a scandal?” Miranda cried. “I haven’t even seen you since you gave me to the Court seven years ago, and you want me to believe you suddenly care about my life? Please . You didn’t even visit on my birthdays, which is pretty sorry considering you live a mile away.” Miranda crossed her arms and set her feet in a wide, stubborn stance. “Why are you really here, Father?”
    Simon’s face went redder than Miranda’s robes. “This is not a matter to be discussed in front of outsiders,” he growled, glancing at Banage, who was starting to look a little deadly himself.
    “You’re the only outsider here,” Miranda said. “And I’m not going with you.”
    “That is where you are wrong,” Simon said, turning to Banage. “Do you want to tell her, or should I?”
    Miranda didn’t like the smug tone of his voice one bit, and she turned to her Rector. “Master Banage?”
    Banage heaved a long sigh. “Your father is within his rights,” he said. “It’s against our doctrine to go against local laws. Though the Spirit Court is a neutral body, you are still a noble lady of Zarin, and he is still your father. Until you marry, the law is unfortunately on his side. However.” Banage’s hand came up, cutting off Miranda’s outburst before it could start. When he was sure she would stay quiet, he turned and focused the whole of his cold disdain on Lord Simon Lyonette. “This is still my Court. While I have no authority to keep Lady Miranda from you, you cannot order the schedule of my Spiritualists. So far I’ve heard no emergency dire enough to send away Spiritualist Lyonette when she has just returned home from a long trip.” He leaned back and picked up his pen, looking down at his papers as he made a series of short notes not so much because they needed noting, but because the action told Lord Simon this conversation was over. “Your daughter will be delivered to you safe and sound tomorrow morning,” Banage said without looking up. “I believe you know your way out.”
    Simon just stood there, his jaw hanging open in outrage while his face grew redder and redder until Miranda was sure he was going to pop. But then he turned on his heel and marched out of the Rector’s office. “We will have words about this in the morning, Miranda,” he said when he reached the door. “See you’re not late.”
    And then he was gone, stomping off down the stairs. Banage kept writing until the lord’s banging footsteps vanished, and then he threw down his pen.
    “Master Banage,” Miranda said, whirling back around. “How could you—?”
    “I didn’t want to,” Master Banage said, rubbing his temples. “But the truth is as you heard. He has the law on his side, Miranda. If I hold you here, he’ll get the Whitefalls on my head. That’s a level of trouble we can’t afford right now, especially since Alber will just order me to release you to your father