Chapter 25

After telling Maxi to take her time mulling things over, Aderon left the banquet hall to inspect the bleak corridors and empty rooms. When he returned, he listed all the items that he thought were necessary. Some of his suggestions were too extravagant, but she agreed to have the stair railings and rattling window frames replaced at once for safety.

When the merchant left, Maxi returned to her room to examine the ledger. It contained records of the number of coins that Riftan had allocated for the castle's refurbishment, but she could not gauge how much the currencies were worth. Though her father had treated her little better than vermin, she had still been a duke's daughter, and as often happens with the daughters of nobility, she had never held a coin in her hand.

I should ask for help…