Shadows and Light

them a passionate but unpalatable truth while Lucian and Dianna were telling them what they wanted to hear.
    The House of Gaian meant something to him. She’d heard the plea under the passion for her to acknowledge that the witches were the Mother’s Daughters. How could she deny what she knew to be true?
    She would have helped him, had been about to tell him exactly that—until Morag rode up, saw him, and ran.
    Morag was from a midland Clan, but she’d been in the eastern part of Sylvalan. She’d been at Brightwood and had helped Ari and Neall escape. She knew Aiden. So what was it about the Bard that would make the Gatherer run?
    She didn’t know, and she didn’t like it. She just hoped Aiden was as intelligent as he was eloquent. She’
    d meant the threat. If he and Lyrra tried to leave, she would kill them.
    Great Mother, let Morag’s reaction be for some personal or foolish reason. I don’t want this man’
    s blood on my hands. I don’t want that fine, blazing spirit to leave the world. Let him do the sensible thing and just stay in his room, resting.
    “Rider coming!”
    Ashk raised her head at the cry. No tension in the voice that had called the warning. No, the voice had sounded almost ... cheerful.

    One glimpse of the horse and rider had her on her feet, running toward them. “Padrick! Padrick!”
    He was off his horse and running to meet her. Swept her into his arms and off her feet.
    She threw her arms around his neck and held on tight, her eyes filling with tears of relief even while she laughed. “You’re home. You’re finally home.”
    He pressed his face against her hair. She felt him tremble as his arms tightened around her.
    “Are you well, Ashk? Are you and the children well?”
    “We’re well, Padrick. Better now that you’re home. And you?”
    He eased back enough to look at her. His hand shook when he brushed her hair away from her face. “I came as soon as I could. They swore to me you were safe. They swore it. I couldn’t have— I had duties, Ashk, but I would have left everything else and come here first if they hadn’t sworn to me—”
    She pressed her fingers against his mouth. “You had duties to your people, just as I have duties to mine.”
    She frowned. Her fingers lifted away from his mouth. “Who swore to you?”
    “Forrester.” Padrick looked a little uncomfortable. “After the Black Coats’ attack here, he began riding out each morning with a few men to check for signs of those nighthunters.”
    “Some of my men have been doing the same.”
    “Yes. Well, your men and mine ... and Neall... would often meet on one of the trails....”
    “And Forrester was reassured each morning that the baron’s wife and children were safe and well.”
    Well, that explained how her men were able to tell her each day that the people at the manor house and the tenant farms were safe. And it explained why those men had been a bit vague about how they’d come by the information. “If it eased your heart, I’m glad they exchanged news. I wish they had been able to tell me the same about you.”
    “I was ... detained. A young baron needed help, and after what I saw on the journey to his home, I’ll do whatever it takes to stop the Black Coats and the barons who follow them. But I’m sorry I wasn’t here when you needed me. I’m sorry about your grandfather, Ashk. I’m grateful to him for giving his life to save Evan, but I’m sorry you lost him that way.”
    Ashk shook her head. The grief was still raw, and grief wasn’t what she wanted to share with him right now. “There’s much we need to talk about, but not yet. Not now.”
    “What then?”
    “A nap.”
    His expression was uncertain, but his eyes began to twinkle. “A nap.”
    Wrapping arms around each other’s waists, they walked to the Clan house.
    “Yes,” Ashk said. “You’ve had a long journey and a difficult morning. A short nap would do you good.”
    “How short?”
    “Oh, an hour or so.”

    “Will I get any sleep while I’m taking this nap?”
    “I don’t think so.”
    He laughed, and she hoped the world, and their duties in it, would leave them alone for a little while.
    Calm, Morag thought as the dark horse galloped along the wide forest trail. Stay calm. If you go galloping back to the cottage, you‘ll do the very thing you wanted to avoid.
    Light pressure on the reins signaled the dark horse to ease back to a canter.
    It had been foolish to run like that, but she’d reacted