Shadows and Light

without thinking. Or, to be truthful, her thoughts when she’d seen Aiden had focused on one thing: the Inquisitors’ attack and the worry about the nighthunters still in the woods had been enough of a shock for Ari. She didn’t want the young witch to have any more surprises right now.
    But she shouldn’t have run like that. A few minutes to greet Aiden and Lyrra, a private minute with Ashk, and she could have left easily enough and talked to Ari before anyone else came by and mentioned the Bard and the Muse were at the Clan house.
    As soon as she reached the open land around the cottage, she saw Ari sitting on the bench by the kitchen door, spinning thread for her weavings. Merle lay in front of her, watching the spindle.
    Morag reined in and dismounted. Merle glanced at her, waved the tip of his tail in greeting, then returned his attention to the spindle.
    Ari glanced at Morag, too. “Spinning may be work, but it’s sitting down work,” she said defensively.
    Then said, “No,” as Merle stretched his neck, his nose—and teeth— close to the spindle.
    “Problem?” Morag asked, looking at the two of them as she sat down beside Ari.
    “Merle thinks a spindle is a dog toy just because it’s made out of wood.”
    Merle gave Morag a doggy grin, making Morag wonder if the shadow hound really had any interest in the spindle or was simply playing his own version of “tease the witch.”
    After wrapping the thread around the spindle, Ari put it in the basket beside her. “I thought you were going back to the Clan house for a while.”
    “I was—and I am. I—” Exasperated with herself, Morag huffed out a breath. If she’d been thinking, she would have talked to Neall first.
    “Morag?” Tension tightened Ari’s voice. “What’s wrong? Has something happened?”
    “No,” Morag said quickly. She rested a hand on Ari’s arm. Felt the muscles quiver. “No,” she said again, striving to sound calm. She sighed. “I’m upsetting you, and that’s exactly what I didn’t want to have happen.”
    “Just tell me.”
    “The Bard and the Muse are at the Clan house.”

    Ari stared blankly at her for a moment. “Aiden and Lyrra? What brings them—?” She paled. “Will they tell Lucian about me?”
    Morag shook her head. “They don’t know you’re here. And they won’t know unless you want us to tell them. If you don’t want to see them, Ashk and I can make sure they don’t come to this part of the Old Place. I wanted to tell you because I didn’t want you to drive up to the Clan house and meet them unexpectedly.” She paused. “I’m sorry I upset you.”
    Ari shook her head. “I’m glad you told me.” Then she added, “I liked them, Aiden and Lyrra. Sometimes I’ve wished I could hear them sing again, and I would like to see them. But not if they’ll tell Lucian or Dianna that I’m here.”
    Morag hesitated. Then, remembering the way Lucian almost accepted her bargain, almost traded his life to bring Ari back when he thought the Inquisitors had killed her, she asked the question she’d wanted to ask since she moved into the cottage with Ari and Neall. “If you’d had a choice ... if you hadn’t been bound by the magic in the fancy to accept him, would you have taken Lucian as a lover?”
    Ari looked out over the meadow. “I don’t know. He was ... exciting, but I wanted more than trinkets, and that’s all he had to give. I think he cared about me, at least a little, and I cared about him. But caring isn’t the same as love. There never would have been love. And yet I can’t regret what happened because it was one of the things that made it easier to leave Brightwood, and in the end, it brought me here.” She rested one hand on her round belly. “With Neall.”
    Morag stood up. “As long as you’re all right about them being here, I need to get back. I left in a bit of a hurry, and I may have some rough edges to smooth over with Ashk.”
    Ari gave Morag a thoughtful look. “If Neall and I come to dinner at the Clan house tonight, do you think that would help smooth those rough edges?”
    “Yes, it would help. But if you come, you’ll have to stay overnight. Until we’re sure we’ve destroyed all the nighthunters, it wouldn’t be safe for the two of you to drive back through the woods.”
    “I know. I’ll talk to Neall as soon as he gets back.”
    “I’m glad you want to see them.”
    “I liked them.” Ari made a face. “And I’ll like Aiden even better if