Shadows and Light

family is minor gentry. They wouldn’t have any trouble getting the boys into a school in the east. So why would an eastern merchant family send their boys so far from home?”
    “Because they don’t care enough about the boys’ feelings to let them stay close to home?” Ashk said.
    Padrick shook his head. “They care. The boys mentioned that their uncle, who captains one of their ships, brought his ship in to the nearest port and took a coach the rest of the way to bring them gifts from the family and spend the Winter Solstice with them since there wasn’t enough time for them to go home.
    When I went down to fetch Evan, their uncle was also there, and we talked for a bit. He mentioned that he’d like to find a nice harbor town here in the west, a place where he could establish a port of call for the family business. He said it all easily enough, but when he learned I was a baron, he was also quick to mention how it would benefit the towns here to have goods brought in by sea.”
    Ashk stared at her husband. “He was offering a—what do you call it? A bribe?”
    “In that he implied any goods I might be interested in could be gotten for a leaner price than I could get them elsewhere, yes, it was a bribe.”
    Ashk sputtered. “What makes him think you’d accept such a thing—or that a man whose estate sits a day’s ride from the coast would have any influence?”
    “But I do have influence, don’t I?” Padrick said quietly. “At least, at one harbor where there’s only a paper baron for whom I’ve been casting an absentee vote in the council for the past several years.”
    “You really think he’d be interested in a ... a safe harbor surrounded by a village that has very few human residents?” Ashk said doubtfully.
    “There’s power in him, Ashk. Not Fae, but there’s something in him that I recognized. And I think he sensed the magic in me, which is why he risked talking to me in the first place. I don’t think he’s looking for a safe harbor for his ship or that he gives a damn about expanding the trading territory to fill his family’
    s coffers. I think he’s really looking for a safe harbor for his family, something that’s established before they may need it. I think that’s why those boys are going to school here in the west. Safe harbor.”
    Padrick paused. “He also mentioned that his wife and young daughter were going to be visiting kin this summer, a place that borders the Mother’s Hills.”
    A shiver went through Ashk. Not fear, exactly. More like the feeling of stepping into deep, cool shadows after spending time out in the sun when its heat lay heavy on the skin.
    Watching her, Padrick nodded. “Oh, he never said the words. He was careful about that, always watching me to see if I understood and accepted or if he had said too much. But he mentioned that their kin’s property was fine land, and held a fine woods. An old woods.”
    “An Old Place,” Ashk said softly. “You think his family has roots in the House of Gaian?”

    “I’m not sure if they wanted to impress me or Evan, but before he could stop them, his nephews were boasting about how their uncle had never lost a ship at sea, had never limped into port after a bad storm.
    They said when a storm blew up, their uncle would stand at the bow of his ship, would tie himself to the railing if need be, and call to the sea—and no matter how fierce the storm, no matter how high the waves, the sea would let his ship pass safely through.”
    “Mother’s mercy.”
    “So, yes, I think it’s safe to assume his family has roots in the House of Gaian. And that puts them all at risk.”
    “You’ll find a safe harbor for him and his,” Ashk said, not really asking a question since she realized he’d almost set his mind to doing just that.
    “I wanted to talk with you first.”
    “You’ll find a safe harbor for him and his,” she repeated.
    Padrick sighed as if he’d just been relieved of a great weight. “They have a shipping office in Durham. I have the name of the cousin who runs it. I’ll leave a message to be passed on.”
    And I’ll talk to Morag , Ashk thought.
    “While I’m gone, I’d like the children to stay with you.”
    “Of course. I can play lady of the manor for a week or two.”
    “No. I’d like them to stay here. With you.”
    Ashk sorted through the feelings she heard behind the words—and didn’t like them. “I know your people aren’t that comfortable with dealing with me,