The House Of Gaian

Baron Liam ruled and strike somewhere a little farther north or south. It would force the human enemy to march fast to meet him before he reached the Mother’s Hills and began cleansing them of the foul magic that lived there. If the Fae had some alliance with Liam, they would lose interest if Willowsbrook wasn’t threatened.
    He could turn the army away from Willowsbrook ... but the Sylvalan barons would see it as fear. They would think he was afraid of whatever unnatural allies that young bastard Liam was gathering, would gain strength and courage from misinterpreting his decision, and would pursue him more relentlessly because of it.
    Soaked to the skin, Adolfo closed his eyes and lifted his face to the storm. The rain stung his skin, reeked of magic.

    Magic.
    He smiled.
    He wouldn’t need to find an Old Place. The bitches were providing him with pools and pockets of magic he could drain for his own use, twist to his own will. He would still need a witch to create his finest gift, but he could use these pockets of magic to create the smaller gifts.
    So he wouldn’t turn away. He would drive his army to Willowsbrook, would fight against the elements that had become the enemy’s weapon. He would capture a witch, soften her enough to remove any threat to himself or his men—and he would give Baron Liam and his allies a gift from out of a nightmare.

 

     
     

Chapter 35
     

 

     
     

     
    waxing moon
     
    Filled with fierce triumph, Ubel gripped the railing and watched the Wolfram warships gain on the enemy.
    That witch-loving bastard was heading for the big island, probably hoping he could circle it and find a place to hide. There was no place to hide. There would never be a place to hide from an Inquisitor’s righteous judgment. He had the bastard now. He had him .
    Turning his head, he shouted at his ship’s captain, “We’re in range of that last ship. Signal the other Wolfram captains. Put fire down on those witch-lovers!”
    The ship’s captain shouted orders. Sailors scrambled to obey as the first mate changed course to give them the best shot and the flagman waved the signal flags to alert the other warships. The guard captain shouted orders, too, and guards scrambled along the deck to prepare the catapult while others carried up one of the boxes of round clay pots that contained shards of metal floating in liquid fire.
    Ubel turned back to watch the fleeing ships. The Wolfram captains knew what to do and needed no further orders from him.
    The guard captain shouted the order. Ubel watched the round clay pot sail over the water and hit the side of the closest enemy ship, setting the wood on fire. The metal shards flew from the pot, ripping into the flesh of people on deck.
    Another pot was prepared and fired. It hit the sails and was cradled in the cloth for a moment before it fell to the deck, spraying its liquid fire and metal shards.
    As the other warships engaged their catapults and shot clay pots toward the other ships, Ubel heard the screams of the burned and wounded aboard the now-floundering ships. He bared his teeth in a vicious smile.
    Try to run, you bastards. You won’t escape me. What fire doesn’t cleanse from the world, the sea will.
     
    Jenny stepped out of the cottage and saw men running toward the stone stairs that led down to the harbor. Saw Murtagh striding toward her, his face grim and determined. She ran to meet him.
    “What’s happening?” she asked, chilled by the comforting hand he laid on her arm.
    “We’ve sighted some ships heading for the island,” Murtagh replied.
    For a moment, her heart leaped into her throat, making it impossible to breathe. “Mihail?”
    “Can’t tell yet. But they’re being pursued by warships. Since sea thieves know better than to come into these waters, I suspect it’s Black Coats in pursuit. One of those ships running ahead of them could be your brother’s.” Murtagh squeezed her arm lightly. “Not to worry, sweet Jenny. My selkies are getting our own ships ready to sail to meet them, and the coastal barons whose land touches the bay all have ships out to keep watch. We’ll get the people on those ships to safe harbor.”
    Turning away, he hurried after his men.
    Jenny took one step to follow, then spun and ran for the cliffs. She would be in the way down at the harbor, but she would be able to see the ships from the cliffs. Even from a distance, she would be able to identify Sweet Selkie .
    She ran until the village