The House Of Gaian

come aboard. She ran up the gangplank and would have fallen when she reached the deck if he hadn’t reached out to steady her.
    “He’s in the bow,” Murtagh said, guiding her. “He collapsed shortly after I got on board and convinced him we weren’t the enemy.”
    “He’s wounded?” Jenny asked, feeling breathless.
    “He’s been hurt, but it’s exhaustion and lack of food and water that finally pulled his feet out from under him. They ran out and couldn’t stop to take on supplies.”
    When she saw Mihail, she rushed forward and sank to her knees. “Mihail. Mihail .” She brushed a shaking hand over his hair. He looked so pale, so worn. “Mihail.”
    He opened his eyes and stared at her. Finally he said in a hoarse voice, “Jenny?”
    She choked back a sob. “Yes, Mihail. It’s Jenny.”
    “Safe harbor, Jenny?”
    Tears spilled down her cheeks as she gently pressed her lips to his dry, cracked ones. “Yes, Mihail. Safe harbor.”
    Mihail closed his eyes. His body relaxed.
    Panicked, Jenny pressed a hand against his chest, trying to feel his heart.
    Murtagh placed a hand just above Mihail’s nose. “It’s all right, Jenny. He needs to rest.”
    Sobs ripped out of her. Tears of grief. Tears of joy.
     
    “It will be all right, sweet Jenny,” Murtagh said, putting his arms around her to offer warmth and comfort.
    “It will be all right.”

 

     
     

Chapter 36

 

     
     

     
    waxing moon
     
    Ashk and Aiden slowly rode out of the trees, heading toward the manor house at the other end of the big sweep of lawn. Two of the midland barons rode behind them, having insisted on coming. The rest of her companions, her men, and the combined Fae and human army were waiting in the woods. She still wasn’
    t sure if it was because it was reasonable or because Aiden’s gift as the Bard had influenced her decision, but she couldn’t deny his genuine concern that Breanna’s hostility toward the Fae might cause her to shoot first and ask questions later, and it would be easier to persuade her to see them as allies if the Old Place wasn’t suddenly flooded with humans and Fae.
    Of course, that was before they’d met up with several pairs of Fae from different Clans patrolling the woods, all of whom informed her quickly, and with wary relief, that men from their Clans had set up camps in meadows and pastures in the Old Place. They told her Varden, the Willowsbrook Clan’s Lord of the Woods, was working with Barons Liam and Donovan as well as Lord Falco and Lady Breanna on a way to meet the enemy while protecting the Old Place and the human village. And they told her, with a hint of fear in their eyes, that the Huntress rode among them.
    So she’d held to her decision and rode ahead with the Bard and two barons—not because the witches who lived at Willows-brook might still feel hostile toward the Fae but because she wanted to take the measure of the Huntress before exposing her men.
    As she rode toward the manor house, she noticed the small black dog sound asleep under a tree. She noticed the large hawk who watched them from its perch on a pole that supported lines of pegged clothes. She noticed the men around the stables, who put down grooming brushes and picked up pitchforks and crossbows. And she noticed the dark-haired woman who strode out of the house and headed right toward them, followed by a man and woman.
    She reined in. Aiden stopped alongside her, and the barons swung their horses to either side to flank them.
    Aiden raised his hand. “Blessings of the day, Breanna.”
    Breanna’s eyes flicked from Aiden to Ashk, and Ashk saw a question in those woodland eyes that a man would never notice and any woman would understand.
    “I am Ashk, the Hunter,” she said. “My husband guested with your family a few weeks ago and asked me to send you his regards.”
    “Husband?” Breanna studied Ashk. “You mean Padrick?”
    Ashk nodded.

    “He was a sensible man,” Breanna said, her voice turning sour. “Even if he is gentry ... and Fae.”
    Oh, dear. It didn’t sound like the barons were going to be warmly welcomed, either. And there was still doubt in Breanna’s eyes.
    “Lyrra will be pleased to see you,” Aiden said with a smile, proving that he had understood the question in Breanna’s eyes as well. “She’s waiting with some of our companions. We didn’t want to impose on you until...” He trailed off, now looking uncertain.
    “Until you were sure I wouldn’t shoot