The House Of Gaian
pentagram hanging from a chain around his neck. And was suddenly afraid of what might happen if she said yes to this Son of the House of Gaian.
She looked away. “No. The Black Coats and the barons who followed them in the name of greed and ambition deserve whatever comes to them. But not the men and women who just want to live free of fear. Not the children. Not the land.” She hesitated, then added, “Do no harm.”
He nodded. “But even within the words of our creed there is room for justice, and justice can sometimes be harsh.”
Not knowing how to respond to that, she focused on the low-voiced argument going on behind her and shook her head. “Don’t waste your breath, Selena. He’s gentry and he’s a baron. The only way you’ll get your point across is to nip him so that he’s reminded of it for a week every time he tries to sit down.”
“Is that what you do with your man?” the Son asked.
“On occasion. When he needs it.”
He grinned, then sobered as he looked out over the field again. “Fog.”
“What?”
He nodded toward the field. “A heavy fog. If we blanket the field, their longbowmen will be blind. We can go out and help the wounded to safety.”
“If they’re blind, so are we. Anyone going out too far could end up walking right into the enemy.”
“Would you rather leave them out there?”
Ashk shook her head.
“Problem is, fog is even harder to hold than a storm. We can create it, but it will drift. It’s well into the afternoon now. By dusk, there will be banks of fog as far back as the Old Place. But I think it’s our best chance.”
“What’s our best chance?” Selena asked, coming up behind them.
“Fog,” Ashk replied.
Selena considered this and nodded. “It will drift, but that’s not a bad thing. The Black Coats haven’t been here long enough to know the lay of the land. I don’t think they’ll be anxious to move men when they can’t see if they’re about to tumble down a creekbed or walk into a tree.”
“We’ll take care of it,” the Son said.
Selena studied him. “My thanks. In that case, I’m going to take Liam back to his house to get his arm sewn up. He stands there bleeding like a stuck pig and insists he’s fine. The jackass.”
“Thank you very much, Lady Selena,” Liam said stiffly. “It’s always a pleasure to discuss things with you.
”
“Just nip him,” Ashk muttered.
“I heard that.”
“You were meant to.”
“You’ll go with them,” the Son said.
Ashk gave the man a cool stare. “I’ll decide when to go back to the house.”
“Which is now because you’re a sensible woman who needs food and rest in order to prepare for what will come tomorrow. You’re only annoyed because you know I’m right.”
Ashk looked at Selena, who shrugged. Studying the Son, she said, “Have you spent much time among the human gentry?”
He shook his head. “Do you think I need lessons in persuasive speaking?”
“No, I think you could give them.”
Ashk stepped out of the house. The Son had been right about the fog drifting. It was eerier somehow when it parted suddenly, providing a clear view for a few seconds before drawing a veil back over the land. But it had hidden the men who had gone into the field to search for the wounded, and they had brought back more than she dared hope for. Many of the Fae were too hurt or dazed or frightened to change back to their human form, but as one human told her when he walked up to the house with a Fae in his arms, it was easier to carry a fox than a man.
So many wounded. So many dead. She was grateful to Gwenn and Lyrra for making a record of the men arriving, writing down names and Clans or a human’s home village. It had helped to see the names of those who had come back to them, even if they were wounded. And it helped to receive copies that had been sent from the other gentry houses who were taking in wounded.
But it squeezed her heart to see how many names were missing. Clay had lost an eye but had managed to get back to the village on his own. But Rory was missing. Squire Thurston had lost his right leg below the knee and was being nursed in his own home. But no one remembered the last time they’d seen Donovan.
Varden had come through the battle unharmed, but Sheridan was missing.
And no one had seen Falco. Or Aiden.
She tensed when she heard the door open, then forced herself to relax. There were no enemies here. She didn’t have to guard her back.
Morphia
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