The House Of Gaian

thing.”
    “What else could be troubling him?”
    Breanna squirmed as Nuala turned and gave her That Look.
    “That,” Nuala said, “is what you need to find out.”
    He was still sitting on the bench under the tree, looking lost and lonely.
    As she walked toward him, Breanna wondered just how much he had given up in order to give whatever help and protection he could against the Inquisitors. She knew he’d been shunned by the Clan whose territory was anchored to Old Willowsbrook, but had he just forfeited his family as well?
    When she sat down beside him, Falco said, “Liam returned. He said he needed to soak his hands in water.”
    Breanna sighed. “He needs more work in learning to ground the power.”
    “The women in the washhouse were glad to see him.”
    She let out a huff of laughter. “I’m sure they were. They’ll have plenty of hot water for laundry without having to stoke fires and sweat. Still, it will be easier on him when he learns to ground his power in a more traditional way.”
    Falco smiled, but the smile faded quickly.
    “What troubles you, Falco?” Breanna asked. “Do you miss your home?”
    He shook his head. “It isn’t a happy place. Hasn’t been since...” He sighed. “Dianna resents having to live at Brightwood to anchor the magic.”
    “Dianna?”
    “Lucian’s sister.”
    “I see,” Breanna said. But she didn’t see, didn’t understand. “She’s from that Clan?”
    Falco nodded. “There’s something about her that allows her to anchor the magic in the Old Place to keep the shining road open—as long as enough Fae stay in the Old Place with her.”
    “So that Clan doesn’t really need a witch.”
    He made a frustrated sound. “She’s the Lady of the Moon, Breanna. The Lady of the Moon. The Huntress. She wants to live in Tir Alainn. She doesn‘t want to be burdened with staying in the human world.”
    “But she’s doing this for her family.”
    He studied her, an odd expression on his face. “If it were your family, and you had to give up something special in order for the rest to have it, you would do it, wouldn’t you?”
    “Of course,” Breanna said, puzzled. “They’re family. I’m not saying it would be easy, or that there wouldn’t be times when I would wish it could be otherwise, but, yes, I would do it.”
    “That’s what makes you different from the Fae. One of the things, anyway.”
    “Falco—”
    He shot to his feet, paced a few steps away from her, then returned to the bench. “I don’t understand your ways.” Frustration shimmered in his voice. “If this was a Clan, I would know what was expected of me, but I don’t understand your ways.”
    “What don’t you understand?”
    “I don’t know if you expect me ... if your female kin expect me ...” He slumped back down on the bench. “I don’t like Jean. I don’t want to bed Jean.”
    Breanna felt her jaw start to drop. “Whoever said you had to?”
    “Since I’m visiting your ... family ... and you haven’t said you want me for yourself, I’m obliged to... to ...
    ”
    He was on his feet again, pacing in front of her.
    “It’s not that your female kin aren’t fine women—most of them—but I—”
    “Don’t want to bed them.”
    “Yes!”
    “You want to bed me.”
    “Yes!”
    “Why?”

    He stopped pacing and looked at her as if she’d just asked him to count every leaf on every tree in the Old Place.
    “Because ... you’re you.”
    Breanna blew out a breath. What was she supposed to say to that?
    “Breanna?”
    She patted the bench. “Sit down, Falco.”
    He sat. Perched was a better word, since he looked like he was going to jump up again at any moment.
    “When I was nineteen,” Breanna said, “I visited my kin in the Mother’s Hills during the celebration of the Summer Moon. A full moon, wine, lots of laughter and dancing. There was a young man there, older than me by a few years, who was staying with friends. We danced and talked and laughed... and when he asked me to go walking with him, I went. It was romantic and exciting, and he was experienced enough with women that I didn’t regret him being my first lover. But in the morning ... Well, he didn’t seem quite so wonderful without the moonlight and the wine. I decided after that visit that I needed to like a man in the daylight before I gave in to the lure of moonlight.”
    “I see,” Falco said thoughtfully. “Do you like me?”
    “Yes, I like you,” Breanna replied. “I like you