The House Of Gaian

against him.
    Why was the other baron here?
    Donovan dismounted. So did the other four gentry men and half the guards. Liam recognized the four men as barons he’d seen in the council chambers, but he couldn’t remember their names or what counties they ruled.
    “Baron Liam,” Donovan said, his voice courteous yet wary.
    “Baron Donovan,” Liam replied. “To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”
    “You left Durham in a hurry.” Donovan watched Liam intently.
    “I had reasons.” None he was willing to share until he knew why Donovan was here.
    The door of the first coach opened. Liam saw one of the guards hastily extend a hand as a hooded figure stepped down.
    A flicker of—fear?—swept over Donovan’s face as the hooded figure came forward. Then his face became hard, his expression determined.
    “Answer one question so I’ll know if we’re wasting our time,” Donovan said. “Where witches are concerned, where do you stand?”
    The heat under his skin was intolerable. He wanted a few minutes to quietly focus in order to try to bank the power he had raised. Since he wasn’t going to get those few minutes ...
    He raised his hand, releasing the power as he pointed at the wood.
    Flames roared out of the bucket, shooting up to twice his height before settling back down to something closer to a normal fire.
    While the men fought to get the horses under control, the hooded figure seemed to stare at him. Liam was trying to think of something to say when Breanna galloped around the corner of the house and reined in. Her eyes took in the men and nervous horses, then settled on the hooded figure for a moment before she flung herself out of the saddle and strode forward, her eyes now focused on the barons.
    When she stopped, she pointed a finger at Donovan. “If you raise so much as a finger here to do harm, I will summon a wind that will knock you all into the sea!”
    Strong female hands suddenly flung the hood back, revealing an attractive woman who glared at Breanna. “If you knock us into the sea, then I’ll summon the sea and send a wave back here that will turn this place into a lake!”
    Tension buzzed around the women for several seconds—seconds when no one, not even the horses, dared move. Then they grinned at each other.
    “Where are you from?” Breanna asked.
    “The midlands, on the northwest side of the Mother’s Hills,” the woman replied.
    “Do you have kin in the hills?”
    “I do. And you?”
    “I do.”
    “I’m water.”
    “I’m air. And he’s”— Breanna glanced at Liam before looking at the bucket of burning wood—“
    learning.”
    The woman’s lips twitched. “So I see.”
    Now that his heart seemed able to get some blood back up to his brain, Liam noticed how pale the other barons were—and the stunned expression on Donovan’s face.
    “Since Liam’s being a featherhead, I’ll pretend I live here and offer you some refreshments.”
    The woman gave Liam an uneasy look. “You don’t live here?”
    “Why would I?” Breanna asked, surprised.
    “Then, perhaps ...”
    “It will be fine. Since Liam’s mother and sister—”
    “Youngest sister,” Liam cut in, bristling.
    Breanna rolled her eyes. “Since they’re staying at the Old Place with us, Sloane is quite happy to take household instructions from any sensible person.”
    “I’m sensible!” Liam said.
    “Of course you are.”
    “Refreshments sound lovely,” the woman said quickly.
    “This way,” Breanna said, leading the way into the house. “Where are your kin in the Mother’s Hills?”
    Liam didn’t hear the answer since the door had closed behind the two women.
    He and Donovan eyed each other.
    “She’s ...?” Donovan asked.
    “My sister,” Liam replied. He gestured toward where the other woman had stood. “And she’s ...?”
    “My wife.”
    The door opened again, and two junior footmen came out with buckets of water.

    “Mistress Breanna said we should douse the fire,” one of them said.
    “Unless you want the ladies to summon a bit of a cloud to rain on it,” the other added.
    They looked so disappointed when he sighed and told them to just douse the damn fire. They all watched the water quench the fire—except for one chunk of wood at the top, which stubbornly kept burning despite being watersoaked.
    “She’s right, you know,” Donovan said blandly.
    “About what?” Liam asked.
    “You are still learning.”
    Liam just shook his head. “Gentlemen, why don’t