The House Of Gaian

didn’t wonder why. This wasn’t a harbor for the inexperienced or unwary. But an enemy trying to land wouldn’t know which channels through the sentinel stones were deep enough to give safe passage into the harbor itself and which had unseen rocks that would rip the bottom out of a ship.
    No, an enemy wouldn’t know, but neither would a merchant who was being pursued and needed a safe harbor.
    She wouldn’t think of that. She wouldn’t.
    Safe harbor. Oh, Mihail, come back to safe harbor.
    They were expected. As the last sails were lowered and the anchor dropped to bring the ship gently to the long dock, Jenny saw the men on the stony beach. Many held crossbows. Others held the hooks used to gaff big fish.
    She waited in the bow while the lines were secured and the gangplank lowered, studying the men.
    Studying the man . He didn’t look that different from the other men on the beach, but there was something about Lord Murtagh that made him stand out. An arrogance in his stance perhaps. Or just a sense of power.
    She wasn’t sure. She’d never met any Fae until coming to Sealand, and she’d never met one of the Fae who ruled a gift.
    Perhaps this hadn’t been such a good idea after all.
    Breanna wouldn‘t falter , Jenny thought. Breanna wouldn’t back away from meeting a Fae Lord if that’s what it took to get what she needed. Mother’s tits. Breanna would yell at the Lightbringer himself if she got riled enough .
    Thinking about Breanna produced an ache around her heart, but she felt calmer when the ship’s captain carefully escorted her down the gangplank to the dock where the Lord of the Selkies now waited for her.
    After the ship’s captain introduced them, Murtagh smiled at her. “What brings Sealand’s water witch to Selkie Island?”
    “I have a favor to ask,” Jenny replied.
    Murtagh looked down at her feet. “You’re wearing sensible boots. Good. Let’s take a walk.” He held out his hand.
    She hesitated for a moment before taking his hand.
    He seemed amused by that, which annoyed her enough to match his stride as he led her off the dock to a set of steps carved into the cliff. The steps were wide enough for two people, and only the first few steps put a person at risk of taking a fall onto the beach. At the first landing, the steps angled away from the beach and were protected by the cliff on both sides. Another landing and another flight of steps brought them to the top of the cliff.
    After leading her a little ways away from the edge, Murtagh released her hand.
    Jenny looked around. A footpath followed the cliff. Another, wider path led to the stone cottages. Bright splashes of color indicated flower beds. She guessed the low stone walls she could see behind some cottages were the kitchen gardens. Not so different from Sealand, but a much, much smaller village.
    “This is your Clan?” Jenny asked hesitantly.
    “Some of it,” Murtagh replied. Then he laughed. “There are little villages scattered all over the island. All together, they make up the Clan here at Selkie Island. Why crowd everyone into one place? And while everyone here chooses to live on the island, not everyone’s heart belongs to the sea.”
    “Oh. I—I don’t know much about the Fae yet.” Did that sound lame? That sounded lame.
    “You’ll learn.” Murtagh smiled at her. “Let’s walk.”
    After a few minutes, warmed by the sun and the exercise, Jenny pulled off her cloak. Murtagh took it from her and slung it over his shoulder.
    Since Murtagh didn’t seem inclined to break the silence, Jenny asked, “You have no witches on the island?”
    “We have a few. This whole island is an Old Place, so some have found their way here over the years.
    There’s two hedge witches—sisters—who grow herbs and make medicines for the healers. There’s my sister—
    “Your sister? ”
    “—who lives in a dell at the center of the island because the sea can’t compete with the feel of earth beneath her hands. And there’s my grandmother, who has danced with the sea since she was a young maid who was lured here by a selkie Lord. His affection was about as constant as the tide, but I’ve always suspected she knew that and the island was more of a lure for her than he was. Of course, she might have returned to the mainland after a while if another selkie Lord hadn’t been waiting for a chance to take his rival’s place.”
    “How convenient,” Jenny muttered, understanding much better the ship captain’s